State of the School 2018

Reaching New Heights

STATE OF THE SCHOOL SPRING 2018

Reaching New Heights WITH PASSION

ST. BENEDICT PARISH AND PREPARATORY SCHOOL STATE OF THE SCHOOL SPRING 2018

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” Jimmy Dean Strong, vibrant parish schools will go through transitions. We know things don’t always stay the same. Just like the course of life, there are high points, low points, phases of increase and phases of adjustment. Sometimes the skies are clear for smooth sailing, and at other times, the visibility is limited and the waters choppy and rough. While there are periods of success and periods of challenge, it is always essential to have a vision, stick to the mission and “adjust the sails” if the winds of life try to drive us off course.

Over the past two years, much of our work focused on mission articulation: determining what grade levels we want to serve as a parish Catholic school, and how we will build upon the successes of the previous strategic plan - Vision of Excellence 2016 - to continue to strengthen the excellent Catholic education we provide to our families. It’s been a couple of years since we’ve published the State of the School, but there have been so many developments, and there is so much being planned, that we felt it is important to bring this publication once again to our school families and partners. This State of the School is being published in tandem with the new tuition rates for the 2018-19 school year.

Many school parents make a significant financial commitment to send their child(ren) to St. Benedict Preparatory School. We want our families to know that we are committed to keeping parents well-informed about where their tuition dollars are going, as well as the vision and plan for the school. We are in the midst of planning for the coming 2018-19 school year. Part of the planning involves creating a realistic budget that projects the cost of quality, Catholic education. There is a lot to consider when setting tuition and determining the school financial goals. It is our goal to continue growth of the school programs, implement the new school strategic plan, Reaching New Heights, all the while increasing savings to plan for future facilities needs as well as building our parish education endowment. We have also been addressing the physical plant needs and plan to continue this during the coming year.

There have been many improvements made over the past decade at SBPS thanks to the dedicated staff, supportive parents, caring pastors and generous donors and parishioners. Please refer to this publication for more details on the strategic plan goals as well as accomplishments. Please enjoy this year’s State of the School 2018!

Gratefully,

Rachel Gemo, Fr. Steve Kanonik, Head of Parish School Pastor

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Reaching New Heights

SBPS FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE 2017-18 SCHOOL YEAR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

GOAL ONE: Determining Mission in a Vibrant Faith Community Back in 2004, the St. Benedict Elementary School Advisory Board embarked on a strategic planning process to create a five-year plan to strengthen and improve the parish school. That strategic plan was named, Vision 2010. One of the key tasks of this plan was to rewrite the school’s mission statement. One of the longlasting elements of the mission statement created from Vision 2010 were the five key words found on our marketing materials, our letterhead, on our school walls and heard throughout the hallways and classrooms during the school year: Excel, Challenge, Create, Honor and Serve. These key words created a framework for our merit system, our school procedures, our house system and more. Our students knew they were called to excel using their God-given gifts, challenge others to do the same, create a peaceful community, honor the gifts and diversity of the community, and serve each other and the Lord. This mission statement has served us well for over 13 years. Our new mission statement, Vision of Excellence 2016, adopted by the newly-formed, unified PK-12 school (with a few tweaks), was used as “north” on our compass as we journeyed through this past phase of our parish school history.

A mission statement is key to keeping a business, a school, a group, a non-profit, etc., focused on why it exists. It is essential for success and should permeate all the activities of the organization. It should not be something that “sounds nice” and is hung in a pretty frame on the wall. It needs to be visible beyond the written words, through the culture of the organization, the actions of the people who are part of that organization, and something compelling enough that people want to be a part of it. The purpose of a SCHOOL mission statement is to state who we serve, what our school is called to do and provide a sense of academic programs offered.

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Because the mission statement is used to drive strategic planning, day-to-day decision making and advancement programming, we use it as a lens to review and guide future progress in all areas of school operations.

During the 2015-16 school year, the St. Benedict Preparatory School Advisory Board and school faculty and staff began a process of creating a new five-year strategic plan, “Reaching New Heights.” Through focus groups, online surveys, data analysis, and meetings that incorporated feedback from all our constituency groups, we determined the new mission of St. Benedict Preparatory School would be dedicated to 21st-century learning and to serve those students in preschool through grade 8, and that the parish would be phasing out the high school by June 2019.

This decision marks a significant turning point in our parish history. In light of this strategic decision, a new mission statement is needed to support our contemporary school mission. A writing committee of school board and faculty members transformed the ideas and feelings of faculty, staff, parents, students, and alumni through several waves of community feedback into our new mission statement.

I’m honored to share the new mission statement for St. Benedict Preparatory School which was unveiled a few weekends ago at the Gala 2018: St. Benedict Preparatory School continues a century-long tradition of superior education in a vibrant Catholic community. We recognize that each student’s Godgiven gifts hold unique value, potential, and dignity. Our city block campus offers preschool through grade 8 programs to the parish, the Northside of Chicago, and all those who share our mission. With a focus on critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and collaboration, the St. Benedict Parish faculty and staff, in partnership with parents, develop the creators and contributors of tomorrow inspired by faith and informed with a global perspective. We are a welcoming and supportive community with Christ at our center. A commitment to inclusive and rigorous challenge creates a dynamic, innovative, and active learning experience in which the needs of the whole student are met. At St. Benedict Preparatory School, the strengths of each child become an inspiration to others to learn fearlessly, to lead responsibly, and to serve joyfully. OUR PASSION IS THE BEST POSSIBLE YOU! Our new mission statement can stand alone without explanation, but there are a few items that I’d like to highlight for the St. Benedict parish family so that we can understand how the parish school’s mission remains grounded in “parish,” the anchor of our faith community.

“... in a vibrant Catholic community” – A vibrant parish school needs a vibrant parish community. Our students and their families live their lives in communion with each other; celebrating the sacraments, serving with each other through our ministries and praying with and for each other. When our young people experience a vibrant faith community, faith is relevant, tangible and purposeful. The seeds of faith are planted deeply in our young people.

“Our city block campus” – Our beloved parish campus has been known as “The Block” for decades. We felt it was important to acknowledge the gift of this holy ground, “The Block,” and give thanks to all those generous supporters in the past and present who have contributed to the facilities stewardship of our campus. As we look to the next phases of the capital campaign, Forward in our Faith, we will continue to be good stewards of this real estate gift as we invest in

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upgrading mechanical systems, building improvements such as tuck-pointing and new windows, as well as renovating school spaces to support 21st-century Catholic education.

“... critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and collaboration” - These are four of the SEVEN C’s of 21st-century Catholic school excellence that we are going use to frame our school’s academic program.

The others - “content,” “confidence,” and “Catholic” - are also embedded into this mission statement. These are research-proven components of effective learning that guide children toward success. We will be intentionally weaving these into our curriculum, assessments, learning environments, parent education, and more.

“... develop the creators and contributors of tomorrow inspired by faith” – While helping our young people learn skills and concepts to create and contribute is important for any school, it is essential that our young people confidently navigate the future with a faith perspective. Our young people will need to respond to challenges and difficult choices that the future will bear and we need them to employ the tenets of our faith that teach dignity, respect and care for God’s sacred creations, people and laws. This mission is something that sets us apart from non-faith based schools.

“We are a welcoming and supportive community with Christ at our center” – A few years ago, St. Benedict Parish journeyed through the Parish Transformation Process. Out of this process came the goal to be “fearlessly welcoming.” The parish school also embraces this spirit! With our active Home and School Association, Parent Ambassador Group, our Student Bengal Ambassadors, and more, welcoming those who want to be a part of special community centered in Christ runs through the fabric of each school day.

“A commitment to inclusive and rigorous challenge” – A personalized Catholic education means that we need to meet each student where he or she is ready to learn. It is our goal that any parish family who wants access to the parish school – no matter if the child is developing typically, demonstrates atypical gifts or has specific learning needs. We are committed to small class sizes, differentiated learning and investing in our teachers’ professional development. A parish family should not have to look beyond the parish school because of a child’s learning needs.

“... learn fearlessly, to lead responsibly, and to serve joyfully.”

- How will we know that we are accomplishing what we set out to do? When we see our students consistently engage in these behaviors and adopt these attitudes.

Each student can be a part of our mission. This will set apart a St. Benedict Bengal from all other students.

“OUR PASSION IS THE BEST POSSIBLE YOU!” – Bringing out the best of each student, in partnership with parents/guardians, is our passion. We believe each child has gifts and is capable of success. We also want to bring out the best in our teachers, our families and anyone who shares in our school mission.

The mission statement will be a catalyst for the writing of future documents that speak to our vision, values, and goals. We will also use the mission statement as a way of introducing ourselves to the community for those who are looking at us for

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the first time, as well as a way of describing what we offer to those who are already a part of our community. I humbly ask that our school families share our mission with others, as well as share IN our mission by supporting our efforts whether by word of mouth, through service or through financial support. Your participation makes a difference.

I would like to thank the writing committee for their time and dedication spent on writing this on behalf of the community: Karla Stearns (board member), Megan Harris (5th grade teacher), Erico Ramirez (Secondary Spanish Teacher) and Phil Siegel (Innovation Coach). I would also like to thank the hundreds of stakeholders who provided feedback throughout the entire strategic planning process. The new school mission has truly been a collaborative effort of the community, and I am humbled by the passion and care that everyone contributed throughout the process. The school’s mission statement truly embodies the spirit of St. Benedict Parish and Preparatory School.

NEXT STEPS THROUGH 2018 The writing committee in partnership with school administration will create other essential foundational documents: School Philosophy, Profile of the 8th Grade Graduate and Vision Statement.

We will use these foundational documents to create a framework for school programming. School leadership along with faculty will use the documents to review and revise key aspects of school procedures and operations.

GOAL TWO: Funding the Mission One of the tasks that the School Advisory Board, along with parish and school leadership, has been working on is integrating the concept of stewardship and being strategic about the kinds of fundraising we do at SBPS. We need to look at how often we ask families to support the parish and school in terms of service and financial contributions.

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STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE - STREAMLINING FUNDRAISING AND EASING THE FINANCIAL BURDEN One of the key goals of the Stewardship Committee is to reduce the number of “asks” as well as create a clear “beginning and end” date for promotion and marketing of fundraisers. There has been an intentional effort to ensure that large parish/school fundraising events and programs don’t overlap with each other; that there is a short respite between the promotion of these events/programs. We hope you have noticed a difference from years past. For instance, our Annual School Fund only runs for a total of 4 weeks, Gala 2018 didn’t start major promotion until after Christmas break and BenFest plans to start their promotion after Easter.

The other strategy employed is to simplify the kinds of fundraising activities we use.

Raffles, games of chance and gambling have been eliminated from our events. We want people to attend, have a great time and give what they can in terms of cash donations, in-kind donations and sponsorships. Additionally, the parish has created a sponsorship package for families and business partners where donors can select a package annually and be a part of a year-long sponsorship promotion. Our goal is to only approach our donors once a year instead of many times throughout the year.

Fundraising is currently an essential way to “fill the gap” between the cost of educating a student and the cost of tuition. We pride ourselves in not “mandating” a fundraising fee and inviting families to support the school in a manner that relates to God’s blessings in their lives. If we did charge tuition to cover the cost of education, we would need to increase our tuition to 9.5% more than what we are currently planning to charge. The gap, specifically for middle school grades is over $1500 per student, while the gap for elementary school is closer to $800 per student. Each year in the recent past, we’ve been able to fill that gap through our fundraising. This shows that we have many generous donors that support our school yet want to keep the tuition lower than many of our Catholic school neighbors.

ANNUAL SCHOOL FUND – THE ANNUAL ADVISORY BOARD PARENT APPEAL -- HOW SCHOOL FAMILIES SUPPORT SOMETHING SPECIAL! The Annual School Fund (in its 13th year!) is the School Advisory Board fundraising appeal. Parents are asked to make monetary contributions to the school to cover the difference of the cost of tuition and the actual cost of education. 100% of this money goes right to SBPS (PK-12)!

Two years ago, the School Advisory Board adopted the name, Annual School Fund, because we wanted to convey that this fundraising appeal happens on an annual basis and funding goes directly to the school. In the past, this initiative helped us achieve great things: helping the parish pay off building and school loans, replacing the gym roof, investing in curriculum, teachers and technology. This current year, through the Advisory Board’s Annual School Fund efforts, funding supported teacher leadership stipends, campus technology enhancements and faith formation.

Thanks to the efforts of the school advisory board, this campaign has grown tremendously over the past thirteen years - this year being the most successful of them all. We thank all those generous families who have given to the Annual School Fund.

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ANNUAL SCHOOL FUND APPEAL STATS (FORMERLY KNOWN AS FUND OUR FUTURE OR ZAP THE GAP) Parent Campaign Total Raised # of Families

2007-08 $19, 880 47 donors

2008-09 $32,630 57 donors

2009-10 $50,894 85 donors

2010-11 $80,415 97 donors

2011-12 2012-13 $113,570 $124,486 150 families 315 families

Total Raised # of Families

2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 $124,650 $152,000 $74,782 $123,000 $165,000 217 families 224 families 151 families 224 families 256 families

CONGRATS TO THE GALA 2018 COMMITTEE! YOUR EFFORTS HELPED RAISE OVER $200,000 FOR ST. BENEDICT PREPARATORY SCHOOL. We are so grateful for the work of the Gala 2018 Committee! Thank you especially for the excellent job done by our chair, Mr. Tom Burns. The effort put into the Gala had our patrons sharing how much of a great time they had at the event. We are also grateful for the amazing committee Tom assembled who gave so much of themselves. We thank the committee who made this evening possible: Claudia Anzur, Shannon Archer, Annie Beach, Jessica Blomquist, Laura Burns, Kristi Condon, Tara DeFreytas, Kerrye Dove, Bob Heiner, Jean Hybinette, Grace Lee, Melissa Martin, Lindsey Milanowski, Kathy Minneci, Tammy Morris, Amy Nelson, Jen Patras, Katie Przybysz, Isabelle Ryan, Nicole Stephens, Suzanne Stone, Maria Tubay, Joe Accardi, and Katie Winter.

NEXT STEPS THROUGH 2019 • The advisory board finance committee will continue to analyze fundraising efforts and determine ways to properly help fund the mission.

• Hire a Parish Director of Stewardship to help support the fundraising and stewardship h and Preparatory School efforts of the parish and school.

• The Stewardship Committee will continue to guide and support the fundraising efforts of the parish and school groups to achieve the overall parish goals.

• The Development Committee of the board will review and revise the Annual School Fund efforts, as needed, to ensure the 2018-19 efforts continue to be successful.

FORWARD IN OUR

FAITH

FORWARD IN OUR St. Benedict Parish and Preparatory School

FAITH

GOAL THREE: Ensuring Our Facilities will Support 21st-Century Catholic Educational Excellence Since the church roof and tuck pointing project has been completed, we have now turned our sights to the school. The parish facilities committee in conjunction with the school advisory board is reviewing options for the tuck-pointing and window replacement of the elementary school building along Leavitt Street. We expect this work to commence soon after school lets out in June. There is also an evaluation of renovation possibilities of the Bell Street building (Building 4) for the third project of

FORWARD IN OUR

h and Preparatory School

FAITH

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the capital campaign. We intend these renovations to support our new mission and vision for our parish school. We are grateful to all those who continue to support the Forward in Our Faith Campaign so these projects can become a reality.

SOME OTHER PROJECTS TAKING PLACE THIS SPRING: • Asbestos abatement - The basement tunnels of the Elementary building 1 and 2 where the heating system resides, preparing the way for much needed heating plant work - Room 142 (future home of the Early Childhood Exploratory/STEM space) • Significant upgrades to the school’s main cafeteria walk-in freezer NEXT STEPS THROUGH 2019 • New electrical panel located in the basement of the gym. This panel dates back to the 1950s and feeds most of the block’s electricity.

• Upgrades to the Secondary Library - We are currently weeding out old books from the collection and clearing the way to make for a more user friendly, flexible learning space.

• Facilities and Space planning to support our vision - As we phase out the high school, there is space to reconfigure and repurpose.

• Update the security camera system, funded by this year’s FUND A NEED Project, Campus Security Camera Fund • Begin to plan for a “Children’s Sensory Garden” along the preschool building on Byron • Significant upgrades to our heating plant. The facilities committee is working on the best plan of action for our parish’s long-term needs.

WHAT WILL WE DO WITH THE SCHOOL SPACE AS WE PHASE OUT THE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM? There seems to be a myth floating around that the school will have a lot of unused space as the high school is phased out in June 2019. We’ve been approached by organizations to rent the “unused” space. We’ve seen in printed meeting minutes of neighboring public and private schools that perhaps they can move programs to our campus because they are in need of space. We’ve had alumni ask if we would knock buildings down and sell the land for condos and houses. All those answers are “NO”.

The 21st-century learning model is best supported by a variety of learning environments that engage students actively in the 7 C’s of Catholic educational excellence. Fully realized, teams of teachers use spaces for large-group instruction, small group instruction, creation and innovation, collaborative work, quiet work, technology enhanced work, and more. The “one-teacher, one-classroom” model disappears, and fluid-flexible spaces are created. We have been blessed with a large, beautiful school campus and we intend to use the spaces to implement our strategic plan and offer programming that our neighboring public, private and Catholic schools can only dream of having. Stay tuned! We hope you are as excited as we are!

CAMPUS SECURITY CAMERA FUND - WE ARE ALMOST AT OUR GOAL OF $40,000 The St. Benedict Parish and Preparatory School campus, affectionately known as “The Block,” is sacred ground that unites all who share our mission and support our vibrant ministries. Each week, over 3,000 adults and children visit “The Block” to learn, serve and worship. We are obligated to do all we can to ensure the safety of

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all those who come to our campus. While we are blessed to have several security measures already in place, we continually add new equipment and replace outdated technology. The next phase of our campus security plan is to update our exterior security video equipment and expand its reach to cover both the exterior perimeter and interior courtyard. Security cameras are used to offer both proactive deterrents as well as a video record of incidents that occur on our busy urban block.

WHEN WE REACH OUR FUNDING GOAL OF $40,000, WE WILL PURCHASE THE FOLLOWING SYSTEM AND SERVICES: • Furnish and install 1 new Salient PP540T3B Server • Program server for existing 24 Grandstream cameras and 8 additional Axis Cameras • Provide training for 1 person for 4 hours for programming and installation of additional client software • Furnish and install 34 complete view Pro IP camera licenses • Furnish and install 4 new Axis P3707-PE exterior multi-imager cameras, 360 degrees.

• Furnish and install 2 new Axis Q3708-PVE multi-imager camera, 180 degrees.

• Furnish and install 3 new Axis M3106-LVE 4MP outdoor cameras with built in IR lighting • Furnish and install 1 new Axis P3227-LV 5MP indoor vandal resistant camera

ONLY $6,000 MORE TO GO!

HELP PROTECT OUR GREATEST GIFTS – OUR YOUNG PEOPLE! HELP PROTECT OUR GREATEST ASSETS – OUR FACULTY, STAFF, CATECHISTS, VOLUNTEERS, PARENTS AND PARISHIONERS! EACH GIFT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. NO GIFT IS TOO SMALL.

$2K

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$10K $12K $14K $16K $18K $20K $22K $24K $26K $28K $30K $32K $34K $36K $38K $40K

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GOAL FOUR: Ensuring Our Technology Vision Drives Us to Be Future Ready There was a lot accomplished this past year in the area of technology. In order to get our building and campus future ready, we completed foundational upgrades to the network, infrastructure, security, and technology policies. Along with leaders from the faculty, administration, technology committee, academic excellence committee and the advisory board we formulated a three-year educational technology plan.

CHANGING “COMPUTER CLASS” TO STEM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS) EDUCATION Thanks to a generous family foundation gift, we’ve been able to create the new EXPLORATORY (STEM LAB) for the elementary school, as well as moving and remodeling the elementary school library. The EXPLORATORY received 24 brand new computers this summer, and we invested in STEM materials and applications to foster critical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills. We purchased a variety of robots and coding kits which students in grades 1-5 have had the opportunity to use. The typical computer class - word processing, digital presentation, research, etc., is moving to the general education classroom and is being integrated into the lessons where it makes most sense.

OTHER TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES ACCOMPLISHED THIS YEAR • Hire and retain a quality tech support team • Added interactive projectors to middle school classrooms • Upgraded/Added Wiring to add additional wireless access points as needed and ensured wiring is inline with fire code expectations • Implement one-to-one computing with school issued devices in grades K, 3, 6 • Added more iPads in preschool - thanks to the HSA • Invested in NEW faculty laptops for all teachers • Installed FORCEPOINT security software on all school issued/managed devices • Evaluate and implement curriculum programs that support goals • For the secondary school Creative Communication Arts Lab, we’ve purchased six high-powered computers to support digital creative arts. We will also be creating a video recording studio that will be accessible to all grade levels.

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NEXT STEPS THROUGH 2019 • Create an EARLY CHILDHOOD STEM LAB (thanks to the HSA Fun Run!) there are some exciting things in the works. We hope to have more specific information about this space in May at the Java with Gemo and Waldron • For the Elementary exploratory, we will be renovating the old library side of the space, taking out the reading nook and making more space for STEM exploration. We plan to install a tile floor and invest in furniture that supports a full functioning STEM environment.

• Integrate the Creative Communications Arts Lab for middle school more intentionally into the curriculum • Add 3 more grades to the One-to-One Laptop program - next year Grades K, 3 and 6 (and possibly 5th grade as well).

• Migrate the parish and school from GOOGLE SUITE to OFFICE 365; move parish and school operations to the cloud • Plan for more technology integration for the faculty and staff

GOAL SIX: Sharing our Mission with Others Sharing Our Story We have a great story to tell, but our marketing materials and message have been static for the past few years as we determined our mission. Now that we have determined our mission and have a plan in place, we are ready to share it with our community and neighbors. We will employ all ways to share our story - word of mouth, digital, social media, and print. We have a number of strategies to use and will need all who share our mission to be involved.

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS YEAR: • Review and assess current marketing and PR initiatives (to improve recruitment at all levels of schooling) • Make some adjustments to the current website to make it more user friendly • Revised/updated job description for Director of Enrollment and Marketing • Start a Parent Ambassador program • Grassroots marketing - tactical ideas (coffees, parent gatherings, lawn signs, etc) FUTURE PLANS THROUGH 2019 • Add high level stats to showcase our graduating students • Expand the Parent Ambassador Program • Celebrate accomplishments of our recent 8th grade graduates • Revise position statement and recruitment materials • More community outreach • Continued website improvements

GOAL SEVEN: Getting to the Heart of Mission A St. Benedict Catholic Education Now that we’ve articulated our school mission and are in the process of creating our foundational documents, we can really focus on the academic programming at St. Benedict Preparatory School. We will make decisions on how to implement the 7 C’s of 21st Century Catholic Educational Excellence, focusing on Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Creative Innovation, Content, Confidence and most important, Catholic Identity.

We have heard from our stakeholders that we have a priority to ensure our middle school academic, social-emotional, physical and spiritual programming offers core and elective choices that meets the needs of the young adolescent, prepares our students for academic success in high school, and sets us apart from any other middle school program in our neighborhood. We will build off our current successes, but also plan to make our middle school the exemplar of the north side of Chicago. We have the student enrollment, resources, space and foundation to

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build an exceptional program. We will be evaluating the current strengths, as well as have honest discussions about the areas that need improvement. We know that our current schedule structure, which has been built around the high school needs, will be rebuilt in a way that makes academic sense for the needs of the young adolescent. We still expect to have a breadth of electives in the core subjects as well as the arts. We will incorporate time during the day to support the young adolescent in all areas; support in executive functioning skills, student choice, support in fostering student independence, opportunities for authentic learning, opportunities for rich and relevant faith formation, and more!

In terms of our elementary programming, look for more ways we will differentiate in the core subjects to offer flexible learning groups, integration of more art offerings such as drama and dance and formation of service learning opportunities.

For early childhood, we expect to create more learning spaces to support the wonderment and curiosity of our youngest learners! Given the size of our program and our campus, we will continue to offer programming that cannot be found at other preschools.

Making Catholic Education Affordable at SBPS ST. BENEDICT PREPARATORY SCHOOL HAS ADOPTED THE TUITION COVENANT FINANCIAL MODEL. ESSENTIALLY THIS PLAN ENCOURAGES CATHOLIC SCHOOLS TO: • Base tuition on what it actually costs to educate a child (this is the standard rate) • Provide financial assistance to families who demonstrate need (our Tuition Covenant Grants) • Ask families who can afford the cost of this education to pay full cost or at least contribute the difference in costs between parishioner tuition and the per-pupil cost (Annual School Fund) Families who demonstrate financial need are encouraged to apply for a Tuition Covenant Grant. This grant is awarded to families with students in grades K-8.

These grants award families up to forty percent of the amount of tuition. There are many factors considered in this process : income earned; number of children in Catholic schools or college; single parents; death of a spouse; loss of work; disability; etc.

Families need to complete an application and submit it to SBPS by Thursday, March 26th. Applications are available in the elementary school office or secondary school office or on the school website. The financial assistance form allows parents to explain any special circumstances that need to be considered. Families with more than one child in Catholic schools are encouraged to apply for the Tuition Covenant Grants. The goal is to support families of any size to afford a Catholic education for their children. Financial assistance awards will be distributed in May so that parents can make their decisions regarding registration for next year.

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OTHER FACTORS IMPACTING THE 2018-19 COST OF EDUCATION AT ST. BENEDICT PREPARATORY SCHOOL • 4% Health Insurance Increase; our cost will be approximately $10,560 for each full time employee • Increase in property/casualty insurance costs • Approximate 3% wage increase for staff and teachers (wage increases set by Archdiocese) • Approximate 3% increase in fringe costs/FICA costs • Increase in electrical costs and other utilities such as water and Internet • Re-allocation of shared fixed costs with the phasing out of the high school to PK-8 families (less families sharing the cost) We value all that our parishioner families do for the parish and school. You make our community vibrant and dynamic. Membership as an engaged parishioner at St. Benedict Parish requires that families give of their time, talent and treasure to support its many ministries. This participation is essential to the life and the lifegiving of the parish. It is because of this participation that St. Benedict Parish and Preparatory School will extend the $1,100 parishioner grant for each K-8 student, plus an additional $1,000 for each sibling. A family with three students K-8 is receiving a parishioner grant of $5,300 in tuition.

Please understand that being a parishioner at St. Benedict Parish means more than just completing the parish application. Since parishioners are given the benefit of lowered tuition, they are expected to attend Mass regularly, volunteer in parish or school ministries and support the parish financially according to the means of the family. Family participation in parish activities is essential for the growth and vitality of the school. This is the essence of stewardship.

Reaching New Heights at St. Benedict Preparatory School 3900 N. Leavitt Street Chicago, IL 60618 773-539-0066 www.stbenedict.com