1. Introduction- some background2. History- Who are we?3. The new pathway4. A look at where we live5. Site- needs and criteria6. Some Quick Q and A7. Questions

According to the National Catholic Educational Association’s annual data report, “between the 2000 and the 2013 school years, 2,090 schools were reported closed or consolidated (25.7 percent). The number of students declined by 651,298 (24.5 percent). The most seriously impacted have been elementary schools.”

There is a significant decrease in the number of priests, Religious sisters and brothers teaching in Catholic schools according to Time.

1950 --- 90 % 1967 --- 58 % Today --- 4 %

This shift has meant that schools have had to raise tuition in order to pay more lay teachers.

The National Catholic Educational Association states that the average Catholic elementary school tuition is $3,673, and the average Catholic secondary school freshman tuition is $9,622.

“The answer is fairly simple,” James Cultrara, director for education for the New York State Catholic Conference, told Education Next. “The rising cost of providing a Catholic education has made it more difficult for parents to meet those rising costs.”

There are approximately 6,000 charter schools in America, and it’s likely this number will continue to rise. “Charter schools are one of the biggest threats to Catholic schools in the inner city, hands down,” Father Ronald Nuzzi, director of the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) leadership program at Notre Dame, told Education Next. “How do you compete with an alternative that doesn’t cost anything?” (Magnet Schools?)

Founded in 1883 Current Grade 9-12 enrollment – 200

◦30 of which are International students Feeder communities - 20 Staff & Faculty – 46 Tuition - $8600(parishioner) $9300(full)

Declining enrollment over a period of 40 years 275,000 sq. ft. building with 500 students-

Cathedral and St. Michael’s Academy Inefficient building that contributed to a costly

annual budget- tuition and annual giving(revenue) has been far less than annual operation costs

Concerns had begun to surface about the school’s future “How long could the school sustain itself?”

The tornado forces the inevitable- “What is the future of Cathedral High School and what is the future of secondary education for the diocese of Springfield?”

Founded in 1963 Merger of 4 city Catholic HS Current Grade 9-12 enrollment - 251

◦13 of which are International students Feeder communities – 23 Staff & Faculty – 42 Tuition - $7500(parishioner) $8500(full)

Old downtown Holyoke campus closes due to structural concerns

School moves to Granby seminary while a determination is made about its future

Consolidation is considered but not implemented Site selected in Chicopee- Diocesan elementary

school rehabbed and new addition built◦No space for outside facilities◦Limited parking for staff and visitors. ◦No theater, Church hall used for school wide

meetings◦No athletic fields on campus

Devise a plan for Catholic Secondary Education in the diocese of Springfield that meets these criteria:

1.The plan must be sustainable2.The plan must be educationally sound3.The plan must be affordable4.The plan should solidify the significance

of Catholic Education in the diocese

1. Establish a new 9-12 regional high school

2. Merge the two existing high schools under diocesan control

3. Develop an aggressive campaign to raise $15,000,000 for a tuition endowment ($1,000,000 set aside to maintain the new building)

4. Review the organizational governance structure of the school

Establish a school on a suitable site that reflects a new regional concept

Merge the two schools taking in account all of the necessary components of a successful 9-12 Catholic education

Provide recommendations for a new governance structure for diocesan schools

Holyoke Catholic High School – Where We Live

Agawam - 14 (Feeding Hills)

Belchertown - 3 Chicopee – 44 Connecticut - 2 East Longmeadow - 4 Easthampton - 6 Granby - 8 Hampden - 1 Holyoke - 15 Longmeadow - 2

Ludlow - 31 Monson - 4 Palmer - 1 South Hadley - 11 Southampton - 5 Southwick - 5 Springfield - 43 Ware - 1 West Springfield - 33 Westfield - 16 Wilbraham - 2

Cathedral High School – Where We Live

Cathedral Students not living in Springfield

Amherst - 1 Belchertown - 2 Chicopee - 4 East Longmeadow

- 11 Connecticut - 11 Hampden - 1 Holyoke – 1 Ludlow - 5

Monson - 3 Palmer – 3 Sheffield - 1 South Hadley- 1 Springfield - 136 West Springfield - 8 Westfield – 2 Wilbraham - 10

New Regional High School – Where We Live

City 8 910 11 Total %

Agawam 2 2 2 6 1%Amherst 1 1 2 0%Belchertown 1 2 1 2 6 1%

Chicopee 10 1012 17 49 10%

Conway 1 1 0%Derby 1 1 0%East Longmeadow 3 4 2 6 15 3%Easthampton 1 1 2 4 1%Enfield 3 1 2 6 1%Feeding Hills 1 2 3 6 1%Granby 3 1 2 1 7 1%Hampden 1 1 0%Holyoke 9 2 4 6 21 4%Indian Orchard 2 2 0%Leeds 2 2 0%Longmeadow 1 1 0%Ludlow 7 7 9 11 34 7%

City 8 9 10 11 Total %Monson 1 3 1 3 8 2%Palmer 2 2 0%Sheffield 1 1 0%Somers 2 2 1 1 6 1%South Hadley 3 2 5 3 13 3%Southampton 3 1 4 1%Southwick 4 2 2 8 2%

Springfield 4840 46 57 191 41%

Suffield 1 1 2 1 5 1%Tolland 1 1 2 0%Ware 3 1 4 1%West Springfield 7 4 5 11 27 6%Westfield 5 7 5 5 22 5%Wilbraham 2 2 5 1 10 2%Windsor 1 1 0%Windsor Locks 1 1 2 0%Grand Total

123

96

115

136 470 100%

Holyoke Catholic High School ◦83% outside of Springfield◦17% from Springfield

Cathedral High School◦64% from Springfield◦36% outside of Springfield

Unified high school ◦59% live outside of the city

Parking Spaces- 603

Acres Parking-    4.75

Total property acreage- 137

Acres Total Usable- 105

Fields- 16 (count includes

tennis)

2- 60' diamond2- 90' diamond1- 1/4 mi. track (surfaced)1- track infield all purpose1- Football field w/stadium2- Soccer (V-JV)2-Lax Boys2-Lax Girls (also field hockey)2- General Purpose1- Tennis courts w/ 6 courts

Parking- 250-300 spaces◦ Acreage-2+

45-50 acres (based on previous slide)◦ Proposed sites at least 30 acres

Proposed athletic facilities◦ 1- 60' diamond(softball) 1- 90' diamond (baseball)◦ 1- 1/4 mi. track (surfaced) 1- track infield all purpose

2- Soccer (girls and boys) 1- General Purpose1- Football field w/stadium(synthetic and fully lighted)

◦ 1- Tennis courts w/ 6 courts (lighted)

Lot size (present and future) Ease of build Existing utilities Environmental Constraints Environmental Remedies Accessibility Ownership/cost Compatibility to surrounding

Springfield - Surrey RdWest Spfld - Brush HillChicopee- UniroyalChicopee- unused St. Stanislaus Cemetery land

Additional sites have been identified and are under current review

Will the two schools physically merge before the new school is built?

◦My recommendation to the Bishop would be no.

Capacity of both schools.

Potentially three transitions.

If the two schools stay open, what will the merge look like?

Unite the two schools under one name One administrative organization but

maintain the two campuses. Preparation work during the school year

2015-2016 Begin the “new” school in the fall of

2016.

What will that mean to my current school’s program, athletics, tuition, diploma and all the other important facets of my child’s educational program? ◦ Solutions in progress◦ Athletic Directors have begun to make proposal

for co-op teams for next fall. ◦ Faculty to review the course of studies for both

schools to develop a rich and robust program. ◦ Tuitions to stay as is

Per building Transition tuitions

◦ Research how others have blended diplomas

"If we truly know our faith and what it is all about, then the decisions that we make and the actions that we do make that faith visible.”Bishop Mitchell Rozanski- Upon his arrival to Springfield(2014)