During the last week of January, Catholic schools across the United States celebrate Catholic Schools Week.  This is a time to collectively reflect on the tremendous positive impact that Catholic schools have on the students and families they serve. This spirit of service, spoken in Our Lord’s Great Commission, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28: 19-20), is the source of the Church’s teaching ministry, which we see lived out today in Our Catholic Schools.  

The past three school years, all of which have been impacted by the Covid pandemic, have been extraordinarily challenging.   Despite the obstacles, the dedicated principals, teachers, and staff members of our schools bring life-giving and life-changing Catholic education to nearly 17,000 students in Pre-K through 12th grade every school day in the 52 schools in our Diocese.  This week is a time to thank and to honor those who give their lives to this mission.  The dedication of our more than 1,200 educators is nothing short of heroic.  I am deeply grateful for their perseverance, their dedication, and their love of our Church and our children.

As we’ve seen during these pandemic years, Catholic education in the Diocese of Columbus is precious.  Because of that, we must carefully plan for its future, ensuring that our schools are vibrant and sustainable for the future. The Real Presence, Real Future initiative has given us the opportunity to develop these plans, and the final version of our strategic vision document, Real Presence, Real Future: Our Catholic Schools will be published on our website (education.columbuscatholic.org) at the end of Catholic Schools Week.  This document charts the course of our schools over the next three to five years. 

Catholic School Management (CSM) was commissioned in 2019 to undertake a comprehensive study of the needs of our school system.  After a long process of surveys and stakeholder interviews, interrupted more than once by Covid, the process concluded in April 2021.  CSM generated a strategic plan presented as 10 goals spread across 3 key areas.  Over the past few months, the staff of the Office of Catholic Schools has been working to develop that plan into an actionable path forward. 

The first key planning area is focused on nurturing and celebrating the Catholic identity of the schools. The schools of the Diocese must be inspired by faith, and imbued with a solid and strong Catholic identity, committed to the mission of forming disciples of Jesus Christ for success in this world and in the next. The key goals that support this area are: 

CATHOLIC – Inspired by Faith

Ensure an inspired Catholic community of school leaders, teachers and staff.

Partners with pastors and other clergy in their vital role of school leadership.

Accompany our families and students in faith.

A number of tactical actions are planned to address these goals. These actions will include enacting the school portion of the strategic plan developed for the Evangelization aspect of the Real Presence, Real Future initiative; continuing to develop our teacher formation process through the Catechetical Institute at Franciscan University; developing better models for recruiting and retaining Catholic educators; developing increased opportunities to engage the priests and the seminarians into our schools; and implementing our new, comprehensive K-12 Religion curriculum.

The second key planning area is focused on challenging our schools to be excellent in every way. Our Catholic Schools must offer the people of the Diocese an outstanding Catholic education, imbued with the Catholic worldview and forming well-educated men and women of faith for the future of our world. In order to accomplish this tremendous goal, we need schools that are well-informed, well-run, and well-trained in pedagogy. The key goals in this area are:

EXCELLENCE – Different by Design

Refine instruments and practices to support data-informed progress.

Establish school governance models that respond to contemporary challenges.

Guide the ongoing academic excellence of Catholic schools.

Enhance the understanding of the benefits, value, and enduring need for Catholic education.

The tactical actions that are under development for this area of our plan include developing a data dashboard with common metrics for each school; creating an annual report from the Office of Catholic Schools; developing improved school advisory board manuals and trainings; continuing to refine alternative school governance models; working with some interested schools in developing alternative curriculum models; and better serving the needs of diverse populations in our Diocese, including students with special needs.

The final planning area involved creating a foundation for the future of Catholic education in our Diocese. This area largely involved financial strategies and processes.  We are working to ensure that our schools are ready for the future and open for the critical work that they are needed to do in a world that needs our schools more than ever. The goals for this area are:

SUSTAINABLE – Ready for the Future

Support the operational success of Catholic schools.

Sustain the long-term accessibility and distinction of Catholic schools.

Build a sustainable funding structure for school viability and vitality.

These goals primarily involve ensuring that the schools are properly and fully utilizing support from the state of Ohio; implementing best practices for development and advancement; engaging in the proper financial forecasting and planning; and telling their stories through effective marketing and community engagement. This portion of the plan also calls for the development of a new financial model for the schools of our Diocese, which will be no small task. 

Many pieces of it are in forward motion already, including the hiring of staff with the necessary skill sets at the Office of Catholic Schools.  Over the next few years, we will work to accomplish these tasks to continue to provide a solid foundation for the growth of our school system.  Please continue to keep all involved in this process in your prayers, and we thank you for your partnership in the success of Our Catholic Schools.  

Dr. Adam J. Dufault is the Superintendent of Schools in the Diocese of Columbus.