RCS Newsletter
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RCS Newsletter Spring 2013 Publication Anna Sizer, Communications Director Shannon Rahkola, Graphic Designer and Photographer C ntents RCS Administration Father Konopa, RCS Dean Howard Ludwigson, Interim President Denise Boos, RCS Controller Todd Fischer, Regis Principal 3 Letter from the President & RSC Pastoral Dean Renee Cassidy, Immaculate Conception Principal Kelly Bowe, St. James and St. Mary’s Principal 4 Planning for The Future Gayle Flaig, Director of Child Development Centers 5 System Needs Survey Results Alumni Relations Jim Gobler, Special Events 6 RCS Mission and Proposed Vision RCS Foundation Bill Uelmen, Advancement Director 7 Final Review Mandy Mann, Administrative Assistant RCS Foundation Board Members 8-9 Future Investments Dr. Todd Hehli, Chairman John Sackett, Vice Chairman 10-11 Community Service Focus Bernie Hull, Treasurer Dr. Rob Ridenour, Secretary 12-13 Co-Curricular Mark Beckfield Earl Benning 14 Father Klink Retiring Dr. Rick Daniels Ron Farley John Folstad 15 Non Sibi Honor Mona Mathews Dr. Andrew Pankratz 16 Alumni Sports Mark Seyer 17 John Mulligan ‘83 Supporting Parishes Immaculate Conception - Eau Claire Newman at UWEC - Eau Claire 18 Alumni Updates Sacred Heart of Jesus/St. Patrick - Eau Claire St. James the Greater - Eau Claire 19 Leaving a Legacy St. Mary’s - Altoona St. Olaf - Eau Claire 20 Pope Francis Join Us on Facebook Regis Catholic Schools Regis High School Regis Sports Contact Information Publication Questions: Do you want the most recent Regis High School news? Anna Sizer, [email protected], 715-830-2273 ext 6 The King’s Chronicle, the student newspaper, has been Donation Questions: reinstated and can be viewed online. Bill Uelmen, [email protected], 715-830-2273 ext 7 http://www.regiscatholicschools.com/the_kings_chronicle Mailing List Update: Mandy Mann, [email protected] Alumni Updates: [email protected], 715-830-2271 ext 1019 Websites www.RegisCatholicSchools.com On the cover, Regis middle and high school students www.RegisCatholicSchoolsFoundation.com attend Ash Wednesday mass in the Regis Auditorium. 2 Renewal From Howard Ludwigson & Rev. Brian Konopa Lent was a special time of renewal and rejuvenation. In order to develop a deeper relationship with Christ, each person was encouraged to review his/her personal inventory and clarify his/her vision: Who is God calling me to be? What must I do to fulfill my calling? So, also, Regis Catholic Schools has been working towards a new beginning with a clearer vision. We have been reviewing our current situation, assessing what we need to update or create, and forming a strategic planning committee to develop a five-year strategic plan. This is an exciting time as we set the stage for our system growth and development. This strategic planning committee came together in February to create system goals that will continue to enhance and grow our Catholic schools. From these meetings a vision statement has been proposed: While ensuring the Catholic faith is at the center of who we are, Regis Catholic Schools will be the best educational system in Wisconsin for early childhood through 12th grade. “This is an As always, your input is appreciated. An opportunity to provide your input is detailed on page 6, where we discuss our strategic planning process. exciting time as In the December newsletter we solicited and received your opinions on how to spend the additional dollars we receive through donations. Your we set the stage voice is valuable. Thank you to all who participated through your words, for our system donations, and prayers. Taking your input from the December survey and additional insights from growth and veteran faculty, volunteer parents and pastoral leadership, the strategic planning committee will integrate the goals into a complete strategic plan development.” that we will share with you in the next newsletter. Ultimately, RCS plans to deepen our Catholic identity, continuously enhance our academics, improve enrollment, and strengthen our financial future. While we have been working on the “business” of our Catholic schools, the students have been working hard on Lenten and other Community service projects, scoring highly on standardized tests, winning academic competitions, and competing in division-level playoffs. We are so blessed to have students with many gifts and talents and we are blessed with dedicated faculty who encourage them to work smarter, harder, and do their best with the gifts God has given them. We offer a most sincere “thank you” to the people that have worked so hard the past few years to help our Catholic schools. Have a blessed Easter Season! Yours in Christ the King, Very Rev. Brian D. Konopa Howard Ludwigson RCS Pastoral Dean Interim President 3 Planning For the Future Recent RCS Business Development Timeline 2010-2011 2011-2012 Reinvigorated RCS RCS finalizes Teaching and Foundation helps RCS Learning plan, begins system begin to gain long-term Accreditation process, and financial stability. continues with Comprehensive Advancement Plan. RCS adopts Comprehensive RCS implements Teaching and Advancement Model and Learning planning sessions. engages RCS Foundation for a closer partnership. Five Year Projections Report The RCS Five-Year projections report helped our leadership team gain a better understanding of what caused significant enrollment decreases from 2005 to 2009, how our Catholic schools follow a similar enrollment trend to the Eau Claire Area School District (ECASD), and changes we can make to see enrollment growth and financial stability. Major findings: • RCS enrollment levels closely follow the ECASD trends, but are negatively impacted by significant tuition increases and threats of school closings. RCS enrollment growth can be higher than the ECASD when we communicate the value of our Catholic education. • ECASD projects enrollment growth up to 1999 levels by 2018. RCS is experiencing a slightly higher than projected enrollment growth rate when compared to the ECASD. • RCS projects continued balanced budgets for the next five years. These projections are based on enrollment growth, increased donations, minimal tuition increases, and creating efficiencies. • Tuition assistance makes a significant difference in helping families send their students to RCS. Excellent test scores and a Christ-filled environment attracts non-Catholics into our schools. The complete RCS Five-Year Projections report can be found on our website at: www.RegisCatholicSchools.com/fiveyear. 4 Your Voice Survey Results Recent RCS Business Development Timeline 2011-2012 2012-2013 RCS receives two significant Continued with the Announced all RCS Leadership created RCS estate donations which Comprehensive elementary schools 5-Year Projections report helped to pay for Regis boiler Advancement Plan would remain open. which reviewed historical project, wireless updates and Teaching and data, demographic trends, & throughout Regis, the Learning Plan. outlined enrollment growth Distance Learning Lab, Regis and financial stability. roofing and flashing updates, and some debt reduction. Regis Child Wrote the first RCS Delivered survey to all RCS Finalized new RCS mission Development and RCS Foundation constituents to find out statements. Currently in Center remodel Annual Report. what they thought was most the process of articulating completed. important needs and began Strategic Plan goals strategic planning sessions. and priorities. Survey Results In December of 2012, we asked RCS Leadership, Faculty and Other Important Details That Came From The Survey Staff, Current Parents, Current Students, Alumni, Parents of • Other than the students, all groups ranked the Teaching Alumni, and Friends of Regis to share their opinion on the and Learning Plan as most important. Many comments most important educational need or building improvement were made about improving curriculum, needing for our system. We asked everyone to rank from 1 to 10, nine student enrichment opportunities, continuing with items we had identified as significant needs and one “other” math curriculum updates, and updating the library. category to collect additional ideas. • Students ranked Renovating the Regis Restrooms as the most important item. A small committee has formed to System Needs Ranked from 1 to 9 - Overall Responses work on this renovation project because the restrooms From All RCS Audiences need to be updated and repaired. New estimates for this 1. Continue with the Teaching and Learning Plan: $30,000 project suggest the remodel will cost about $80,000. 2. Update Technology and Purchase iPads: $114,000 • There were many comments from all audiences about 3. Update Elementary Technology: $180,000 the need to increase compensation for faculty and staff. 4. Renovate Regis Restrooms: New Estimates at $80,000 This concern is being discussed in Leadership strategic 5. Increase Tuition Assistance: $500,000 planning meetings. RCS faculty and staff is compensated 6. Elementary Student Desks and Cubbies: $30,000 at a much lower rate than the ECASD faculty and staff, 7. Update the Girls Locker Room at Regis: $31,000 yet the quality of the education provided is excellent. 8. Replace Regis Auditorium Seats: $110,000 9. Install New Stage Lights and Projector in the You can review the survey items at: Regis Auditorium: $25,000 http://www.RegisCatholicSchools.com/EduSurvey. 5 Goals Strategic Planning Strategic Planning In February, with the help of Regis Alumnus Larry Doyle ’65, a group of Faculty and Staff,