2023-2028 St. Anne Catholic School Strategic Plan

Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge

2023-2028 STRATEGIC PLAN

MISSION The mission of St. Anne Catholic School is to develop each student academically, spiritually, culturally, physically, and interpersonally in a Catholic environment.

PHILOSOPHY

St. Anne Catholic School, as a ministry of St. Anne Catholic Community, is committed to offering our students academic excellence in a nurturing environment. St. Anne embraces the uniqueness of each child and celebrates the diversity of the student body. We consider the family as a partner in the endeavor to provide an opportunity for the optimal growth of each child. We provide a Catholic atmosphere in which students have the opportunity to grow into responsible members of the Body of Christ. Our philosophy is built upon the Basilian Fathers’ cornerstone:

Teach me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge HISTORY

In 1924, Bishop Christopher E. Byrne, of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, asked Reverend John J. O’Reilley to find a suitable location for a new church, which would accommodate Houston’s westward growth. The new parish would be named for St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin. Land at the intersection of two dirt roads, McDuffie and Westheimer, was located, and an abandoned four-room farmhouse became the first home of St. Anne Catholic Community.

In May of 1928, Bishop Byrne asked the Basilian Fathers to take charge of the growing parish. Having previously opened St. Thomas College (now St. Thomas High School), the Basilian Fathers sought to apply their cornerstone, “Teach me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge,” to the development of the burgeoning parish and to the addition of a school.

In 1930, the school opened under the direction of five sisters of Divine Providence from Our Lady of the Lake Convent. The school was the first Catholic school in the Diocese of Galveston-Houston to be accredited, and has remained accredited ever since. The school has successfully completed six accreditation cycles.

In over 90 years, the area around St. Anne Catholic School has changed drastically. It is no longer an area of farmers and immigrant families. It is now a bustling street corner in the heart of a major metropolitan city. The school is a microcosm of the City of Houston, fortunate to experience a diverse group of students racially, culturally, and economically.

Students come to St. Anne from all areas of Houston and the outlying suburbs.

MISSION & CATHOLIC IDENTITY Catholic schools invite young people to a relationship with Jesus Christ, insert them into the life of the Church, and help them see the role of faith in life.

STANDARD 1

STANDARD 2

An excellent Catholic school is guided and driven by a clearly communicated mission that embraces a Catholic identity rooted in Gospel values, centered on the Eucharist and committed to faith formation, academic excellence and service.

An excellent Catholic school, adhering to mission, provides a rigorous academic program for religious studies and catechesis in the Catholic faith, set within a total academic curriculum that integrates faith, culture and life.

STANDARD 3

STANDARD 4

An excellent Catholic school, adhering to mission, provides opportunities outside the classroom for student faith formation, participation in liturgical and communal prayer and action in service of social justice.

An excellent Catholic school, adhering to mission, provides opportunities for adult faith formation and action in service of social justice.

GOALS

St. Anne Catholic School students develop a fundamental understanding of the integration of Catholic identity, academics, and service.

STRATEGIES ENGAGE

CELEBRATE

EMBRACE

students in exploring a deepened commitment to their Catholic identity in collaborative spaces.

the liturgical seasons through communal prayer spanning all grades.

opportunities for social justice programming via campus-wide activities that affirm the living word of Jesus.

TACTICS • Invite external speakers for student assemblies that broaden student perspectives on faith.

• Measure student performance on religion assessments and make adjustments to curriculum in response to results.

• Exhibit student religious art displays throughout campus.

• Expand on student service programs, including ministries, that integrate Church life.

• Track spiritual and corporal works of mercy towards a communal goal.

• Encourage collaboration with St. Anne parish ministry groups and students for prayer and social justice opportunities.

MISSION & CATHOLIC IDENTITY

• Teach students to lead traditional prayers central to Catholic identity.

GOVERNANCE & LEADERSHIP Catholic school governance and leadership based on the principles and practices of excellence are essential to ensuring the Catholic identity, academic excellence, and operational vitality of the school.

STANDARD 5

STANDARD 6

An excellent Catholic school has a governing body (person or persons) which recognizes and respects the role(s) of the appropriate and legitimate authorities, and exercises responsible decision making (authoritative, consultative, advisory) in collaboration with the leadership team for development and oversight of the school’s fidelity to mission, academic excellence and operational vitality.

An excellent Catholic school has a qualified leader/leadership team empowered by the governing body to realize and implement the school’s mission and vision.

GOALS

That Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge serves as the guiding principle in conveying a clear mission and vision, exemplified in the St. Anne Catholic School culture.

STRATEGIES ATTRACT, SUPPORT & RETAIN high-caliber faculty/staff that reflect the mission and vision of our school community.

EMBOLDEN robust networks of collaboration so that partnerships of excellence sustain the school community.

INTENTIONALLY DESIGN

PROVIDE

programs and services that contribute to the success of the school’s operational vitality and strengthening of mission.

an infrastructure of programs and services that reflects the school’s mission and ensures the operational vitality.

TACTICS • Consult with human resources experts to benchmark compensation and total remuneration with other schools, and compare best practices for HR management.

• Derive succession/continuity strategies that document roles, responsibilities, and transition elements for school and School Advisory Council leadership.

• Evaluate the new hire on boarding program and ensure that new employees are fully vested and educated in the mission.

• Administer focus groups and parent surveys that give voice to the school’s strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement, at least every other year.

GOVERNANCE & LEADERSHIP

• Ensure that the School Advisory Council discernment process facilitates a transparent and holistic review of candidates, guided by Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE Catholic schools invite young people to a relationship with Jesus Christ, insert them into the life of the Church, and help them see the role of faith in life.

STANDARD 7

STANDARD 8

STANDARD 9

An excellent Catholic school is guided and driven by a clearly communicated mission that embraces a Catholic identity rooted in Gospel values, centered on the Eucharist and committed to faith formation, academic excellence and service.

An excellent Catholic school, adhering to mission, provides a rigorous academic program for religious studies and catechesis in the Catholic faith, set within a total academic curriculum that integrates faith, culture and life.

An excellent Catholic school, adhering to mission, provides opportunities outside the classroom for student faith formation, participation in liturgical and communal prayer and action in service of social justice.

GOALS

St. Anne Catholic School students have opportunities to take part in rich learning experiences, both inside the classroom and beyond, through co-curricular and extracurricular activities.

STRATEGIES INVOLVE

PROVIDE

the St. Anne community in exploring the needs of St. Anne students in alignment with the mission.

faculty and staff professional development opportunities and collaborative tools that cultivate dynamic instructional approaches.

OFFER

PROMOTE

service opportunities that teach students Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge.

parent education opportunities that strengthen instructional goals, build on the School-Family partnership, and support social goals.

TACTICS CLASSROOM

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Strive for 75% mastery of MAP subject areas and evaluate mastery levels every two years.

• Coordinate programming with the Parish.

• Integrate academic specialists as a resource for struggling students in specific subjects to create a more personalized learning environment.

• Provide guidance and resources to parents on how to strengthen the school-family partnership.

CROSS-CURRICULAR • Showcase student interest and mastery of activities at school and parish events.

• Identify opportunities that enrich the whole child.

OTHER • Provide leadership and mentorship opportunities for junior high students by actively and intentionally engaging them with younger students.

• Explore additional opportunities for parent participation to enhance student learning in meaningful ways.

• Provide a continued focus on social emotional learning.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

OPERATIONAL VITALITY To support and ensure viability and sustainability, Catholic schools must adopt standards for operational vitality in four key areas: finances, human resources/personnel, facilities, and institutional advancement.

STANDARD 10

STANDARD 11

An excellent Catholic school provides a feasible three to five year financial plan that includes both current and projected budgets and is the result of a collaborative process, emphasizing faithful stewardship.

An excellent Catholic school operates in accord with published human resource/personnel policies, developed in compliance with (arch) diocesan policies and/or religious congregation sponsorship policies, which affect all staff (clergy, religious women and men, laity and volunteers) and provide clarity for responsibilities, expectations and accountability.

STANDARD 12

STANDARD 13

An excellent Catholic school develops and maintains a facilities, equipment and technology management plan designed to continuously support the implementation of the educational mission of the school.

An excellent Catholic school enacts a comprehensive plan for institutional advancement based on a compelling mission through communications, marketing enrollment management and development.

GOALS

St. Anne has a comprehensive master plan for the future that will sustain a strong reputation, ensure financial stability, and establish philanthropic resources to support present and future students.

STRATEGIES DIFFERENTIATE

ENSURE FUNDING

a St. Anne education in the marketplace by highlighting its Basilian values and multiple National Blue Ribbon awards.

in alignment with the Basilian commitment to diversity, that assures tuition assistance for future generations.

TACTICS • As campus growth continues, establish clear delineation of shared expenses with the parish via regular and consistent communication.

• Streamline reserves accounts and transfer funds from appropriate accounts for high cost building maintenance, renovations, and building/grounds enhancements.

• Evaluate external providers in the Highlights! program.

• Design and implement a vendor evaluation matrix to ensure potential vendors meet organizational standards and obligations.

• Establish an annual assessment of the strategic plan tactic implementation and effectiveness.

• Develop a new facilities master plan in coordination with the parish to inform future capital campaigns.

• Maintain a five-year technology plan that includes equipment replacement.

• Develop and maintain a 3-5 year institutional advancement plan, considering the multiple entities involved with the school.

CREATE

DETERMINE

CREATE

a 3-5 year budget that integrates enrollment, tuition, fundraising, and financial aid.

effectiveness of campus partnerships

budgetary tools to assess equitable tuition adjustments, ongoing capital renewal, and a healthy reserve.

OPERATIONAL VITALITY

STRATEGIES

Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, & Knowledge

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