CSSC holds meetings to review results of final report
Top challenges of school system identified in long-range planning process

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
November 24, 2005

It is time to move from the dream stage to the do stage noted Bernard DuMond of the Institute of School and Parish Development at a meeting to present the final report for the Catholic Schools of Sioux City's long-range strategic planing process.

All people interested in the future of the Catholic Schools of Sioux City had the option to attend one of two meetings held Nov. 17 at Mater Dei-Nativity Center in Sioux City. About 150 people attended the meeting held at 6 p.m. and about 40 were at the 7:30 p.m. meeting.

At the meetings, DuMond stressed the need for people's continued involvement in the process and he presented the top challenges of CSSC as voted on at the community convocation in September. The top challenge is: How does CSSC maintain and eventually increase student enrollment?

DuMond pointed out that ISPD uses a 7-I approach to long-range planning: identify, inform, invite, involve, implement, invest and improve. He said they are about a year into the long-range planning process and now they are entering into the implementation stage.

"We have a plan for implementation and that plan involves your input and your continued involvement. Without implementation, all of our work is meaningless," he stressed. "This is where we begin to see the vision become alive - the dream becomes reality."

He pointed out that the reasons CSSC became involved in this process were declining enrollment, declining parish contributions, the need to determine solutions to challenges, recognizing the importance of reinforcing the CSSC mission, the need for self-analysis and to improve overall - thrive, not just survive.

This process started with a series of five meetings involving over 200 people ranging from parents to faculty and community members. They identified 55 main challenges the school system faces in 10 planning areas: academics, administration/finance, athletics, building/grounds, development, faculty/staff, marketing, spiritual life, student life and technology.

These challenges were presented to nearly 400 people at a community convocation. The gathering sought input and suggestions on how to solve the challenges. In small groups separated into the 10 planning areas, they worked on solutions to challenges specifically relating to their project areas. As the convocation concluded, the large group came together and people had the opportunity to vote on and prioritize the 55 challenges of the school system.

DuMond reminded them of the phrase used by Father Patrick Walsh, CSSC president, at the long-range planning convocation on Sept. 9 and 10 - social capital. Basically, this is the need for people to become involved.

Parents, faculty and staff as well as other community members have come through with social capital as hundreds of people have been involved in this long-range planning process that began about a year ago.

"We have had extensive involvement - many voices in the process. Good ideas. Creative ideas. Different perspectives. Different thoughts on this from faculty, staff, alumni, grandparents," noted DuMond. "In some cases, there are 25 to 30 solutions to some of these challenges already articulated."

After reviewing material from the convocation, DuMond explained that they split the administration and finance planning area because of the unique issues that relate to each area. That means now there are 11 planning areas rather than 10.

Any person interested in the future of CSSC is invited to join one of the 11 committees. These committees will meet once a month at 7 p.m. at Bishop Heelan High School. The meeting dates are Jan. 4, Feb. 1, March 8, April 5, May 3 and June 7.

"The next six months, starting in January, is the Stage 1 of the implementation. We want as many people like yourselves to join one of the teams and move it forward," said DuMond.

Even if people are not able to make all of the meetings, he encouraged them to become involved as much as possible. He stressed the fact that people continue to be key to this process.

The committee will work on the challenges for their areas, starting with the top challenges as voted on during the September convocation.

The co-chairs from each committee will present their solutions to the CSSC school board for approval. The committees are then responsible for implementation.

After DuMond presented the top challenges as identified at the convocation, he offered some recommendations and strategies to help ensure success of this process. He told them it was important to concentrate on the top challenges of the system, encouraged them to establish a time-line for the process, urged them to celebrate successes of this process, emphasized the need for endowment growth and suggested the creation of a master plan for fundraising efforts.

He pointed out that over 200 people had already signed up to serve on the 11 committees. Those present at the meetings had the opportunity to sign up.

Brad Arndt, a parishioner at Nativity and a CSSC parent, attended the meeting and signed up for a committee.

"I think it is important for the Catholic schools to have the involvement of the parents," he said. "It's also important to try to continue to gain enrollment in our schools and keep what we have."

Arndt has been involved in the development committee and will continue to be involved in this process as he is "committed to our Catholic schools."

Linda Shoemaker, a Nativity parishioner, is an alumna of the Catholic school system in Sioux City and presently has three children in CSSC. Her involvement in the process began at the September convocation.

"I am passionate about making sure that it will be around for my youngest to graduate and my grandchildren, hopefully," she said.

Shoemaker attended the Nov. 17 meeting to see what the next step would be. She signed up for the marketing committee.

If people are interested in signing up for a committee, they can call the CSSC administrative office at (712) 252-1350.