Six elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia implementing the CSDP methodology through the pilot project PACE (Partners Advancing Catholic Education) can claim a successful start-up. Newly hired advancement directors have championed and led the process for creating the schools’ mission statements, the essential assignment for Catholic educational communities taking ownership of their own futures.
“Mission is where each school’s competitive advantage starts,” said Beth Alfonsi, Sr. Consultant, CSDP. “The process helps the school to focus on ideas that everybody in the community can own so all decisions from that point forward can be made in the context of advancing the mission.”
Even schools that already had a mission statement were encouraged to revisit theirs. According to Sean Semple, Consultant, CSDP: “Although mission statements may have existed in writing, they were not being communicated and shared with the community in an effective way.”
Capturing Ideas
Through a series of brainstorming sessions, schools engaged the wide community (parents, students, faculty, alumni, parishioners, principals, and pastors) to capture ideas and descriptions around four key questions:
- Who are we?
- What do we do?
- Who do we aspire to be?
- What makes us unique?
One or two people were responsible for drafting the mission statement, which was then circulated for review and approval. While common themes emerged across all six schools – 21st century learning, service, community, faith – each school’s mission statement conveys what makes it unique.
Embracing the “Wow” Factor
Melissa Amour, Holy Family Regional Catholic School (Levittown, PA), explained how students participated in the process. “We met with student council officers,” she said. “Getting kids to talk about what really defines their school can be a challenge, but this particular group talked a lot about leadership.” The theme now lives in the mission, describing a school that “…prepares students to be intellectually curious, lifelong learners, and confident and compassionate future leaders….”
Because Holy Family was created from bringing four schools together, it was also crucial that the theme “one school, one family” be conveyed in the mission. “We had all lost our schools. This was a challenging time,” Melissa said. “But we were also hopeful in anticipating the new regional school and, in the transition, were demonstrating to children that even when bad things happen, good can follow.” Consequently, the school’s mission statement closes with: “Embodying the spirit of cooperation from which it was created, Holy Family Regional Catholic School stands as a beacon of hope for the future of Catholic education.”
For Saints Peter and Paul School (West Chester, PA), a bold statement to differentiate itself in a highly competitive environment was in order. “What sets us apart? We are surrounded by phenomenal public schools, and they’re all free,” said Trish Kyle, Advancement Director. “The way we embrace and integrate technology into the curriculum…that is our ‘wow’ factor. We don’t just invest in the technology, but also in the professional development so teachers use it to educate for tomorrow.”
For this school that uses an iPad2 station in Kindergarten, equips all students in Grades 3-8 with netbooks, and produces a daily morning show from its TV studio, the new mission statement resonates. Between the words “a Catholic community of faith” and “a community with hearts to love and hands to serve,” the school’s compelling advantage appears in one bold sentence: “We promote digital literacy and effectively integrate technology into our academic program to prepare students for our changing society.”
Armed with mission statements and community buy-in, schools will begin to brand themselves. Through their messaging, marketing materials, and websites, they will advance enrollment and fundraising, ultimately fulfilling their schools’ missions.
See related article Partnership with Connelly Foundation Benefits Greater Philadelphia Schools, May 2011.
Read The Mission Statements of Saints Peter and Paul School and Holy Family Regional Catholic School.
