Catholic school leaders exchange ideas, learn best practices, begin  dialogue

The Office of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Corpus Christi hosted an Educational School Advisory Council Professional Development Program on Saturday, Sept. 24, at the St. John Paul II Cafeteria. The program brought together pastors, school board presidents, principals, school advisory council members and home and school/parent teacher organization presidents to exchange of ideas, best practices, information and practical applications.
 
Superintendent Rosemary Henry, Ph.D. opened the conference a quote from former United States Secretary for Education Margaret spellings, “Catholic Schools are a national treasure and they must be preserved.” The superintendent asked all present to reflect and to assess its relevancy today.
 
Catholic school leaders were provided direction on how to: understand and implement the new Constitution and By-Laws in the Catholic Schools of Diocese of Corpus Christi; understand their role as ambassadors for Catholic education and to the mission of their respective schools; serve as advocates for the principal, school board president and pastor in their leadership ministries and help to advance each school in all areas; discuss challenges and successes in school communities; exchange best practices with Catholic school leaders across the diocese; and begin to connect with leaders for ongoing dialogue and collaboration.
 
Henry said the program was a success. All schools in the diocese were in attendance. In all, 90 participants attended and were engaged in learning the newly introduced Constitution and By-Laws for all parish and diocesan schools, Henry said. 
 
"Participants engaged in collaborative and collegial panel discussions on best practices in areas including, strategic planning, fundraising, marketing and public relations and enrollment management.
 
"As the Diocese of Corpus Christi becomes a system of schools, unified with a shared vision and mission, the Constitution and By-Laws provide a road map for all governance and a template for collaboration  of all  council members," Henry said. 
 
The superintendent said that the Office of Catholic Schools was pleased with this new implementation, "as we work collaboratively with all school leaders to advance our schools forward."