Pastoral Planning Committee's Decision Making Grid

The three options being evaluated are described below the Grid.
The values affected by this decision are listed in the first column.
In the second column the values are prioritized.
In the third column a number between +2 and -2 is given for the "effect" Option #1 would have on
each value. Ex. Option #1 would have no or "0" effect on the Quality of Education. The
explanation for the Effect ratings given can be found on the pages below.
After all of the "Effects" are determined the "Impact" is calculated by multiply the Priority times the
Effect. (9 X 0= 0)
Finally all of the Impacts are added up to get the Total score of each option at the bottom.

Option #1 Option #2 Option #3

Option #1
Keep separate student bodies and separate facilities. Share field trips and fund raising. Our classes are too small to get quantity discounts on purchases of educational materials. Although having a full time principal would be nice it would involve adding a half time teaching position and so increase the overall cost. We elected not to add the position for this model. Thus there would be three full time teachers at St. Mary with one of them also acting as principal and four full time teachers at St. Anne’s with a half time position allowing one of the teachers to be half time principal. Total of 7.5 FTE. We would need to keep two secretaries and two janitors.

Option #2
Use both facilities but combine students and staff. Grades 1-3 will be at one building and grades 4-6 at the other building. This would mean one school budget and combined school financial resources. Common ground on tuition would have to be found. There would be a combined class and a standalone class in the upper grades and three teachers in the lower grades at least for the first year. There would need to be one full-time principal. Thus there would be five teachers and one principal. Overall, then, there would be a reduction in total staff by 1.5 FTE. Still need two secretaries and two janitors. St. Anthony’s would only need to use one of its two school buildings.


Option #3
One school would be formed and located in one building. Using the same principal as above that classes of ten or less would be combined, there would need to be five teachers in five classrooms at least for the first year. The school would need a full time principal. Thus the teaching staff would be reduced by 1.5 FTE. There would only need to be one school secretary and one school janitor. We assumed that utilities in the unused building would be cut in half.


Reasons for Effect Rating for Option #1

A. Quality of Education
1. The most important factor in determining the quality of education is the skill, attitude and motivation of the teaching staff. Because there is no change in staff there would be no change in the quality of education.

B. Budget
1. The primary costs in operating a School are salary and benefits. There would be no change here. There are no teaching positions that could be shared. And going to a full time principal would actually involve additional costs.

2. Upon careful examination, there are really no significant areas where purchasing together would have benefits. Our quantities are just too small.

3. There would still need to be secretaries and janitors at both sites.

C. School Staff
1. There would be no real change for the teachers so their morale would not be affected.

D. School Parents/Enrollment
1. No change in the experience for families and so no change in enrollment expected.

2. In the survey taken 12 out of 16 school families who responded wanted this option. Of the three options choosing this one would be taken very positively by school parents.

E. Parish Members
1. In the survey non-school parishioners are almost evenly split between options #1 & #3 (126 and 121 respectively). Because half would be happy with this option and have unhappy, it nets out to zero effect.

F. Student Transportation
1. There would be no change.

G. Parish Facility Use
1. There would be no change.

H. Mission of the Parish
1. Presently St. Mary’s & St. Anthony’s are not meeting expenses through regular income. Without changes in the ministries offered in the parish this condition would worsen.

2. We would not be able to fulfill our Mission and Vision Statements. In fact we would get further from them.


Reasons for Effect Rating for Option #2

A. Quality of Education
1. There is good chance that the reduction in teaching staff by 1.5 FTE could be done through retirements and so teacher moral and effectiveness could remain high.

2. Greater diversity of students in each class would enrich the student’s experience and growth.

3. Research finds multi-age classrooms a very positive environment for growth and learning as long as class sizes are not too large.

B. Budget
1. The reduction in teaching staff would reduce the overall cost of Catholic School education for the parishes by approximately $65,000.00.

2. There would be some possible utilities savings at St. Anthony’s with the regular use of only one buildings.

C. School Staff
1. Again, we believe the reduction in staff could be done through retirements and thus not be a hardship for the teachers who have made great sacrifices for our children.

D. School Parents/Enrollment
1. The break between grades 1-3 and 4-6 may give families the opportunity to switch from Catholic to public school.

2. Parents would see having to transport children from two schools 7 miles apart for extra-curriculars or family appointments as a detriment.

2. Of the three options, this one was desired the least by school parents. “O” out of 16 picked it as their first choice on the survey.

E. Parish Members
1. On the survey only 30 non-school parishioners out of 272 selected this option as their first choice. The vast majority would be unhappy with this choice.

F. Student Transportation
1. The bus service would transport all students to their school at no cost to the parishes. They would however need to drop some off and pick them up 10-15 minutes earlier than the rest of the students to get them to the other school to catch their bus home. A schedule would have to be created to make up for lost teacher-student time.

2. For some students it would add 15 minutes to their bus ride each way each day.

G. Parish Facility Use
1. St. Mary’s would use two of its three classrooms. St. Anthony’s would only need one of its two buildings. The empty space could theoretically be used for other purposes, even perhaps being rented out. Greenwood for example sold their original rectory and turned their convent into the new rectory and are renting it out to Fr. Joe. St. Anthony’s however has had a convent standing empty for over ten years. The many unknowns led us to count this option as neutral (0) in effect.

H Mission of the Parish
1. The funds made available to the parish in this option would make possible the development of ministries for other members of the parish and for outreach to non-members. This would have a very positive impact on our ability to fulfill our mission as a parish.


Reasons for Effect Rating for Option #3

A. Quality of Education
1. Again, there is research showing that teacher attitude and enthusiasm is the primary indicator of quality of education in a school. With this option we could pay teachers a more just salary which would positively affect their attitude.

2. With the financial savings from this option we could provide better educational materials and opportunities for students.

3. The greater diversity in the student body would enrich the learning environment.


B. Budget
1. With the 1.5 FTE reduction in teaching staff, reduction in support staff and utilities, savings would be in the area of $115,000.00.

C. School Staff
1. The reduction in teaching staff we believe would be by retirement.

2. The reduction in staff or work hours for the support staff would be experienced as a loss by those staff members.

D. School Parents/Enrollment
1. We believe at the present, without further education on the issues, a significant number of present school parents would not be willing to travel to another school.

2. We do not think this is because of old school rivalries. It is about loyalty to their present schools. It is not so much a statement against another school as a commitment to their present school

E. Parish Members
1. On the Survey parish members voted pretty much evenly for options #1 and option #3 (126 to 121)

F. Student Transportation
1. Even though the transportation would be provided free to all Catholic School families, it would still be inconvenient for some families for extracurricular activities.

G. Parish Facility Use
1. With a whole building or larger area available there are more possibilities for alternative uses for the facility. Catholic Charities, or community services, could be invited in.

H. Mission of the Parish
1. Funding would be available to develop ministries meeting the needs of other parish members as called for by our Vision Statement.

2. The use of one school by both parishes would be an exercise in cooperation between parishes in the spirit of our Vision Statement