Office of Catholic Schools Provides Support for Parish Schools

Sister Catherine Powers, CND, Superintendent of schools training the new
Catholic school teacher spring 2005.

The Office of Catholic Schools oversees the 20 elementary schools and two high schools in the Archdiocese. Although the administration of each local school is totally under the auspices of the local parish (pastor and principal), there are numerous functions and services provided by the staff which is comprised of a superintendent, associate superintendent and secretary.

A major emphasis of the schools office is to provide training for those who will be associated with the Catholic schools. Personnel of the office offer various training workshops throughout the year. For example, each school year, the superintendent and associate superintendent conduct workshops for: pastors who will be new to a parish with a school, new teachers to the Catholic school system, principals who are new to the school and new school advisory council members.

In addition the superintendent recruits and screens principals for our school system. When a candidate is approved to apply to a Catholic school, the superintendent trains local principal search committees and also sits on each search committee. Once a new principal is hired at a school their orientation to the school and the entire system continues throughout the individual’s first year of service.

New principals are required to attend monthly training sessions which are designed to assist the principal in the first year of service. Besides these meetings there is also a monthly meeting for all principals.

Our schools must have programs that emphasize our Catholic identity as well as strong academic programs. To assist in providing this, the Catholic schools office also works on curriculum guides for each subject area which are consistent with state requirements.

However, an added element is that these guides incorporate the teachings of our Catholic faith throughout each subject. In addition, the testing program for the schools is coordinated through the office.

Often the superintendent or associate superintendent present pertinent workshops to faculties or parent groups. There is no charge to the local parish because all of our funding (salaries, materials, transportation) is provided through the generosity of our ADF donors.

Another function of the office personnel is to monitor the Catholic school accreditation process and the safe environment program of all of our Catholic schools.

The administration of our local schools requires numerous records, forms, reports, etc. All of these (i.e. report cards, record cards, report forms) are provided through the office of Catholic schools. Also, the office produces policy manuals, advisory council manuals, manuals, curriculum guides, religious education materials, etc. which are provided to each school. Again, all of this is only made possible through the generosity of donors to the ADF.