Plans for Schenectady schools advancing

The 50-member team met recently at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School in Schenectady to finalize a plan that will be presented to the Diocesan School Board on Dec. 14.

The plan may be accepted or modified by the board before being sent to Bishop Howard J. Hubbard for final approval, explained Sister Mary Jane Herb, IHM, superintendent of schools for the Albany Diocese. She expects a final plan by the first of the year.

Scope of study

Included in the options studied is the possibility of consolidation of two elementary schools and a plan to retain students at the sixth grade level in all of the schools, she said.

"We're looking towards possible consolidation which would ultimately strengthen the schools," she said.

Demonstration

While Sister Jane was alerted to the possibility of demonstrators, she had hoped the process would have prevented this.

"What I had hoped to do was to involve people in the process," she said. "No one knows the school like the school community. We wanted to involve the school community. Everyone is afraid of decisions from the top down. I'm committed to including people."

Consultation

"That was a big piece of the process," she said. "This was set up to involve as many people as possible."

Last June, Sister Jane told The Evangelist that "the reason we went to this process is so that the people most affected are part of the decisions. It's very important to have a collaborative process. Ultimately, we're trying to strengthen Catholic education. It's important that the people there have ownership of the process."

Community alerted

"We're looking at the notion of a regional school if one region has more than one [school]," he said. "All of us value Catholic education. Whatever decision is made will be best for the children of Schenectady."

Despite the demonstration, Sister Jane said the process was beneficial. "The big thing is that the people at the schools are taking ownership," she noted. "The future of the schools is in their hands. It can't just be the job of the principal or the teachers."

One thing that is clear, she said, is the commitment that exists for Catholic schools. "There is a real priority on Catholic education in Schenectady," said Sister Jane. "People want Catholic education to continue. There's a real commitment."

(12-09-99) [[In-content Ad]]