SCRANTON – The Diocese of Scranton Catholic School System is turning a key pillar of its recently completed Strategic Growth Plan into action – by investing millions of dollars in long-needed infrastructure improvements.

With 19 schools across five counties, and many of those buildings approaching a century old, the Strategic Growth Plan made clear that deferred maintenance had accumulated for many years.

The Plan’s first goal – the development of a master facility plan at each school – underscored the need for updated roofs, windows, HVAC systems, electrical infrastructure, masonry work, and steady annual investments.

YEAR ONE: SUMMER OF ROOFS

After a comprehensive assessment of every school building was completed by an independent contractor, the Diocese of Scranton Catholic School System took the rare step of securing a major loan to accelerate capital improvements.

During a major wind storm in March 2025, the roof of Saint Jude School in Mountain Top was severely damaged. This roof was among five major roof replacements completed this summer at Catholic schools.

With the help of this financing, $8 million in renovations are underway across multiple schools.

“It was the summer of roofs,” Luke Alar, Schools Facilities Coordinator, said.

Alar joined the Catholic Schools Office in 2023 and has spearheaded the system-wide planning effort.

“The roofs were really the low-hanging fruit that needed to be done,” Alar added.

Five major roof replacements were completed or are substantially complete at Holy Redeemer High School, Saint Jude School, All Saints Academy, Holy Rosary School, and La Salle Academy.

In some cases – the projects were urgent.

Take for example the gymnasium roof at Saint Jude School in Mountain Top which was damaged in March 2025 during a major windstorm. The age and condition of the roof contributed to its ultimate failure.

“It almost looked like a monster came in and opened it like a blanket,” Alar explained. “These were projects that couldn’t wait. The whole theory and concept on how we came up with the first projects was building envelope – keeping the water out and the heat on.”

YEAR TWO: HVAC AND WINDOWS

Because the financing can be drawn over 18 months, effectively giving the Catholic School System two summers for work – Alar said crews will be “going as strong as we can” in summer 2026.

“We’re now switching to HVAC and windows,” he noted.

This is what the gymnasium at All Saints Academy in Scranton looked like in November 2024, prior to a roof replacement project being completed. Trash cans were often used to collect water that would come inside the building.

Among the projects already in the planning process are new boilers at Notre Dame Elementary and High School – which have shared a single boiler since construction – and Holy Cross High School, which still has its original boiler from the 1960s.

With some buildings dating back to the early 1900s, the Catholic School System faces what Alar describes as a “university-level” infrastructure situation. But rather than seeing the scope as overwhelming, he calls it a blessing.

“It’s exciting and I’m blessed to have this opportunity,” he said. “It is not a job. We are bringing children to Jesus. We’re making saints. We’re preparing their souls for heaven. That gives you more motivation and excitement to do what you’re doing.”

Alar added that the long-term goal – spelled out in the Strategic Growth Plan – is to establish a capital budget at each school so that investment becomes annual, consistent, and sustainable.

“This is not the end,” Alar emphasized. “We want people to look back and say we made wise choices and were frugal with how we spent the money.”

For Kristen Donohue, Diocesan Secretary for Catholic Education and Superintendent, the facility work is more than construction – it’s a promise to families being fulfilled.

“We completed our Strategic Growth Plan and identified deferred maintenance as a key component that needed to be addressed so we can continue to deliver our strong product for years to come,” she said. “We made it a priority.”

Donohue echoed Alar’s statements that the improvements focus first on the overall building envelope of all schools.

“We are making sure we have a sound structure in which our students, teachers, and administrators can work and enjoy their Catholic education,” she said.

Donohue praised Alar’s leadership, calling the work underway a “huge task for anyone.”

She also noted the close partnership Alar has forged with the Diocesan Office for Property and Risk Management – an office that has been invaluable in assistance with all the projects.

“There are needs within each of our school buildings,” Donohue said. “We are working to address as many outstanding issues as we can now and plan to continue addressing needs well into the future. Giving our students the best facilities we possibly can is paramount.”