March 9, 2011

ARCHDIOCESE — For the first time in its 189-year history, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati will create a unified vision and strategic plan for Catholic primary and secondary schools throughout its 19 counties.

“It is very important to begin building this vision and plan” said Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr. “Our schools are a vital ministry of the Catholic Church.”

The archdiocesan superintendent of Catholic schools, Jim Rigg, noted that “Catholic school education has changed through the decades in the archdiocese. Our schools have a longstanding and well-deserved reputation for excellence. Our new vision and plan will allow our schools to preserve their quality, enhance their viability, and move thoughtfully through the 21st century.”

As initial steps toward developing a unifying vision for archdiocesan Catholic schools and a strategic plan for the Catholic Schools Office, the archdiocese announced that it has:

• created a 12-member Vision Steering Committee that includes educators, parents and clergy
• retained the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) Consulting, an affiliate of the University of Notre Dame, to conduct an assessment and facilitate a visioning and planning process
• begun collecting key qualitative and quantitative data on the spiritual and academic programs of the Catholic schools, as well as data related to finances, demographics, and marketing
• planned 12 sessions throughout the archdiocese, beginning in May, to solicit the ideas of pastors, principals, parents and parishioners
• initiated a restructuring of the Catholic Schools Office to facilitate this vision and plan;
• announced the absorption of the Catholic Educational Collaborative (CEC) in Dayton by the Catholic Schools Office, effective July 1, 2011.

The restructuring of the Catholic Schools Office will include employing regional school “directors” who will focus on the spiritual, academic, and operational quality of the schools much more intimately. The office will also employ specialists in the areas of strategic planning and financial planning/development to better support schools.

Rigg said the Catholic Schools Office will carry on the best of the services offered by the CEC and insure that these services continue without interruption.

The vision and strategic planning effort is already underway. A series of initial conclusions will be released to pastors and educational leaders in the early fall of 2011. The complete plan should be fully formed by the fall of 2012.

“We are blessed with some of the best schools in the country in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati,” Rigg said. “I am convinced that, with prayerful and purposeful planning, we will ensure that our schools continue provide authentic, faith-based programs, top-notch academic offerings, and warm family-centered communities. The future is bright for Catholic education in Southwest Ohio!”

Although the Archdiocese of Cincinnati is the 38th largest Catholic diocese in the country, it ranks eighth in the number of students enrolled  with more than 43,000 students in 112 Catholic primary and secondary schools.