The second strategic planning reporting meeting for Ellis County Catholic Schools will be from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Holy Family Elementary School gymnasium, 1800 Milner.
During the meeting, Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger of the Salina Diocese will address key points in an April 11 letter outlining long-range plans for Catholic education in Hays. The initial planning meeting was earlier this spring.
Among the upcoming issues is the hiring of a new principal for Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior/Senior High School for the 2015-16 school year.
Kathy Taylor has served as TMP principal since just after the end of the 2012-13 school year after the departure of former principal Bill DeWitt.
TMP spokesman Jeff Brull said DeWitt’s departure came at an unfortunate time to conduct a principal search, noting Taylor “graciously” stepped in to fill the void. She has, however, made it known that she will be departing the school at the end of the 2014-15 school year, Brull said.
A search for her replacement will begin this summer, according to a letter written by Weisenburger.
The residence program also will face changes, whether in the form of building improvements, host families or an end to the program. Facilities require approximately $1.3 million in “badly needed” repairs at residence halls.
“If $1.3 million can be raised immediately for the repairs and upgrades of the residence halls, then the program will be retained. An alternative option is to have a substantial number of host families come forward to offer to care for international students in their homes,” Weisenburger wrote. “Barring one of these two decisions by the local community, the residence program will come to a close in May of 2015.”
Another facilities concern is the former Kennedy Middle School, closed by Hays USD 489 at the end of the 2011-12 school year. The following year, junior high was added to TMP, costing approximately $700,000 to implement.
Catholic schools officials have estimated it would cost an additional $750,000 to operate Kennedy as a separate school site, not including significant capital improvements necessary to upgrade the existing building to standards.
“After careful fiscal study, it became unquestionably clear that a third site would cause us to go deeply into negative spending. In short, it would be irresponsible for school leadership under my authority to open a third campus for our local Catholic schools,” Weisenburger wrote. “For this reason the Catholic schools in Hays will remain in the two campus model.”
The bishop did, however, note that positive enrollment trends could lead to construction at one of the other two campuses — TMP and Holy Family Elementary.
Brull said the gymnasium and other parts of the former school remain in use by students. While the Salina Diocese owns the building, it is under the direct control of the St. Joseph Catholic Church Parish.
Read Weisenburger’s letter on strategic planning HERE.