Diocese of Grand Rapids Bishop s Catholic Schools Initiative
OVERVIEW Importance of Catholic schools: Why invest? 1 Enrollment support 4 Our enrollment goals 6 Our three-year initiative: Overview 7 Initiative specifics 9 Increase Bishop s scholarships Grow professional capacity Develop a plan for future vitality Making the investment: What it will take 14
The importance of Catholic schools: Why invest? Catholic schooling is the legacy given by earlier generations of Catholics and the commitment we make to our children and grandchildren. Educating our children Creates a foundation for our Catholic Church Forms the next generation of Catholic leaders Assists disadvantaged youth to escape the cycle of poverty Brings new families into greater involvement with the Catholic Church Helps instill Christian values into secular society 1
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The importance of Catholic schools: Why invest? Men who have attended a Catholic secondary school are more than six times as likely as those who did not to consider a religious vocation. National Religious Vocation Conference, February 2013 3
Enrollment support Professional capacity is needed Marketing and communications expertise Recruitment and enrollment management Elementary athletic program management 4
EARLY IN 2014 WE ENGAGED ACE CONSULTANTS, SEEKING THEIR EXPERTISE TO HELP US BOOST SCHOOL ENROLLMENT. You don t need us to write you an expensive plan. We spent time researching the materials you have made available on your website and have identified that you are currently using some of the best practices in the country. What you lack is the professional capacity to implement these practices. Steve Perla, Director, Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) Consulting, University of Notre Dame 5
Our enrollment goals Now goal (1 3 years): Our immediate goal is to outperform our current enrollment projections through improved retention and new students. Far goal (4+ years): Our long-term goal is to achieve a consistent pattern of retention and growth in enrollment across the diocese. 6
Our three-year initiative: Overview Improve affordability through increased scholarships Grow professional capacity Develop a plan for future vitality 7
Our three-year initiative Expected benefits Retain families Gain new families Build strong, appealing perceptions of Catholic schools Strengthen the foundation of the Catholic Church in West Michigan by preparing future leaders Short-term benefit: Stabilized enrollment 8 Long-term benefit: Strong and sustained enrollment
INITIATIVE SPECIFICS Improve affordability through increased scholarships A significant increase in available scholarship funds will target three constituent groups: Retain currently enrolled families Enroll new Catholic families from our existing parishes Recruit new Catholic families not currently active in a parish 9
INITIATIVE SPECIFICS Improve affordability through increased scholarships Specifically, new scholarships will be used to: 10 Address known unmet need Welcome new students with need Incentivize schools to surpass their enrollment targets Provide first-time student scholarships for children entering Pre-K Provide competitive scholarships for 6th through 12th grades Make parish scholarships available Offer scholarships to employees of Catholic organizations
INITIATIVE SPECIFICS Grow professional capacity Admissions Enrollment Professionals to implement enrollment management and recruitment strategies Marketing Communications Professional to implement the new Preschool 12 marketing plan Elementary Schools Athletic Director to organize parish elementary athletic programs 11
INITIATIVE SPECIFICS Develop a plan for future vitality Beyond three years The Diocese of Grand Rapids is committed to implementing effective, long-term enrollment growth planning that will enhance mission and Catholic identity, programmatic excellence, affordability and accessibility. During this three-year period (2015 16 through 2017 18), diocesan personnel will engage schools and parishes in a Catholic schools planning effort to sustain growth beyond three years. 12
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Making the investment: What it will take over the next three years Increase scholarships Bishop s Scholarship Fund $2,000,000 Grow professional capacity $ 850,000 Marketing Communications position Admissions Enrollment position Athletic Director position Develop a plan for future vitality Beyond three years $ 150,000 14
Annual return on the investment The financial impact to our schools is significant. An average of $3,500 in revenue is realized for each retained or new student. Annual ROI 100 students = + $ 350,000 250 students = + $ 875,000 500 students = + $ 1,750,000 15
Bishop s Catholic Schools Initiative Leadership Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak, Bishop of Grand Rapids Monsignor William H. Duncan, Vicar General Mr. T. Edward Carey, Jr., Chancellor/CFO Mr. David A. Faber, Superintendent of Catholic Schools Mr. Carl Apple, Director of Communications Mr. Mark Morrow, Executive Director Catholic Foundation of West Michigan