DAVID CITY (SNR) - In the summer of 2015 Aquinas and St. Mary schools in David City started the process of developing a long-term strategy for Catholic education in their community.
The faculty and staff, along with area families and community members, met to develop strategic plan and vision for Catholic education that ensure that the schools’ mission as a Christ-centered educational system that is affordable for all students will last well into the future.
Father Sean Timmerman, chief administrative officer, said the plan made him “extremely proud” of the Catholic school community.
“Many people have worked very hard to create a strong and bold vision for the future generations of our Catholic school students,” he said. “Our community members have a rock-solid commitment to the Catholic faith and Catholic schools, and that is reflected well in this short- and long-term vision for Aquinas and St. Mary.”
Over the past five months, the “Strategic Planning Team” met with their members, and also with community members, to develop a comprehensive plan that includes faith formation, academic excellence, financial stability, student engagement and strong community relationships. The strategic plan was built on a broad perspective from hosting strategic planning meetings, open forum meetings, individual and group interviews and engaging in discussions with students, parents, staff and benefactors. The plan was built for the communities that support the schools, by the community members, along with the staff and administration, as a collaborative effort to guide the schools into the future.
The resulting document, “2015-2020 Aquinas & St. Mary’s Strategic Plan,” was completed at the end of January and was presented to the community during Catholic Schools Week. The next phase of the process will be to form an implementation team that will work to build specific projects that will ensure the plan is successful and fully implemented over the next five years.
The schools are in the process of collecting applications for community members to serve on the Implementation Teams. The application form is on the website, at www.aquinas-catholic.com. Applications are due by Feb. 16, and can be dropped off at Aquinas High School or sent to Father Sean Timmerman, chief administrative officer, at fr.sean-timmerman@cdolinc.net.
Aquinas High and Middle School and St. Mary Grade School in David City serve students from Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Abie, St. Wenceslaus in Bee, Presentation, St. Joseph and St. Peter in Bellwood, Holy Trinity in Brainard, St. Anthony in Bruno, Assumption (Appleton), St. Francis (Center) and St. Mary in David City, Assumption in Dwight, Sacred Heart in Shelby, and Immaculate Conception in Ulysses.
Alumni from Aquinas High School include nine priests and religious, five FOCUS missionaries and four alumni who are discerning religious vocations in the seminary or convent.
Aquinas has a 100% graduation rate and 100% Aquinas graduates go onto post-secondary education, religious studies, or serve in the military.