Local Groups Reviewing Preliminary Recommendations
for Catholic Schools

Local Consultative Groups for Catholic schools in Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wayne Counties are diligently reviewing a consultant’s preliminary recommendations for reorganizing the schools.

Meitler Consultants, Inc., the national firm engaged by the Diocese to develop a strategic plan for its Catholic schools, presented the recommendations at meetings on Nov. 14 in Wilkes-Barre and Nov. 15 in Scranton.

These presentations were the latest steps in a Strategic Planning Process that began in September of 2005 with the goal of conducting a comprehensive analysis of the schools and developing a long-range plan to preserve and advance Catholic education in the Diocese.

The analysis has confirmed that many schools are facing serious challenges including demographic changes that, in some areas, have reduced the potential pool of students, steadily declining enrollments, aging facilities, and overwhelming financial pressures on parents and the parishes that support the schools.

A key component of the process was the formation of Local Consultative Groups in each of the schools. These groups are comprised of pastors, principals, parents, parish representatives and others designated by the schools.

The Meitler firm met with the Local Consultative Groups last April and again in August to brief them on the planning process. The groups were asked to hold their own meetings throughout the year to review data and discuss the situation in their particular school.

Now those groups have the task of studying the preliminary recommendations. At the Nov. 14-15 presentations, they were given extensive information underlying the recommendations and were urged to provide feedback to the consultants.

The response form provided to the Local Consultative Groups asks them to indicate for each particular recommendation whether they:

• Basically agree with the recommendation

• Agree in concept, with the following suggestions

• Do not agree, and offer the following alternative and rationale

Alan Meitler, co-director of Meitler Consultants, stressed that any counterproposals to the preliminary recommendations would have to be both “rational and realistic” in order to merit serious consideration. Such counterproposals must have the reasoning that will assure the same necessary results that the original recommendations are designed to assure.

“It is conceivable that we could modify a recommendation, but we would have to see new information backed up by hard evidence,” he said. “We know that this is an emotional issue for parents, students and entire communities. However, if a strategic plan is going to work, it has to be based on facts.”

Mr. Meitler cautioned against proposals that would enable a school “to hang on for another year.”

“Our goal is to ensure that each institution has the resources to be viable long term,” he said.

He pointed to the signs of viability contained in the preliminary recommendations, which define key objectives concerning Catholic character, academic program, facilities, enrollment and potential for growth, finances and leadership.

In addition to the Local Consultative Groups, the preliminary recommendations are also being reviewed by a Steering Committee comprised of Diocesan officials, the Diocesan Catholic Schools Office, a Task Force (advisory group with members possessing expertise, experience and familiarity with schools), a Finance Committee, pastors and principals.

Bishop Joseph F. Martino will evaluate the recommendations only after input from these groups, which must be received by the Catholic Schools Office no later than Dec. 4. The Meitler firm will review this feedback and then prepare its final recommendations for the Bishop’s consideration.

“Our task now is to give these recommendations prayerful and careful attention,” Bishop Martino said. “I implore everyone to do this by thinking not in terms of ‘my school,’ but rather ‘our schools.’ We can remember the past, but we cannot live in the past. We have to develop a system that will enable Catholic education to thrive in the 21st century.”

By the end of January 2007, the Bishop will promulgate the strategic plan for Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wayne Counties.

All of the facts and figures and the preliminary recommendations made by Meitler Consultants thus far are available to the public on the Diocesan website at www.dioceseofscranton.org.

Preliminary recommendations for Lycoming, Bradford, Monroe and Pike Counties will be made on Jan. 17 and 18, 2007, followed by feedback from the local groups and then final recommendations coming in March 2007.

(Note: The schools in Lycoming County had previously completed a self-study and have implemented a reorganization through the establishment of St. John Neumann Regional Academy.)

Joseph G. Casciano, Diocesan Secretary for Catholic Education and Superintendent of Schools, said that specific implementation policies and practices for the reorganization will be developed once the final plan is approved.

He noted, however, that meetings are already being held with teacher representatives and other school personnel to ascertain their questions and concerns.

“We recognize the value and dedication of the people who work in our schools, and we intend to develop a just personnel policy as we move forward,” he said.

Mr. Casciano also said that new registrations at all schools have been suspended until the final plan is announced. At that time a procedure for registration will be put into effect.