White Paper Operational Vitality. Written by: Richard J. Burke

Transcription

1 White Paper Written by: Richard J. Burke 2013

2 Page 2 Diocese of Palm Beach Leadership Summit February 20, 2013 White Paper Richard J. Burke, President Catholic School Management, Inc. Madison, CT The National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools published in March 2012 cite as one of the four key areas of standards and benchmarks along with Mission and Catholic Identity, Governance and Leadership, and Academic Excellence. The standards, numbers 10, 11, 12, and 13, call for financial planning, effective human resource policies, well-maintained facilities, and comprehensive institutional advancement programs. The benchmarks call for collaboration and planning in order to achieve operational vitality. In this paper I expand on these themes based on both contemporary research and thirty-nine years of experience in working with Catholic elementary and secondary schools on an almost daily basis. While the above-mentioned four standards are important, experientially we know that operational vitality, and indeed long-term viability, are enhanced when the following nine criteria are in place: I. There is clarity with regard to the roles and responsibilities of ownership, governance, and administration. II. Collaborative efforts are encouraged and carried out among pastors, board members, diocesan officials, school administrators, faculty, support staff, parents, and volunteers. III. There are clearly written and well-promulgated school foundational documents including statements of philosophy, mission, vision, and a profile of the graduate at graduation. IV. A strategic long-range plan has been prepared with the active involvement of board members, administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and benefactors. Implementation and monitoring policies and procedures are in place. V. Operational plans have been created to support the strategic long-range plan in areas of enrollment, finance, institutional advancement, marketing, communication, instructional delivery, technology, and student life. VI. Professional development is appropriately designed and carried out for administrators, faculty, and staff based upon the school s foundational documents and strategic and operational plans. VII. Administrative leadership is well trained, competent, supportive, visionary, and well disposed to collaboration.

3 Page 3 VIII. The school has adopted a marketing posture and administrators and board members consistently market the school for image, enrollment, and financial support. IX. Financial planning provides for appropriate financial assistance for families, as well as program enhancements, through the design and implementation of comprehensive programs of institutional advancement/development. Among questions to be addressed as participants discuss and formulate strategies to implement the standards and benchmarks, I would suggest the following be used as a starting point both for general discussion and for identifying the overall operational vitality of each school within the Diocese. I. Is there clarity with regard to the roles and responsibilities of ownership, governance, and administration? 1. Are the roles of the Diocese clear with regard to the office of the superintendent of schools and the Diocesan fiscal office? 2. Has the pastor made his role clear? 3. Do the pastor and principal meet on a weekly basis with a prepared agenda? 4. Is the pastor supportive of the principal? 5. Does the pastor participate in administrator performance evaluation based on policies, procedures, and forms provided by the superintendent of schools? 6. Is the principal s annual performance evaluation based upon the job description? 7. Does the principal develop and promulgate annual goals for himself/herself? 8. Is the school board well populated? 9. Does the Diocese provide annual in-service training for board members with regard to roles, responsibilities and functioning? 10. Are the standing committees of the board established, appropriately charged, and well-populated? 11. Does the principal have a clear job description? 12. Does the principal work collaboratively with the school board and pastor?

4 Page 4 II. Are collaborative efforts encouraged and carried out among pastors, board members, Diocesan officials, school administrators, faculty, support staff, parents, and volunteers? 1. Is there a climate of collaboration evident? 2. Does the principal empower parents and board members to become involved in appropriate areas in school life? 3. Does the board meet on a regular basis with the pastor and principal? 4. Does the principal communicate effectively with teachers, parents, and other major constituencies? 5. Are appropriate committees established and functioning to assist school leadership with various marketing, communication, and fundraising tasks? III. Are there clearly written and well-promulgated school foundational documents including statements of philosophy, mission, vision, and a profile of the graduate at graduation? 1. Does the school have a well-written and promulgated statement of philosophy that discusses what the school is called to be as an educational institutional that seeks to integrate elements of Catholic faith with learning? 2. Does the school have a clear mission statement that positions the school within an appropriate environment and differentiates the school from other schools in close proximity? 3. Does the principal publish and regularly refer to a statement of vision that describes the ideal that could be achieved several years into the future? 4. Is there a clearly written profile of the graduate at graduation that describes key characteristics of the graduate in terms of academic preparation, spiritual formation, technological competency, communication, readiness for further education, etc.?

5 Page 5 IV. Has a strategic plan been developed in each school with active involvement of board members, administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and benefactors? 1. Is there a well-defined strategic planning process and protocol? 2. Have appropriate inputs been sought? 3. Is there an effective implementation and monitoring process for the strategic goals? 4. Has progress onthe strategic plan been regularly communicated to parents, alums, and other major constituencies? V. Are there clear guidelines for operational planning to support the strategic goals? 1. Is there a written Enrollment Management Plan? 2. Is there an annual written Enrollment Management Report based upon the Enrollment Management Plan? 3. Is there a long-range financial plan with detailed written assumptions? 4. Is there a written Comprehensive Development/ Institutional Advancement Plan with components for fundraising coordination, annual giving, planned giving, endowment growth, and period capital campaigns? 5. Is there a written marketing plan to address image and branding issues? 6. Is there a detailed communication plan with appropriate distribution matrices to ensure that both internal and external publics are kept well informed? 7. Is there a comprehensive technology plan that addresses both administrative and instructional technology needs and programs? 8. Is the core curriculum supported by a written plan calling for differentiated instruction? 9. Is there a student life plan that addresses dress codes, discipline, anti-bullying, co-curricular activities, and extracurricular activities, etc.?

6 Page 6 VI. Are professional development programs appropriately designed and carried out for administrators, faculty, and staff based upon the school s foundational documents and strategic and operational plans? 1. Is there a long-range professional development plan for the school? 2. Is the professional development plan tied directly to the strategic plan? 3. Are annual professional development goals set and monitored for administrators and staff? 4. Are professional development goals considered as part of the performance appraisal process? VII. Is administrative leadership well trained, competent, supportive, visionary, and well disposed to collaboration? 1. Are administrators annually given the opportunity for performance review consistent with their job descriptions and pre-established goals? 2. Are professional development opportunities available and well planned? 3. Has succession planning been built into the school s strategic plan? 4. Do administrators invite and encourage participation on various committees by parents, board members, and volunteers? VIII. Has the school has adopted a marketing posture and do administrators and board members consistently market the school for image, enrollment, and financial support? 1. Have comprehensive communication and marketing plans been prepared? 2. Is there an active committee consisting of board members, faculty, and parents involved in regularly marketing the school for image? 3. Have appropriate branding strategies been developed? 4. Are parent ambassadors actively involved in marketing the school for enrollment?

7 Page 7 5. Are student ambassadors selected, trained, and actively involved in marketing the school for enrollment? 6. Are teachers, administrators, and support staff well trained in student retention strategies and the role that they play in marketing the school for image and enrollment? 7. Have faculty been actively involved in creating and implementing a plan to enhance student retention? IX. Does financial planning provide for appropriate financial assistance for families, as well as program enhancements, through the design and implementation of comprehensive programs of institutional advancement/development? 1. Has the board s finance committee worked with school administration to develop a long-range financial plan? 2. Does the financial plan begin with, and include throughout, detailed written assumptions to underpin the projections? 3. Does the plan focus on maintaining accessibility and affordability? 4. Does the plan call for the generation of new revenue streams through comprehensive institutional advancement/ development efforts? Admittedly, the above are high level characteristics. While we could spend time discussing the specifics of a tuition policy, tuition rates, family discounts, financial assistance, or annual fund or capital campaign goals, I believe that the above are initially more important to the long-term viability and sustainability of Catholic schools. Indeed, with the above in place, both human and financial support find their way to the school. Long-term viability also requires that schools be marketed for enrollment and that programs are in place to ensure effective recruitment and retention of students. These efforts require the ongoing involvement of board members, administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and volunteers. Finally, it is truism that these schools will not survive without third source funding. Programs must be in place, well designed, and implemented to attract financial resources through annual giving programs, planned giving programs, periodic capital campaigns, and successful fundraisers. Archbishop Patrick Riordan perhaps said it best when he was Archbishop of San Francisco in 1912, I have been so many years collecting money for churches and institutions of all kinds that I have come to the conclusion that there is no way of getting it accept by personal appeal to those who have it, and that appeal coming from the lips of an enthusiastic speaker.

8 Page 8 Kerry Robinson, Executive Director of the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management, in her recent article Imagining Abundance expresses it simply as we must be worthy of support. Addressing the above questions should move us well toward ensuring that our Catholic schools are worthy of that support. On a final note, long-term operational vitality for Catholic schools depends, in large part, on leadership; leadership at both the individual school level (the principal) and at the diocesan level (superintendent of schools). A proactive posture by the office of the superintendent of schools with Catholic schools within his jurisdiction is essential. A planned program of regular visits with school administrators and board members by representatives of the superintendent (either paid staff or professional consultants) helps to ensure both effective planning and monitoring of key metrics. We commend Superintendent of Schools Gary Gelo for the implementation last year of the Strategic Management and Development Program for Catholic elementary schools in the Diocese, which provides on-site visits at most Catholic elementary schools every six weeks over a four-year period. Similar programs have been established for the three high schools. The leadership of building principals in ensuring that volunteers are recruited, enabled, and supported in their tasks is also a key characteristic in the long-term operational vitality of Catholic schools in the Diocese. Finally, the willingness to adopt and maintain a marketing posture bodes well for the future of Catholic education in the Diocese of Palm Beach. We, administrators, board members, and supporters are and must be those enthusiastic speakers for the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Palm Beach.

9 Page 9 Mr. Richard J. Burke is President and Senior Executive Consultant for Catholic School Management, Inc. The firm has provided direct consultative guidance, publications and training programs for parochial, private, and diocesan Catholic elementary and secondary schools and parishes since Consulting services, training, and publications are provided in the areas of ownership/governance, administration, administrative searches, curriculum, marketing, guidance and counseling services, athletic program administration, technology integration, finances, and institutional development. Richard has thirty-nine years of experience as a consultant, providing workshops, seminars and direct consulting services to schools, parishes, religious communities, dioceses, and school boards. The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) formally endorsed Richard as the NCEA Financial Planning Consultant for Catholic schools and parishes in He held that position until Mr. Burke has served on the Adjunct Faculty of the Graduate School of Education at Boston College, teaching, "Budget and Financial Planning in Private Schools" in the Catholic School Leadership Program. He has also taught at Thomas More College in Covington, Kentucky, and has served as both a lecturer and instructor for the Institute for Catholic Educational Leadership (ICEL) at the University of San Francisco. Since 1979, Mr. Burke has written and published the bimonthly catholic school management letter and catholic school management - on boards. The firm has also published books on: Counseling issues in catholic schools: moral, ethical and legal dimensions; Athletics and physical education programs in catholic schools: legal issues; Divorce and child custody: legal and policy implications for the catholic school. From 1973 through 1986, Mr. Burke also served as Business Planning Coordinator for Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Hartford, designing the schools' development programs and upgrading business procedures. During , he also served as a consultant to the Archbishop's Study Committee on Parish Councils, assisting in drafting revised guidelines for parish councils in the Archdiocese of Hartford in A native of New Haven, Connecticut, Richard attended New Haven public elementary schools and Notre Dame High School. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics and Finance from the University of Bridgeport where he has also done graduate work.