Archdiocese forms Executive Board of Elementary Education to help schools
Posted: Monday, March 4, 2013 3:48 pm
By Christian Menno Staff writer
As the principal of Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in Penndel, Denise Lewis knows just how tough it is to keep up enrollment numbers in the struggling economy.
So she's hoping the latest effort from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia will help avoid a repeat of a recent rash of Catholic elementary school closings.
Church officials on Monday announced the formation of an Executive Board of Elementary Education.
According to a statement issued by the archdiocese, the board was created “to better assist local pastors, parishes, elementary and regional schools with strategic planning, marketing, enrollment and governance to help sustain, grow and strengthen their schools.”
“This sounds like a good thing,” Lewis said Monday. “If it can lead to financial support or just give us input in terms of planning, that would be great.”
Additionally, five advisory councils will be formed in each county in the diocese -- Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia.
Each council will be made up of principals, pastors, parents and community members appointed by the regional bishop.
Our Lady of Grace escaped the chopping block about a year ago after appealing a Blue Ribbon Commission's recommendation that it be closed. But many other schools in the archdiocese did not. Thirty-three schools, down from the recommended 45, were shut down.
St. John the Evangelist in Lower Makefield was one of them.
Assumption BVM in Lower Southampton also shut down. Officials there did not appeal plans to merge with St. Bede the Venerable in Northampton. BVM students now share the St. Bede building, which has been renamed St. Katharine Drexel Regional School.
The new board's goal is to not only keep open the remaining 156 elementary schools in the archdiocese, but to help them grow.
Our Lady of Grace's Lewis credits the passionate support of the community for giving the school and the parish a solid foundation in spite of enrollment issues that have affected Catholic schools across the country.
“We even have a development team made up of parents that has provided us with a lot of technology,” Lewis said. “Our enrollment is up to 325, which is a good number for us but we’d always like to have more. We’re always looking for kids and families that want a Catholic education.”
Bishop Michael J. Fitzgerald oversees Catholic education for the archdiocese and will also serve as the chairman of the Executive Board.
Fitzgerald on Monday said that the board and the councils “will work very closely with the Office of Catholic Education and the principals of the elementary schools.”
Added Fitzgerald: “The collective mission of the executive board and the advisory councils will be to understand and plan for the demographic shifts, enrollment trends and the financial pressures that all schools face today so that working more strategically across the counties we can provide accessible, affordable, high quality Catholic education for all those who desire it.”
“Facts & Figures 2012,” published by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, lists the following average pay rates for educators in the state: Superintendent: $132,305 Elementary principal: $98,502 Secondary principal: $102,739 Classroom teacher: $60,675
Note: In Lower Bucks County, average teacher salaries for 2012 were: $95,906 (Council Rock); $89,876 (Centennial); $85,640 (Middle Bucks Institute of Technology); $83,776 (Bristol Township); $83,970 (Bristol Borough); $78,611 (Bucks County Technical High School); $77,354 (Neshaminy); $77,313 (Bensalem); $76,114 (Pennsbury); $58,930 (Morrisville); $55,777 (Montessori); and $46,286 (School Lane Charter).
To get a grant, you need someone to seek out the opportunities, RFAs, RFPs, FOAs, and once identified, to coordinate and develop a winning proposal. This is no small effort, and usually requires dedicated professionals. In other words, you need to invest now to reap the future rewards. This is something with which the shortsighted folks in Morrisville have always struggled. The current budget shortfall and tax increase request is just the latest example. I don't see this changing anytime soon, as the last person to make any real effort to overcome this ennui was run out of town on a rail.
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Archdiocese forms Executive Board of Elementary Education to help schools
Posted: Monday, March 4, 2013 3:48 pm
By Christian Menno Staff writer
As the principal of Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in Penndel, Denise Lewis knows just how tough it is to keep up enrollment numbers in the struggling economy.
So she's hoping the latest effort from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia will help avoid a repeat of a recent rash of Catholic elementary school closings.
Church officials on Monday announced the formation of an Executive Board of Elementary Education.
According to a statement issued by the archdiocese, the board was created “to better assist local pastors, parishes, elementary and regional schools with strategic planning, marketing, enrollment and governance to help sustain, grow and strengthen their schools.”
“This sounds like a good thing,” Lewis said Monday. “If it can lead to financial support or just give us input in terms of planning, that would be great.”
Additionally, five advisory councils will be formed in each county in the diocese -- Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia.
Each council will be made up of principals, pastors, parents and community members appointed by the regional bishop.
Our Lady of Grace escaped the chopping block about a year ago after appealing a Blue Ribbon Commission's recommendation that it be closed. But many other schools in the archdiocese did not. Thirty-three schools, down from the recommended 45, were shut down.
St. John the Evangelist in Lower Makefield was one of them.
Assumption BVM in Lower Southampton also shut down. Officials there did not appeal plans to merge with St. Bede the Venerable in Northampton. BVM students now share the St. Bede building, which has been renamed St. Katharine Drexel Regional School.
The new board's goal is to not only keep open the remaining 156 elementary schools in the archdiocese, but to help them grow.
Our Lady of Grace's Lewis credits the passionate support of the community for giving the school and the parish a solid foundation in spite of enrollment issues that have affected Catholic schools across the country.
“We even have a development team made up of parents that has provided us with a lot of technology,” Lewis said. “Our enrollment is up to 325, which is a good number for us but we’d always like to have more. We’re always looking for kids and families that want a Catholic education.”
Bishop Michael J. Fitzgerald oversees Catholic education for the archdiocese and will also serve as the chairman of the Executive Board.
Fitzgerald on Monday said that the board and the councils “will work very closely with the Office of Catholic Education and the principals of the elementary schools.”
Added Fitzgerald: “The collective mission of the executive board and the advisory councils will be to understand and plan for the demographic shifts, enrollment trends and the financial pressures that all schools face today so that working more strategically across the counties we can provide accessible, affordable, high quality Catholic education for all those who desire it.”
When does the next push for vouchers begin, before or after The Conclave?
The push for vouchers never stopped, long term survival of Catholic Schools depends on public taxpayer subsidies.
How else can they assure the constant flow of little boys for the priests' pleasure?
How much financial trouble can the Catholic Schools be in when Conwell-Egan is giving out I-pads to all new incoming Freshman.
I think those are a BMGF donation, and they are showing up in schools all over the country.
Lets get someone on it here so we can get them at Morrisville.
Average teaching salaries in Pa.
Posted: Monday, March 4, 2013 3:53 pm
“Facts & Figures 2012,” published by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, lists the following average pay rates for educators in the state:
Superintendent: $132,305
Elementary principal: $98,502
Secondary principal: $102,739
Classroom teacher: $60,675
Note: In Lower Bucks County, average teacher salaries for 2012 were: $95,906 (Council Rock); $89,876 (Centennial); $85,640 (Middle Bucks Institute of Technology); $83,776 (Bristol Township); $83,970 (Bristol Borough); $78,611 (Bucks County Technical High School); $77,354 (Neshaminy); $77,313 (Bensalem); $76,114 (Pennsbury); $58,930 (Morrisville); $55,777 (Montessori); and $46,286 (School Lane Charter).
from phillyburbs.com
To get a grant, you need someone to seek out the opportunities, RFAs, RFPs, FOAs, and once identified, to coordinate and develop a winning proposal. This is no small effort, and usually requires dedicated professionals. In other words, you need to invest now to reap the future rewards. This is something with which the shortsighted folks in Morrisville have always struggled. The current budget shortfall and tax increase request is just the latest example. I don't see this changing anytime soon, as the last person to make any real effort to overcome this ennui was run out of town on a rail.
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