May 21, 2018

Local parishioners invited to share thoughts about Catholic education in online survey

REGIONAL
Story and photo by Sharon Roulier

 

SPRINGFIELD – Parishioners in the Diocese of Springfield are being encouraged to take an online survey to share their thoughts and opinions on Catholic education in western Massachusetts.

The survey was developed by the Pathways to Faith Project, made up of a 14-member team appointed by Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski to provide a comprehensive review of Catholic elementary schools in the diocese, with the goal of preserving and strengthening them.

To date, a separate, three-member research team has visited all 12 elementary schools in the diocese. During the visits, the team met with administrators and staff to gather information about each school. Among the areas of focus are: leadership structure, discipline, curriculum, budget, tuition, maintenance, development, personnel and safety.

Members of the team are Ellen Dziura, director of special projects for Pope Francis High School; Paul Gagliarducci, head of the committee working on the creation and construction of the new Pope Francis High School in Springfield; and Amy Gelinas, who was principal of the former St. Joseph Central High School in Pittsfield.

The research team will report its findings to the 14-member commission. Members of the commission are Phil Daignault, diocesan school board member emeritus; Harry Dumay, Elms College president; Mark Dupont, director of public affairs and communications for the diocese; Larry Eagan, president of Collins Electric; Dave Glidden, regional president TD Bank North; Rich Labrie, educational consultant; Bill Labroad, finance officer of the diocese; Michael McDonough, attorney with Egan, Flanagan and Cohen; Tym McDowell, former Westfield schools superintendent; Father Brian McGrath, pastor of St. Mary Mother of the Church Parish in Lee, co-chair; Linda Rex, principal of Mater Dolorosa School in Holyoke, co-chair; Sister of St. Joseph Maxyne Schneider, former president of the Sisters of St. Joseph; Jim Stankiewicz; and Ginny Webb, diocesan school board member.

“The goal of this committee is for sustainability and growth,” said Gelinas, in an interview with iObserve while on a recent site visit to Mater Dolorosa School in Holyoke. “This is not an assessment of future enrollment; it’s about creating a better system.”

Gagliarducci said that the team is reviewing successful models of other Catholic schools around the country and will create a unique model for the Diocese of Springfield, using pieces from many different dioceses.

“Our hope is that the commission will begin to review our work by this fall,” said Gagliarducci.

Dziura said that once a plan is approved, implementation will take time and resources. “But in the long run we will have a more vibrant and more effective school system that will positively impact the growth of the school and the church,” she said.

The 12 elementary schools in the diocese all operate independently and are “all islands unto ourselves,” said Gelinas. “Our goal is to be more of a collaborative and cooperative system, where we are all on the same island working together.”

Gelinas said that in the meantime, the research team has already “found some best practices that we’re hoping to be able to share with the principals come the 2018-2019 academic year.”

The team encouraged anyone in the diocese with an interest in Catholic education to share their opinions in one of the three following surveys available online:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CatholicSchoolsParishioners

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CatholicSchoolsParentsGuardians

 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CatholicSchoolsFacultyStaff