Bishop Donald Kettler convened a steering committee to design a single Catholic school system — named Catholic Community Schools — for the St. Cloud metro area and surrounding communities. To keep the public apprised of its work and address general questions people may have, the group provides regular updates in The Visitor and on the diocesan website (www.stclouddiocese.org; click on “St. Cloud-area Catholic schools initiative.”) The following are highlights from the committee’s Sept. 4 meeting.

• The steering committee reviewed feedback it received since the last meeting. Mike Mullin, president of Cathedral High School, said feedback about Catholic Community Schools from within the CHS community has been generally positive. The steering committee discussed CHS’ potential capital campaign and whether Catholic Community Schools would be involved in any way. After the steering committee presents a final draft plan for CCS to Bishop Donald Kettler by year’s end and he approves it, the yet-to-be appointed CCS board of directors would decide what CCS’ needs are and discuss with Cathedral High School the role CCS might have in a campaign.

• The steering committee discussed a committee structure for CCS. Committees would include an executive committee as a subset of the board of directors, and committees for finance, advancement, endowments, human resources, programs/curriculum, facilities, nominations and ad hoc committees as needed. Each committee would have a liaison from the board of directors and include outside members. The chair of the new CCS board of directors (not this steering committee) would appoint the committee chairs and members. Draft committee descriptions for CCS will be considered at the next steering committee meeting.

• The steering committee also will review job descriptions for school superintendents at its next meeting in order to begin preparing one for the CCS superintendent position.

• The finance subcommittee meets next on Sept. 14. It is working on an approximately $15 million draft budget for the 2016-2017 transitional year that will be adjusted as needed for 2017-2018, the first official year for CCS. The draft budget will include the proposed investments needed from parishes to sustain CCS as a percentage of their ordinary income. It also will include suggested tuition rates. The subcommittee also is working on a salary matrix in the context of the matrices used by the four public school districts within which CCS would operate. The steering committee will examine the draft budget at its Sept. 18 meeting so that it can be presented to pastors in the near future.

• A second round of informational meetings with school boards, parish councils and school staff will be conducted over the next several weeks.

Feedback and next meeting
Questions or comments?
Email: CatholicSchoolsSC@gmail.com.
Next meeting: Sept. 18.