Bishop Maginn Task Force Report

Bishop Maginn Task Force Report JANUARY 2015 Bishop Maginn Task Force Report 1 Task Force Report Table of Contents Section 1 — Background Pg. 4 Section 2 — Process Pg. 6 Section 3 — Work of the Committees Pg. 7 Section 4 — The Challenges Pg. 8 Section 5 — Options Considered & Eliminated Pg. 12 Section 6 — Options Given Serious Consideration Pg. 13 Section 7 — Recommendations Pg. 22 Section 8 — Conclusion Pg. 24 APPENDICES Appendix A — Recent Enrollment Trends Appendix B — CASDA Report Appendix C — Task Force Members Appendix D — Demographic Data Bishop Maginn Task Force Report 2 Bishop Maginn High School’s vision is “Providing young men and women with an experience of values and learning in the Catholic tradition that will last a lifetime.” While that remains as true as ever, over the last several years, a number of internal and external factors have begun threatening the long-term viability of Bishop Maginn in continuing to provide those values and education. Significant material changes are required to ensure Bishop Maginn can continue to implement its vision for years to come. Bishop Maginn’s mission statement defines its goals: Bishop Maginn High School is a Catholic, Diocesan, co-educational high school serving students in grades nine through twelve in the Albany and Greater Capital District Areas. Bishop Maginn provides a college preparatory program following the New York State Learning Standards and meeting the academic needs of a diverse student population. The dedicated professional staff at Bishop Maginn High School integrates spiritual and moral values into the curriculum within a safe, structured and supportive learning environment. The school community embraces the traditions of its heritage schools, while instilling students with a sense of discipline and respect, as well as challenging them to achieve their greatest potential. The Bishop Maginn Task Force was assembled by the Albany Diocese to review the challenges faced by the school, to identify and evaluate all possible solutions, and to make recommendations for changes to help ensure the future of the school. The Diocese has made clear to the task force and to the school community that its goal is to continue Catholic high school education in Albany. The task force hereby submits its findings and recommendations to the Diocese, putting forth a roadmap that, if followed, will help lead to a reinvigorated and thriving Bishop Maginn. Bishop Maginn Task Force Report 3 SECTION 1: Background Bishop Maginn High School is a Catholic high school in the Diocese of Albany serving grades 9-12 and located at 99 Slingerland Street. The school was created in 1977 from the merger of two other Catholic high schools, Vincentian Institute and Cardinal McCloskey Memorial High School. Declining Enrollment, Increasing Deficits The school’s enrollment has dropped by more than 50% in recent years — from 300 students in 2008 to 142 students in 2014, with a low of 132 students in 2012. (See Appendix A) Since the 2010-11 school year, expenses have been reduced 4 percent, but revenues have also declined 4 percent. The declines in enrollment and revenue have resulted in significant annual operating deficits. In each of the last two years, the deficit has exceeded $400,000, and over the last decade, the school has accumulated $2.2 million in debt to the Diocese to help pay daily operating expenses. (See Appendix B: CASDA Report, Pg. 18) Recent Operating Deficits at Bishop Maginn High School 2009-10 $245,514 2010-11 $350,000 2011-12 $254,150 2012-13 $472,467 2013-14 $438,607 During the 2013-14 school year, the Diocese informed the Bishop Maginn School Board that it is no longer able to provide loans to cover the excessive operating deficits at the school’s current location. In the spring of 2014, the Diocese raised the idea of re-locating the school to the nearby former Cathedral Academy, a smaller building, for the 2014-15 school year. The Diocese agreed to continue subsidizing the school’s operating deficits following a move, based on expectations of lower annual operating costs at the smaller facility. A potential move to Cathedral Academy was met with opposition from the Bishop Maginn community. In light of these concerns, Bishop Howard Hubbard declared in April 2014 that Bishop Maginn Task Force Report 4 there would be no changes to the school for the 2014-15 school year. In May, Diocesan Schools Superintendent Michael Pizzingrillo formed a task force comprised of individuals from various constituencies associated with Bishop Maginn High School to help identify a viable path forward. Timeline The task force was charged with identifying potential options to strengthen the financial viability of Bishop Maginn High School and provide for its long-term sustainability. Upon completion of its work, the task force submitted its recommendations in a written report to the Superintendent and Diocesan School Board in January 2015. The Diocesan School Board is expected to review the report, and forward its recommendations to Bishop Edward Scharfenberger, who will make a final decision in March 2015. The task force hosted a public meeting at Bishop Maginn High School in January 2015, to review this report with parents, students, staff and members of the community. Bishop Maginn Task Force Report 5 SECTION 2: Process The role of the Bishop Maginn task force was to: • Represent the Maginn community constituencies • Focus on the future of Bishop Maginn High School • Identify potential solutions to ensure the school’s long-term viability Sister Mary Anne Heenan, CSJ, was selected to chair the task force. Sister Heenan is a former School Superintendent for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse, and a former senior consultant with Milwaukee-based Meitler, a national consulting firm providing assistance to faith- based organizations and schools. The task force was comprised of individuals including parents, students, faculty members, a school administrator, Bishop Maginn School Board members, Diocesan School Board members, community leaders, alumni, and others. A list of task force members (excluding the names of the student representatives) is included in Appendix C. Task force members held their first meeting on May 21, 2014. At that time, three committees were formed: Facilities/Location; Program; and Finance & Demographics, with task force members volunteering to serve on them according to interest and expertise. The task force met monthly from May through December while the committees conducted their work between meetings of the full task force. In an effort to gather input from all interested parties, the task force reached out to the Bishop Maginn community (parents, staff, alumni, donors and others) via email, letter and postcard over the course of the summer. In addition, the task force hosted public sessions at Bishop Maginn High School on June 18 and Aug. 27 to share information and solicit ideas, concerns and questions. A total of approximately 150 people turned out for these meetings to participate in the process and have their voices heard. A dedicated email address was established for the task force and shared with the public, and task force members received comments, suggestions and questions throughout the course of the summer and fall. Bishop Maginn Task Force Report 6 SECTION 3: The Work of the Committees Theprogram committee identified the essential elements needed to maintain a quality academic and co-curricular program, wherever the location of the school. The committee specifically identified the need for science labs for chemistry and physics; technology infrastructure to provide students with an appropriate digital learning experience; space for clubs and after-school activities; ample parking for events, including school plays, sporting events and meetings; appropriate sports facilities for high school athletics; and areas for spiritual programs for students. Thefinance and demographics committee reviewed the school budget and financial reports to identify ways to reduce the operating deficit and determine the financial impact of changes in location, programs, etc. This committee also gathered important demographic information related to the school’s students and catchment area for potential students. The committee also drafted an initial strategic plan and marketing program to present to the Bishop Maginn School Board, which CASDA supported and included in its report (See CASDA Report, Pp. 26-29) The facilities/location committee reviewed both the current Bishop Maginn building, and sought to identify potential alternative locations that may be more suitably sized for the current student body population. The committee identified and investigated several options for a new location and ultimately determined the only potentially suitable alternative to be the former Cathedral Academy. The committee arranged for task force members to tour this building in June. As the full task force studied the issues related to a move to the Cathedral Academy, it became apparent that an objective analysis of the renovations and related costs needed to equip Cathedral Academy to accommodate a high school program was needed, as was an analysis of the potential for the current Bishop Maginn High School campus to generate additional revenue. At the request of the task force, the Superintendent of Schools engaged the consulting services of the Capital Area School Development Association (CASDA) to conduct an in-depth analysis. Two former public school superintendents led the project. They studied both buildings, reviewed the school’s enrollment trends, looked at traditional feeder schools, conducted interviews and met with focus groups to gather information. A copy of the CASDA report is attached. Bishop Maginn Task Force Report 7 SECTION 4: The Challenges Facing Bishop Maginn The task force identified the following challenges that must be addressed to ensure a successful future for the school: a) Need for Increased Revenues b) Need to Reduce Expenses c) Need for Greater Strategic Planning d) Shrinking Pool of Students from Traditional Feeder Sources a) Need for Increased Revenues The task force identified a range of options for increasing revenue.

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