by Sister Genevra Rolf, CSC Associate Superintendent of Catholic Schools SALT LAKE CITY — Have you heard the good news in education? "No Child Left Behind." Failing schools. Low graduation rates. School safety. It seems like every time you listen to the news, read the daily paper, and go online, there’s something wrong with the educational system. But there is good news in education, and you’ll find it in the Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Salt Lake City. Catholic Schools are committed to preparing children for life – a life in which an excellent education will make opportunity available; a life that embraces faith in a God who is loving and compassionate and cares for all living creatures; a life that is wholesome and healthy; a life that acknowledges citizenship in this community as well as the world community. And here’ s some more good news about Utah Catholic Schools: • There are 14 Catholic schools in the diocese and St. Andrew’s school, opening in the fall of 2008, will make it 15 schools. • St. Thomas More Parish hosts a Pre-K and kindergarten, Our Lady of Lourdes, Magna, has a pre-school, and St. Marguerite’s in Tooele has Pre-K, kindergarten and first grade. • Blessed Sacrament School is celebrating its 20th anniversary. • The Madeleine Choir School is celebrating its 10th anniversary. • Utah Catholic Schools are celebrating more than 130 years of providing Catholic education in the diocese. • Several schools have waiting lists in some or all grades. • Enrollment is full or nearly full in some of the schools. • Test scores on Stanford Achievement Tests at grades five and eight are 15-25 percent above the national average. • One hundred percent of our high school students graduate and 95 percent of them go on to college. • The graduating class of 2006 in our three high schools earned $14.7 million in renewable scholarships. • With the help of resource teachers, Catholic schools are now able to meet the needs of students with moderate disabilities. • Four hundred and two dedicated full-time and part-time teachers staff the schools. Seventy-nine percent of these teachers are Catholic. Eight have doctorate degrees and 162 have master’s degrees. • Professional development programs are offered at both the diocesan and local school levels. • All schools are able to offer some tuition aid to low-income families. • There is cultural and economic diversity in our schools. Through the generosity of Sam and Aline Skaggs and their family the diocese continues to have Catholic education enhanced at every level. Among their gifts are: • Building the Skaggs Catholic Center which includes the Guardian Angel Day Care Center, St. John the Baptist Elementary and Middle Schools, and Juan Diego Catholic High School; • Adding a new performing arts center to St. Joseph’s Catholic High School and a soccer field that is considered one of the best in Utah; • Providing state-of-the-art technology at Judge Memorial Catholic High School; • Establishing a new school at St. Andrew’s Parish in Riverton. The E. L. Wiegand Foundation continues to believe in and strengthen Catholic education in the diocese through annual grants. With Wiegand foundation monies schools have been able to: • Update libraries • Add resource rooms • Build hands-on science labs • Purchase state-of-the-art computer technology, and • Support the arts through dance and theater. Other generous donors have made it possible for: • St. Joseph’s Catholic High School to begin a new arts center; • J. E. Cosgriff to add a new classroom wing which houses music and science programs, provides for faculty room and offices, and to renovate the gymnasium with a new floor, bleachers, tables, and earthquake proofing; • The Legacy Campaign at Judge Memorial Catholic High School has allowed for updated, state-of -the-art classrooms for computer technology; renovated restrooms; refurbishment of the auditorium which includes not only technology enhancements but new stage curtains and lobby and foyer details; and a new football field. Soon there will be a new performing arts building and a second gym. At the diocesan level, the Catholic Schools office rejoices in the good news that all of the schools celebrate their uniqueness while respecting their place in the Catholic school system. The Diocesan Catholic School Board has provided leadership in: • Finance, with its work on Cost-based tuition/Needs-based tuition assistance, employee salary schedules and benefits, and funding schools in need; • Marketing for Utah Catholic Schools which includes the annual KUTV enrollment campaign, ads in the Intermountain Catholic, and a variety of promotional opportunities; • Mission Effectiveness, a committee which has worked on and is ready to pilot a process for assessing the strength of the mission within the Catholic schools; • Implementation of Horizons of Opportunity – Times of Challenge – the strategic plan for the Catholic Schools. Do you want to know more good news about Catholic education in the Diocese of Salt Lake City? Log on to www.utahcatholicschools.org.
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