Catholic Schools Week: Celebrating our schools’ successes

Dr. Nancy Rottler
Superintendent of Catholic Schools

It is simply not an understatement to report that we have had an exciting year in the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Greensburg. I have had the pleasure of meeting many of you during my visits to the 12 schools, sporting events, plays and other special occasions that are so very important to our students. Outside of the classroom, I have been humbled by the warm welcome  any of you have provided to me when I’ve visited parishes to talk about our exemplary, Christ-entered education.

I am extremely proud of our principals, teachers, school staff and families. I love to speak to parents and guardians who are considering a Catholic education for their children because it gives me the opportunity to share my enthusiasm for our collective accomplishments, which I am grateful to be able to share as we celebrate Catholic Schools Week.

When I became Superintendent, my vision was to create a plan that outlined a continuum of  Catholic education from pre-K through 12th grade. We have 10 outstanding grade schools and two exemplary high schools. Earlier this year, we partnered with Catholic schools in the Diocese of Pittsburgh to provide a bridge from our schools in the Alle-Kiski Valley to Saint Joseph High School in Natrona Heights

in the Pittsburgh Diocese and Greensburg Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School. Students graduating from the eighth grade at Mary Queen of the Apostles School in New Kensington now have a choice to attend Greensburg Central Catholic or Saint Joseph. One of the cornerstones of this program was the removal of the financial barriers for parents considering one of these two schools.

Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, tuition assistance through the St. John Paul II Tuition Opportunity Partnership (TOP) program is available to families in the Diocese of Greensburg to attend Saint Joseph and Greensburg Central Catholic.

Financial assistance for our families to obtain a Catholic education is robust, thanks to the TOP and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) programs. Many parents, grandparents, business owners and donors have generously supported the EITC program. I want to thank William Barnes, our Director of Special Projects, for his leadership of this program. Bill has met with many of you, and I am delighted to say that his efforts and your generosity have provided Catholic schools in the Diocese of Greensburg with a projected $2 million in added tuition assistance for families across the Diocese. You can read more about the EITC program in this edition of The Catholic Accent. Bill is also leading efforts to secure multiple financial resources for our families beyond EITC programs.

While we are all excited with our growing enrollment and the availability of financial aid, it is also my strategic goal to continue to attract students who advance the Catholic identity of our schools. While each of our schools is unique, they all have the same mission that combines Catholic faith and teachings with academic excellence, a partnership with parents in the faith formation of their children, higher standards for student achievement, and an academic curriculum that integrates faith, leadership and preparation for a life of discipleship. This is simply not up for compromise.

As you will see in this edition of The Catholic Accent, our schools are preparing students for the future. Our robust high school curriculum is strategically

designed to prepare students for college as well as paths leading to employment and trades.

This year, we began an innovative esports extracurricular program for students. This is a new learning platform for students at the middle and high school levels that mixes video gaming and esports capabilities with learning curriculums rooted in STEM to engage, interact and educate students in a fun way. Beyond esports, students are encouraged to participate in a multitude of leadership opportunities including forensics, honor societies, service groups, campus ministry and athletics.

Many of our students were able to participate in the Eucharistic Revival in the Diocese when they attended the KNOW HIM events at Christ Our Shepherd Center. To expand student participation, we brought these immersive experiences to Geibel Catholic Junior-Senior High School in Connellsville, where students were joined by students from St. John the Evangelist Regional Catholic School in Uniontown, Conn-Area Catholic School in Connellsville and St. Sebastian Regional Catholic School in Belle Vernon. We collaborated with Saint Joseph High School, where students from The Divine Redeemer Catholic School in Ford City and Mary Queen of Apostles School in New Kensington participated. With this approach, student representatives from all 12 of our Catholic schools were part of these events that brought them into the presence of Christ. I was delighted that so many students were able to participate in these wonderful experiences because it provides a way for our Catholic schools community to build One Body in Christ.

We have also developed a plan to ensure the emotional wellbeing of our students is part of our plan for our students and families. Over the past year, we have partnered with Catholic Charities to provide counseling services in our schools. While you can read about this partnership in this edition of The Catholic Accent, simply, sometimes students just need to talk. They may be having an issue in school or in the home and need another trusted ear to hear them. Catholic Charities therapists are available to help and to provide coping mechanisms for students.

And finally, the safety of our students is paramount. It was my vision, and with support from Bishop Larry J. Kulick, that we developed a plan to make sure our schools and parishes are safe places. Earlier this year, Ryan Maher, a retired Pennsylvania State Police lieutenant, was hired and tasked with creating a Diocesan Police Department. This is significant because the Diocese of Greensburg is the first Diocese in the commonwealth to form a private police department that will have a  centralized uniformed presence in each of our schools. This is more than a security operation. These officers will get to know the students and be a trusting presence in their lives.

Over the past year, we surveyed our students and parents, using their answers to guide an extensive strategic planning session for our Catholic schools. The Catholic Schools Office, Diocesan staff, principals, parents and community members played a significant part in this process, and I am looking forward to sharing this plan with you in the near future. I believe it will support our  continuum of education from pre-K through high school and beyond.

As you can see, many wonderful things are happening in the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Greensburg. We owe that to our dedicated teachers, principals, staff and support employees, and especially our Catholic school families.

As we move toward spring, I will be traveling to many parishes to share our accomplishments. I look forward to seeing you and celebrating this great news with you.