EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Strategic Plan documents the vision, goals and action items for St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School (SFACS) for a five year period. It will provide the necessary guidance and direction to all stakeholders regarding all matters pertaining to SFACS school operations and infrastructure.
In its preparation, all facets of a Catholic, Pre-k to 8th Grade education were addressed, including: Catholic identity, campus facilities, curriculum, faculty, staff, administration, policies, student activities (social, sports, etc.), finance, enrollment, Parish alliance, parent engagement, marketing, community presence/perception and development.
Information and advice were solicited from many sources, both inside and outside of SFACS, including: principal, faculty, staff, Pastor, parents, School Advisory Council, parishioner survey, Parish Councils, Diocesan advisors and National Catholic Education Association. With the aid of these resources the School Advisory Council evaluated the strengths/weaknesses of SFACS and compiled a set of goals and actions which would most effectively fulfill the SFACS vision.
With the desire to enable every child in the St. Francis of Assisi Parish to be the beneficiary of a Catholic education, to synchronize with the growth of the Parish, and to achieve full use of the campus facilities, a target enrollment of 375 students was established. To achieve such an aggressive target requires equally aggressive goals supported by extensive action plans. Accordingly, the following goals were established: Increase Enrollment; Enhance Parish Engagement; Enhance Parent Engagement; Enhance SFACS Image; Enhance
Integration of Catholic Faith into SFACS; Develop a Premier Educational Experience; Achieve Financial Stability. Action items, each having a responsible designee and target date, were developed for each goal.
The action items associated with each goal necessarily entail hard work and cooperation from all participants and organizations within the Parish-school community. It is understood that this plan, or any plan, created by an individual or committee, is not perfect and will require periodic reviews and occasional modifications as conditions dictate. In summary, the achievement of the above goals depends upon the dedication and deep commitment to Catholic education shared by all parishioners. With our constant, abundant prayer and trust in Our Lord Jesus, for whom we ultimately undertake this ministry of education, SFACS will achieve its goals and be successful.
MISSION
The mission of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School is to foster a lifetime of learning with an expectation of excellence.
VISION
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School’s Vision is to aspire to the highest level of educational excellence that enables all we serve to reach their God-given potential.
VALUES
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School Values are: Faith, Compassion, Excellence, Integrity, Perseverance, Joy.
PHILOSOPHY
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School believes in and promotes a collaborative partnership with parents in the formation of students with Catholic values. Students must be encouraged to grow spiritually, intellectually, personally, socially, and physically. Students are also encouraged to develop leadership skills and a commitment to charitable service. With the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church as a foundation, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School endeavors to instill in each student a moral compass that can guide them for an entire lifetime.
GOALS:
The following list of goals and action items was developed by the Strategic Planning Committee of the School Advisory Council and results from the discussions and deliberations conducted at a series of meetings held between October 2013 and July 2014.
GOAL 1: Catholicity
It is the Catholic Faith that strengthens SFACS and the students who it serves. It is the Catholic Faith that positively differentiates SFACS from all other private and secular schools in the Bend area. Accordingly, the Catholic Faith should permeate the entire educational experience at SFACS to the greatest extent possible.
Objective 1: Integration of Faith
Maintain an environment in which the Catholic Faith is integrated into every aspect of daily life, thus enabling the school community to live, celebrate, and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Action-1: Work with the Diocese on Faith formation vis-à-vis SFACS teaching staff.
Action-2: Continue to address the importance of Faith in the recruitment of staff.
Action-3: Develop a Faith integration plan for each school year (e.g. Stations of the Cross).
Action-4: Facilitate the frequent visibility and interaction of Priests at SFACS and its events.
Action-5: Explore and utilize resources available from Catholic universities (e.g., internships).
GOAL 2: Premier Educational Experience
The ability of SFACS to achieve its targeted enrollment depends upon many factors, but the most important are the quality of education at SFACS and how SFACS is perceived in the community. Consequently, SFACS must continue to improve every component of its educational product and continue to employ the guidance of the NCEA's “STREAM” (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curriculum initiative.
Objective 1: Enhanced Curriculum
The addition of new or unique classes, more electives or new methods/techniques will attract more interest from students and parents, while demonstrating innovation and educational leadership.
Action-1: Re-evaluate the middle school curriculum, including electives. Consider adding and/or improving extra-curricular activities (e.g., add a calligraphy class elective).
Action-2: Evaluate and apply the use of Best Practices, including the creation of a professional development plan and the application of a "flipped classroom" for some classes.
Action-3: Maintain a position of leadership in the application of technology for education by closely monitoring technological advances and applying them whenever feasible.
Action-4: Identify and/or develop standards by which to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of SFACS relative to other private schools.
Objective 2: Facilitate Sports Activities
Understanding that sports activities are important to middle school students, a best effort should be made to accommodate them by evaluating opportunities for further sports programs at SFACS or through local public schools.
Action-1: Maintain and expand sports and/or coordinating with other schools/coaches to understand their sports opportunities and communicate them to parents and students. If possible, adjust the afternoon schedule (i.e., early dismissal from non-critical classes, electives) to allow participation and synchronization with the sports schedule at other schools.
Objective 3: Full-time Principal
To achieve the aggressive growth of SFACS and the goals of this plan, it's essential that SFACS have a principal who is engaged in that capacity full-time.
Action-1: Determine the feasibility of converting the current, part-time Principal position to that of full-time within 2 years.
GOAL 3: Financial Stability
The absence of a consistent and predictable revenue stream creates an unstable, tenuous and stressful environment for all those involved with SFACS. It is essential that SFACS makes a continuous effort to develop a strong, dependable, balance sheet.
Objective 1: Increase Savings
Establish a savings fund that can be used more flexibly than the current school endowment fund. For instance, use it when the economy has declined or when the enrollment temporarily drops below target levels.
Action-1: Determine the feasibility of increasing the savings fund and, if feasible, incorporate it into the budget.
Objective 2: Long-range Budget
Since it's important to anticipate and plan for future fiscal events (e.g., cost-per-student, repairs, replacements, salary adjustments, capital improvements), a long range (3-5 year) budget is needed.
Action-1: Prepare a 3-year Budget and incorporate it into the Strategic Plan.
Objective 3: Auction
SFACS needs to minimize its dependency upon the annual auction as a major source of operating revenue and the annual budget should not reflect the auction under operations revenue.
Action-1: In order to minimize dependence on auction revenue, create a plan for an incremental, annual, reduction of the amount of the auction contribution, which will then be transferred to a budget category for reserve savings.
Objective 4: Director of Development and Recruitment
In order to achieve the goals of financial stability and expanded enrollment, SFACS must quickly apply sufficient focus and resources. Recognizing that current staff resources are limited, it's advisable that SFACS investigate the feasibility of hiring a Director of Development and Recruiting.
Action-1: Assess the feasibility and impact of hiring a Director of Development and Recruitment or solicit a volunteer with appropriate credentials.
Objective 5: Augment Revenue Sources
In addition to current, major revenue sources, SFACS should explore other, creative types of entrepreneurial financing (e.g., "kickstarter" for new enrollment, sponsor-a-student program, corporate matching fund, match with Diocese).
Action-1: Investigate/analyze innovative ways to generate revenue and make recommendations to SAC.
GOAL 4: Increase Enrollment
Two major factors drive the enrollment goal. First, every Catholic child should be able to access an education at a Catholic school with minimal burden. Every effort must be made to assure that all parents within the Parish have the opportunity to enroll their children in SFACS. Second, to improve overall efficiency and reduce per-capita expenses, SFACS must exploit its facilities to their maximum capacity, which is 375 students. This requires the supplementary recruitment of children of non-Parishioners, whose parents wish to provide a faith-based education for them.
Achieving the enrollment target of 375 will require an average, annual expansion in enrollment of 16%. For reference, the forecasted, 5-year population growth for Bend (UGB) is 10%. This target enrollment level demands that SFACS rapidly develop and implement an aggressive marketing and recruitment program that addresses multiple market segments and resolves identified obstacles and issues.
Objective 1: Enrollment Optimization and Forecasting
Review and analyze historical enrollment data to assess attrition rates for each grade, so that optimum enrollments can be identified, modeled and forecasted.
Action-1: Create a plan for enrollment optimization and forecasting.
Objective 2: Retention Strategy
To minimize attrition, it's essential that SFACS review and understand the reasons for parents' removal of their children at each grade level, so that appropriate corrective actions can be applied.
Action-1: Analyze attrition information (e.g., surveys, parent interviews) and develop strategies to retain students at each grade level.
Action-2: Develop and employ student testimonials.
Action-3: Investigate the feasibility of tuition adjustment incentives (e.g., tuition guarantee plan upon initial enrollment, discounts for certain upper grades).
Action-4: Investigate the impact of adding an SFACS high school upon middle school retentions and the potential attraction of Catholic students from outside of Bend. Collaborate with the Diocese.
Action-5: Determine whether transportation is an issue, to what degree it's an obstacle and if warranted, develop a plan that resolves the issue (e.g., van/bus pickup service, car-pooling).
Objective 3: Enrollment Expansion and SFACS Promotion
In addition to improving retention rates and identifying and recruiting even more students from the Parish, SFACS must also aggressively market to the parents in the greater Bend area.
Action-1: Establish a Baptism market-segment program and promotional packet that exposes parents to SFACS at the time of their child's Baptism. Evaluate a tuition savings plan, pre-payments, donation credits or other incentives.
Action-2: Coordinate with, and market to, other parishes in Deschutes County. Arrange SFACS presentations at those parishes.
Action-3: Evaluate the needs of the Hispanic community and determine how to address them and to market SFACS to them.
Action-4: Develop a comprehensive market plan that defines how SFACS will aggressively promote itself to all market segments within the Parish and the Bend area.
Objective 4: Image Enhancement
Integral to the success of SFACS and the achievement of the enrollment goal, is the need to communicate a positive image and create a quality perception of SFACS within the Parish and throughout the Bend area. A positive self-image will enable school staff, parents and parishioners to be proud ambassadors, who are eager to promote SFACS to others.
Action-1: Develop a market plan that creates a compelling SFACS image and brand, which are incorporated into all facets of SFACS marketing, recruitment, advertising and public relations.
GOAL 5: Enhance Parish Engagement
A close, amicable relationship (i.e., partnership) with the Parish community is vital to the success of SFACS. Unless parishioners understand and appreciate the importance of a Catholic education, especially at a time when moral relativism is increasing and Christianity is under attack, then appeals for all forms of support will be generally ignored.
This goal has the internal dimension of engaging both parents and non-parents within the Parish and the external dimension of informing/attracting those non-parishioner parents living in the Bend area.
Objective 1: SFACS Intra-Parish Event Program
Identify, coordinate, schedule and promote various school activities that will have the two-fold purpose of (a) edifying the parishioners about SFACS and its merits and (b) exposing students and staff to the Parish through their activities, accomplishments and performances.
Action-1: Designate a Parish Event Coordinator to serve as liaison between a faculty activity sponsor and the appropriate Parish representative (e.g., Pastor, Liturgist, Choir Director, DRE)
Action-2: In coordination with the Principal, faculty, staff and appropriate Parish representatives, prepare a Parish-SFACS event calendar (2014-2015) with at least one activity per month, such as:
? Parish appreciation Sunday Mass
? Mass/Liturgical music participation (individual or group, choral or instrument)
? Produce a play or concert
? Art/Science fair, displays or demonstrations after Mass or other Parish event
? Sponsor Parish-family "Fun Night"
? Event for Religious Ed. Class(es)
? Other/TBD (e.g., Holy Day, holiday-related events)
Objective 2: Alumni Association
To strengthen parishioner support, to gain leverage/recognition, establish/maintain camaraderie and to solicit testimonials, develop a SFACS Alumni Association.
Action-1: Designate a Director for the SFACS Alumni Association
Action-2: Develop a plan that addresses membership goals, fees, re-unions, newsletters, bequests.
Objective 3: Parish Volunteer Recruitment Program
There are many parishioners who are retired, who have valuable skills to offer and who would be willing to contribute some of their discretionary time to SFACS. Soliciting volunteers from this segment will both strengthen parishioner support and provide needed assistance to faculty and staff.
Action-1: Designate a Volunteer Recruiter and Coordinator
Action-2: Develop a recruitment plan that solicits aides, teachers and coaches for assistance with office, classroom, arts/crafts/music/sports, transportation, other.
Objective 4: Importance of Catholic Education
Many parishioners do not understand or appreciate the importance and benefits of a Catholic education and it is therefore imperative that they become informed by means of homilies, presentations, pastoral visits, and documentation.
Action-1: Designate a spokesperson(s) and develop a sensitization plan
Objective 5: Parish-SFACS Coordination
To assure that there is adequate and complete coordination/communication between the Parish and SFACS, there should be an ex-officio representative from the School Advisory Council (SAC) on the Pastoral Council.
Action-1: Appoint a SAC representative to the Pastoral Council
GOAL 6: Enhance Parent Engagement and Experience
Integral to the SFACS educational philosophy is the desire to work closely with the parents and collaborate with them about all matters pertaining to the education of their children. For this process to be effective, it's essential that SFACS understand and constantly monitor and listen to the needs and concerns of the parents. While opportunities for parent participation and feedback are currently available through the Parents of St. Francis (PSF) and Parents Involvement Program (PIP) programs, there is a need for more thorough and comprehensive parent interaction.
Objective 1: Parent Consultation
Develop a plan, whereby parent concerns, issues, ideas, preferences and suggestions can be solicited, evaluated and discussed through formal communication channels and processes that occur on a regular basis. This may include annual surveys, roundtable discussions and/or forums.
Action-1: Develop a plan for individual and collective parent consultation/feedback
Objective 2: Parent-SFACS Communications
Parents necessarily want to be informed about everything that pertains to their child at school and about all relevant school operations. They need to be able to communicate quickly with cognizant personnel regarding their questions, issues, concerns. They need to be informed, or have access to, school schedules, programs and policies. A review of existing communication methods and resources is needed to assure that parent-school communications are as effective as possible.
Action-1: Review the PSF, PIP programs, Sycamore system, SFACS email/website/facebook for their adequacy, timeliness and effectiveness in parent-school communications and parent engagement.
ASSUMPTIONS
This plan and its ultimate success are dependent upon a variety of underlying assumptions:
1. SFACS will adhere to its current Mission and Vision Statements vis-a-vis a Catholic, faith-centered education.
2. The Parish will continue to grow in proportion to the growth in Bend population.
3. A faith-based education is important to Catholic parents and most Christian parents.
4. The Parish will continue to provide financial support to SFACS.
5. The Pastor and Diocese will continue to pro-actively support SFACS in every respect.
6. There will be no major capital expenditures (i.e., improvements, repairs) required during the next five years.
7. SFACS will adhere to the Diocesan guidelines regarding teacher compensation.
8. SFACS will be able to find/recruit qualified teaching staff when needed.
9. The general economic and employment conditions in Bend and the US will not experience any significant decline.
