Second Century Vision: The Next Five Years 2024-2029

Second Century Vision The Next Five Years: 2024-2029

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2023-2024 Peter B. LaMontagne ’84, P’14, ’17, ’21, ’25 & ’25, Chair Nathan M. Brawn ’02, Vice Chair Rev. John T. “Jack” Butler, S.J. Michael J. Cianchette ’02 Amber R. Collins ’04 Rev. Brian J.Conley S.J., Superior of the Jesuits of Maine Margaret Florentine Marco Giancotti P’16,’18, ’21 James Hanley P’19, ’21, ’24 Shawn Hawthorne ’02, Treasurer Catherine Hyde P’20, Secretary Carl J. “CJ” LeFevre ’89, P’20, P’23 Timothy J. McGonagle ’92 Heather T. MacGillivray ’08 Rev. John Mulreany, S.J. Rev. Robert J. Pecoraro, S.J., President Rev. Cyril P. Opeil, S.J. John Richardson ’09 Scott Smith ’90 Stephen Train ’86, P’16, ’19 James A. Ward ’63 Rev. John C. Wronski, S.J.

STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE James Hanley P’19, ’21, ’24 Shawn Hawthorne ’02 James Hornor Michael S. Komich P’05, ’07 Peter B. LaMontagne ’84, P’14, ’17, 21, ’25, ’25 John J. Moran Rev. Robert J. Pecoraro, S.J., President John Richardson ’09 Randolph H. Shaw Scott Smith ’90 Elizabeth M. Woodcock

July 1, 2024 Dear Friends, Five years ago, on the heels of our 100th Anniversary celebration, the Cheverus Board of Trustees led by board member Peter LaMontagne ’84, P’14, ’17, 21, ’25, ’25, initiated a strategic planning process with input from all segments of the Cheverus community -- faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, volunteers, business partners, and friends. This process culminated with the adoption of our Second Century Vision, a five-year plan establishing priorities and setting clearly articulated goals that speak to the very heart of our mission.

Today, five years later, we are proud to report that we met or exceeded nearly every objective outlined by that plan. To maintain our forward momentum, and to renew our commitment to those pillars of hope that so eloquently represent our strength in our beliefs and faith in our mission, we present here a renewed Second Century Vision: The Next Five Years.

The aim of this plan, once again, is to calibrate our actions to the current needs of the school while remaining true to everything for which Cheverus stands. As with the first iteration, this aspirational vision was formed with input from literally hundreds of community members across all constituencies; and, as before, it consists of measurable objectives that will help define our direction through the year 2029.

This multi-year plan is a community effort, and as such, asks all members of the Cheverus community for your thoughts, your comments, and your support. Working together, we will assure that Cheverus, as a steady beacon of hope, will continue to shine forth in remarkable ways.

For Cheverus,

Fr. Robert J. Pecoraro, S.J. President

Peter B. LaMontagne ’84, P’14, ’17, ’21, ’25 & ’25 Board Chair

Graduate at Graduation TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Mission

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History

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Cheverus at a Glance

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As a Jesut high school Cheverus commits itself to educate students to be

Open to Growth

Process

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Five Pillars

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Pillar I

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Pillar II

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Pillar III

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Pillar IV

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Pillar V

Intellectually Competent Religious Loving Commited to Justice

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OUR MISSION

An inclusive Jesuit Catholic college preparatory school, Cheverus teaches students to be people for and with others and to pursue intellectual, spiritual, physical and personal excellence for the greater glory of God.

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OUR HISTORY

Cheverus High School is a private, Catholic college preparatory school sponsored by the Society of Jesus.

Founded on Free Street in Portland in 1917 as the Catholic Institute High School, Cheverus changed its name to Cheverus Classical High School in 1925, in honor of Bishop Jean-Louis Lefebvre de Cheverus, the first Bishop of Boston.

During its first 25 years, teaching and administration of the school were handled by the diocesan clergy, who also served as curates in local parishes.

In 1942, Bishop Joseph McCarthy, then Bishop of Portland, obtained the services of the Society of Jesus as teachers and Cheverus became a Jesuit-operated diocesan school.

In 1946 the Free Street building was sold and 32 acres of land were purchased along Back Cover on Ocean Avenue in Portland. Cheverus took up temporary residence in the St. Aloysius school on Cumberland Avenue in Portland while its new - and current - facility was being built. The new school opened in April 1952.

Under the stewardship of the Jesuits, Cheverus has grown to include both qualified male and female students, and remains committed to it founding principles of superior education and spiritual growth of the individuals - the hallmarks of a deeply rooted Jesuit philosophy spanning nearly 500 years. The founder of the Jesuits, Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491 - 1556) continues to inspire us.

The Ignatian vision of the magis is fundamental to the educational vision at Cheverus. Magis is Latin for “more,” and in the Jesuit tradition, magis challenges the entire Cheverus community to seek the greater good and embody this vision by becoming men and women for and with others.

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CHEVERUS AT A GLANCE

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PROCESS As the 2022-23 fiscal year came to a close, the Board of Trustees, led by Chair Peter LaMontagne ’84, P’14, ’17, ’21, ’25, ’25, and the Cheverus Leadership Team, led by President Fr. Robert Pecoraro, S.J., reviewed the progress and status of the Second Century Vision – the five-year Strategic Plan that had been established in 2018. Having met or made significant progress toward every objective set forth in the plan, the President and Board formed a new Strategic Planning Committee to define the path for the next five years, 2024-2029.

Input from the entire Cheverus community was essential to this process. A survey consisting of both quantitative and qualitative measures was distributed to over 3,800 alumni, parents, volunteers, friends, faculty, and staff. The questions addressed multiple aspects of the Cheverus experience including caliber of education, curriculum, activities, Ignatian and Catholic identity, facilities, cost, and value proposition. The response rate was nearly 18% – an exceptionally high percentage for these types of surveys.

In addition to the data collected by the survey, four separate focus groups were formed: faculty & staff; parents; students; and alumni. These groups discussed and articulated what each believed to be the current strengths & weaknesses of and opportunities and threats to Cheverus. The Strategic Planning Committee convened several times during this data collection period to review progress and to make recommendations for moving forward.

Having compiled and reviewed the responses, the Leadership Team held three special sessions to update and modify the Second Century Vision that had been the strategic blueprint for Cheverus for the past five years. The draft was submitted to the Trustee members of the Strategic Planning Committee for additional input, and the “Second Century Vision - The Next Five Years” was finalized. This thoughtful, collaborative process resulted in this revitalized vision that looks toward the future of Cheverus with great confidence, purpose, hope, and faith.

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FIVE PILLARS I. Ignatian Identity ~ Grounded in our responsibility as the only co-educational Jesuit College Preparatory High School in Northern New England, Cheverus will strengthen its Ignatian identity in all aspects of our engagement with the Cheverus Community and beyond.

II. Academic Excellence ~ Cheverus will enhance its position as the premier College Preparatory School in Northern New England.

III. Cheverus High School is a Community ~ Our Students, Alumni, Parents, Faculty & Staff, Jesuits and the Greater Portland/Maine Community (especially our Brothers and Sisters in Need) all form the Cheverus Family.

IV. The Cheverus Campus is our Community Home ~ We plan to invest in our campus and facilities to enhance the Cheverus educational experience and advance our mission as a Jesuit institution.

V. Advancement & Growth ~ Our Second Century Vision for Cheverus requires growth and a strong financial commitment from our community to ensure long-term sustainable success.

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PILLAR I Ignatian Identity

Grounded in our responsibility as the only co-educational Jesuit College Preparatory High School in Northern New England, Cheverus will strengthen its Ignatian identity in all aspects of our engagement with the Cheverus Community and beyond.

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1. Given the declining number of Jesuits in the United States and the USA East Province, Cheverus understands the importance of training women and men to be the next generation of Executive Leadership in Jesuit Schools and grounding our students in both Ignatian Spirituality and Leadership training.

Cheverus will develop and support professional development for employees seeking leadership positions in Jesuit Schools and craft classes that will offer students insights into Ignatian Leadership.

2. Increase the size and scope of the Campus Ministry office and interaction/exchanges with other Jesuit Secondary Schools and Colleges.

3. Extend the Service Learning Program to serve more communities in the Southern Maine area in order to expose the wider community to the Cheverus mission. In particular, Cheverus will focus on opportunities that allow the communities we serve to better know the Cheverus mission and students.

4. Update Ignatian Formation Program for faculty, staff and parents.

5. Cheverus will become a center for the promotion of Ignatian Programming for the greater community of Southern Maine.

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PILLAR II Academic Excellence

Cheverus will enhance its position as the premier College Preparatory School in Northern New England

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1.Following the recommendations from our most recent NEASC accreditation, determine and describe what excellent teaching looks like at Cheverus, rooted in the School's mission and reflective of best practices of educational pedagogy.

2. Improve performing and fine arts programming to the standards of a premier college preparatory school.

3. Expand Instructional Support to a full Student Learning Center so that committed students of all academic backgrounds can achieve success at Cheverus and in college.

4. Seek to enroll qualified students interested in a Jesuit, college preparatory education from all socioeconomic backgrounds and abroad.

5. Develop and implement a comprehensive technology plan, including professional development on artificial intelligence .

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PILLAR III Cheverus High School is a Community

Our Students, Alumni, Parents, Faculty & Staff, Jesuits and the greater Portland/Maine community (especially our brothers and sisters in need) all form the Cheverus family

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1.

Increase our understanding of, support for, and

engagement with our Communities, including: internal (direct Cheverus community of students, faculty, staff, parents and alumni); local & regional (greater Portland/Maine community including the Diocese, and regional Jesuit institutions); Global (national and international community (including local refugees)).

2. Expose students to opportunities outside of the internal Cheverus community (e.g., job sharing, internships, field trips and service programs).

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PILLAR IV Cheverus Campus is our Community Home

We plan to invest in our campus and facilities to enhance the Cheverus educational experience and advance our mission as a Jesuit institution

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1. Update previous Campus Master Plan to incorporate our Second Century Vision and focus on student body and faculty needs in line with our Academic Excellence and Ignatian Identity pillars (e.g., expanded tech offerings, continued athletic competitiveness, improving performing and fine arts programming).

2. Having completed the dialogue with the city of Portland and obtained an extension to our campus master plan approval, Cheverus will continue to assess and prioritize physical plant needs in terms of capital improvements, renovations, environmental sustainability and new construction.

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PILLAR V Advancement & Growth

Our Second Century Vision for Cheverus requires growth and a strong financial commitment from our community to ensure long-term sustainable success

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1. Expand financial aid and scholarship support to ensure that Cheverus is accessible to qualified students and committed families of modest means.

2. Maximize the investment of the Cheverus community by: Maintaining a minimum of $750,000 in annual Cheverus Fund support while continuing to leverage key growth mechanisms to eventually and then consistently surpass $1 million in spendable, annual support Increasing endowment by 30-50% over 5 years.

3. Increase class size to at least 115 students per year over a 5-year period.

4. Promote more awareness in the wider Cheverus community of our financial needs and the impressive support we provide annually for our students with very limited financial resources

5. In anticipation of the completion of the turf fields, dining hall, and theater capital projects, identify subsequent capital needs.

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Cheverus High School @cheverus @cheverus

267 Ocean Avenue Portland, Maine 04103 207-774-6238 cheverus.org