CHICAGO (January 22, 2004) – The superintendent of the Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic schools today announced a series of new initiatives to help shape the future of the world’s largest non-public school system and disclosed preliminary plans for capital programs at two schools in the inner city.

Superintendent Nicholas M. Wolsonovich, Ph.D., said the new initiatives are part of an ongoing process to create a revitalized Catholic school system in Cook and Lake counties that remains rooted in its tradition of academic excellence and faith-based education. The new initiatives include:

• Long-range planning to identify and address the changing needs for Catholic school education of families in several locations throughout Cook and Lake counties.
• The Catholic Area Network (CAN), an innovative model of education that links 16 Catholic elementary and secondary schools with three Catholic universities to provide students with a continuous and progressive Catholic educational experience from pre-kindergarten through college.
• An expanded commitment toward accommodating students with diverse abilities and needs.
• Plans for capital improvements at St. Stanislaus Kostka School, 1255 N. Noble St., on the near Northwest side, and Academy of St. Benedict the African (campuses on Chicago’s south side).

“Catholic schools have played an important role in shaping the minds, hearts and spirits of countless young people in Cook and Lake counties for generations,” said Wolsonovich. “We’re launching these important new initiatives to help us better meet the educational and spiritual development needs of 21st century students and their families.”

Wolsonovich said the new initiatives will help shape a system that is built on the traditional strengths of Catholic schools, including high test scores on national achievement tests, strong graduation and attendance rates and a solid faith formation component to each school’s curriculum. “As we plot a course for our future, our goal is to blend our traditions with the latest best-practice approaches to Catholic school education to ensure a faith-filled future for the next several generations of Chicago-area families,” said Wolsonovich.

Wolsonovich highlighted the Archdiocese’s latest annual report on Catholic schools published this week in the Catholic New World and outlined the initiatives to help shape the future of Chicago-area Catholic schools during a briefing at St. Andrew School, 1710 W. Addison, Chicago. Fourteen elementary and secondary school teachers were honored at the event with the Archdiocese of Chicago’s “Heart of the School Award” for their contributions in the classroom.

Long-range Planning Under Way

Comprehensive long-range planning to meet the future needs of families who choose Catholic education is under way in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

The initiative focuses on establishing a clear vision of Catholic school education in the Archdiocese of Chicago over the next two decades and on developing strategic plans to make that vision a reality, Wolsonovich said. Planning is being conducted in two separate geographic regions: Lake County and portions of northern Cook County (Vicariate I); and the city of Chicago and portions of Cook County (Vicariates II-VI). There are six vicariates, or regions, in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I., Archbishop of Chicago, will have final approval of the plans, recommendations and implementation strategies that result from the planning process.

During the preliminary phases of planning, input is being gathered from key individuals and groups associated with Archdiocese of Chicago schools, including bishops, vicars, deans, pastors and principals. A broad range of data is also being collected from schools and parishes as well as local, county, regional and national government sources. The data includes demographic and enrollment trends and projections and will be analyzed to help identify and address the changing needs of families in various locations throughout the Archdiocese.

Also during the preliminary phases, a number of elementary and secondary school sites will be visited to assess significant challenges and opportunities as well as future needs and plans. In addition, results of a 1997 physical plant survey of school sites in the city of Chicago and portions of northern Cook county will be reviewed and updated to reflect current and future needs.

Planning will include forecasting the number, potential size and location of Catholic schools that will be needed in future years due to demographic shifts and other factors. Another issue to be addressed is how elementary schools, which traditionally have been operated as parish schools, might best be configured and governed in the future to meet the needs of families in specific geographic areas of the Archdiocese. Other goals include identifying additional ways to make Catholic school education available to families who cannot afford tuition; and what to do about aging school facilities in the inner-city and other areas of Cook county.

“We believe there is a strong need – and in some areas a great demand – for Catholic education in the city of Chicago, including the inner-city. We are committed to finding realistic solutions to sustain our presence for those who wish to choose a Catholic education,” said Wolsonovich.

Meitler Consultants, Inc., a Milwaukee-area-based independent consultancy has been retained by the Office of Catholic Schools to compile and analyze the data and assist in the development and implementation of the strategic plans, including funding strategies. Meitler specializes in elementary and high school planning, new school feasibility studies, parish planning and diocesan and religious community studies.

Separate planning task forces in each of the two regions will serve as an advisory panel to Meitler, Wolsonovich and Cardinal George. The membership of the task forces include representatives of elementary and secondary schools, parishes, school parents and the Office of Catholic Schools. Once the data has been analyzed and interpreted, the task forces will share the various implications of the information with pastors and principals and seek their feedback. The task force will also work with Meitler and key Church and school groups to develop a strategic plan for presentation to Vicariate and Archdiocesan leadership.

Catholic Area Network (CAN) to Pilot New Model of Education

A group of 16 Catholic elementary and secondary schools, located principally on the northwest side of Chicago, and three Catholic universities has been formed to collaborate on an initiative to create a new model of education.

The group, Catholic Area Network (CAN), which announced its formation today, is composed of 10 Catholic elementary schools, offering services for pre-school through eighth grade; six Catholic secondary schools, one co-ed, two all-boys and three all-girls; and DePaul, Dominican and Loyola universities. The schools in the newly formed network will share resources to enhance and enrich Catholic education. It will focus on providing students with a continuous and progressive Catholic education experience from pre-kindergarten through college.

“The 21st century challenges the leaders of strong, Catholic, educational centers to create the future together. The entire northwest corridor of the city would be alive with educational opportunities for all ages,” said Nicholas Wolsonovich, Ph.D., superintendent of schools. “The Catholic Area Network is a new sign that Catholic school leaders are up to this challenge.”

The new model is scheduled to pilot later this spring. CAN’s first major initiative is to develop a continuous math curriculum for the schools involved in the initiative. Math teachers within the network will meet with university personnel to develop the curriculum that includes a progression of concepts and skills beginning from elementary school that would be connected to the high school curriculum and beyond. Once created, teacher development will be provided to ensure its implementation. The process of identifying these concepts, skills and best practices will begin this spring with a goal to introduce them into the curriculum during the 2004-05 academic year. Follow-up plans include replicating this process with both science and technology curricula.

“We envision building on the strengths of each individual school while sustaining a partnership among all CAN schools to enhance student achievement and expand our overall commitment to Catholic school education,” said Carol Kolberg, principal of St. Bartholomew School, 4941 W. Patterson Ave., Chicago. “This will be a new model of education, something different for the 21st century that will not only benefit our students but also the families and community members within our area.”

Goals of network include:

• Creating partnership opportunities among elementary and secondary schools and university faculties.
  
• Promoting the faith development of students, parents and faculty through such opportunities as joint retreats or shared speakers to explore living a faith-filled life in the contemporary world.
  
• Expanding parental awareness of and commitment to the value of Catholic education.
  
• Supporting teacher development in content knowledge and best practices.
  
• Articulating a continuous curriculum pre-kindergarten through college.
  
• Developing new models of interaction between schools and communities.

“We hope to open the dialogue among educational institutions, accelerate the education of students, provide ample enrichment and eventually enable students to earn college credit while still in high school,” said Kolberg.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: SEE ACCOMPANYING NEWS RELEASE, “CATHOLIC SCHOOLS COLLABORATE ON NEW MODEL OF EDUCATION,” IN PRESS KIT, FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN THE CATHOLIC AREA NETWORK).

Commitment to Students with Diverse Abilities and Needs

“Another important initiative for the future of our schools is an expanded commitment to accommodating students with diverse abilities and needs,” said Wolsonovich.

During the past year, a study of all schools in the Archdiocese was completed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the system’s strengths as well as areas of need relative to accommodating these students. “Based on the results of the study, we are working to develop a program to better serve all our students – from our accelerated learners to those children who require more support. We believe this initiative will ultimately help us to empower all our teachers with the tools to meet this objective,” said Wolsonovich.

Leah Duszynski, who has an extensive background in special education, recently joined the Office of Catholic Schools and will play an important role in the development of the initiative. Duszynski, who spent 15 years teaching in Chicago Catholic elementary schools, directed the special education department of the Chicago International Charter School: Longwood Campus, and served as administrator of the special education program for American Quality Schools. She also served as a teacher of trainable mentally handicapped students in the Chicago Public Schools.

Goals of the initiative include:

• Prepare a statement of commitment of the Office of Catholic Schools and the local elementary and secondary schools of the Archdiocese toward accommodating students with diverse abilities and needs.
  
• Outline systemic, ongoing training for principals, teachers and other school personnel to provide accommodations to meet the needs of students of differing abilities in general educational classrooms. Areas would include:
  --Classroom environment and instructional strategies
  --Assessment and reporting protocols
  --Homework and other assignment expectations
  --Behavior expectations
  
• Identify ways to foster and enhance articulation and communication between the elementary and secondary schools of the Archdiocese on issues related to programs for students of diverse abilities and needs.
  
• Foster relationships with universities that support teacher training in this area.
  
• Create networks of learning resource teachers throughout the Archdiocese to support their work with fellow teachers and with students and their families.
  
• Develop sites in strategic geographic locations around the Archdiocese to provide psychoeducational and other appropriate assessments to identify students with diverse abilities and needs.
  
• Explore ways to inform parents, guardians and grandparents of pertinent issues and to involve them as trained volunteers and advocates to accommodate students with diverse abilities and needs.

Capital Improvements at Two Inner-City Schools

St. Stanislaus Kostka School, 1255 N. Noble St., Chicago, will receive a $4.3 million grant for capital improvements from the Big Shoulders Fund, a not-for-profit organization established to financially assist inner-city Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

According to Sr. Susan Curtin, S.S.N.S., principal, the entire exterior will be replaced with glass and metal and a new roof will be added. In addition, improvements are scheduled to be made to the parking lot and the interior of the school.

“St. Stanislaus Kostka School has a rich history of reaching out to immigrants from Eastern Europe. Because of the current regentrification in the neighborhood, the school today serves a diverse student population. St. Stanislaus Kostka was selected to receive support from the Capital Campaign partly because of its strategic location and high visibility from the Kennedy Expressway,” said James J. O'Connor, chairman of the Big Shoulders Fund. “The Big Shoulders Fund and the Archdiocese wanted to send a strong message to Chicago about its commitment to quality Catholic education and the inner-city students and families served by our schools.”

The Academy of St. Benedict the African is launching a $6.1 million capital campaign to ensure its presence as an anchor in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago.

In addition to expansion and renovation of the three campuses that comprise the Academy, a major goal of the campaign is to establish a $1 million endowment that will enable all families to receive need-based tuition assistance and will ensure the Academy's future fiscal solvency.

The capital campaign will finance the addition of a primary wing at the Honore Street Campus that will house four preschool classrooms, two kindergarten classrooms, two first-grade classrooms and additional bathroom facilities. Construction of a new science lab and resource center with computer labs and a library, a lunch room with a commercial kitchen, large meeting/physical education room and a counseling office is also part of the Honore Street Campus improvement project, which will cost approximately $4.5 million.

Improvements at the Laflin Street Campus will include a proposed window and boiler project to address climate control and offer a long-term solution to more efficiently heat the building. The project is expected to cost approximately $350,000.

The Stewart Avenue Campus improvements will enable the school to offer more extracurricular activities and also strengthen the school’s technological competence. Among the goals are the renovation of the stage area in the gymnasium, the development of the science lab and the addition of new computer software. These improvements total $250,000.

Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools
The Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Chicago play a critical role in the life of the community by providing academic excellence and faith formation for approximately 111,000 students of many races, faiths and backgrounds in the 283 elementary and secondary schools in Cook and Lake counties. There are more than 6,400 teachers in the Catholic school system who instill values, teach discipline and achieve strong, consistent academic results in the Archdiocese of Chicago's 242 elementary and 41 secondary schools. Visit the Archdiocese of Chicago Web site at www.archchicago.org/schools.