Peoria Notre Dame High School has always been a top high school for Catholic education in the Peoria area, and our culture of teaching and learning continues to help each student reach his or her highest potential.
IT’S AN EXCITING TIME FOR ALL THE IRISH
As we look to the future of Peoria Notre Dame, we know that a long-term plan will proactively address challenges and leverage opportunities that support our commitment to provide an exceptional, faith-based education that maximizes every student’s growth in faith formation and academics.
For these reasons and with the approval of Most Rev. Louis Tylka, Coadjutor Bishop of Peoria, the Office of Catholic Schools is embarking on the creation of a new Strategic Plan for each of the six diocesan high schools to assist and guide secondary education in the Catholic Diocese of Peoria during the next five years.
OVERVIEW
Peoria Notre Dame is working with Boston-based Partners in Mission (PIM) to develop our school’s next Strategic Plan. PIM has facilitated highly successful, individualized strategic planning processes with hundreds of Catholic schools and dioceses across the United States.
As we begin to build our Strategic Plan, we’ll be incorporating the ideas and opinions of key constituents throughout our community.
A Strategic Planning Steering Committee will be identified which will include representation from Commission on Education and H.S. Advisory Committee members, current parents, alumni parents, alumni, faculty and staff, coaches, and advisers. The Committee will be meeting over the course of six months to gather data with the assistance of Partners in Mission.
The Steering Committee will be gathering information regarding eight school domains. These domains include Academics, Advancement, Catholic Identity, Enrollment, Facilities, Finance, Governance and Student Life. The perceived strengths and weaknesses of each of these individual domains will be gathered via school climate surveys, focus groups, and individual interviews with a broad range of constituents in our school community.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE PLAN?
The ultimate purpose of the plan is to continue helping PND evolve from being an excellent school to graduating students who are faith-filled, lifelong learners whose commitment to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ is witnessed daily in word and deed.
This purpose will be achieved by leveraging our alumni to share their experiences, seeking out innovative ways to tell the Peoria Notre Dame story locally, nationally, and internationally, highlighting new opportunities and identifying areas of improvement.
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE LAST STRATEGIC PLAN?
Partners in Mission is currently in the process of reviewing and assessing PND’s most recent Strategic Plan required by the Office of Catholic Schools in 2014-2015 during the Faith in Our Future Planning Initiative for all 42 elementary and secondary schools in the Catholic Diocese of Peoria.
Under the guidance of PIM, we will use our schools’ previous strategic plan as a foundation to spark conversation in the creation of our new Strategic Plan, which will guide us through the year 2026.
WHAT’S NEXT?
We will be contacting members of our school community and asking them to participate in the various stages of the strategic planning process. After the extensive assessment and analysis is complete and the new Strategic Plan is in draft form, it will be submitted to the Office of Catholic Schools for approval in the spring of 2022. The Strategic Plan, based on stakeholder input, will include goals, objectives, relevant benchmarks, and an implementation framework. The finished product will serve as a transformational, guiding light over the next five years.
Together, our hope is that after five years, after five months, even after five days – we are seeing change. We are providing more opportunities for students to discover their passions, to give back to their communities, to make a difference, to connect with others, and explore their faith.
Please know that we will continue to update you on our progress throughout the coming year. As well, if you are interested in being part of one of our Domain Steering Committees (or would like to recommend someone), please reach out to Lori Simmons (l.simmons@pndhs.org) to let her know of your interest. All the members of our community will, at some point, be asked to give their feedback on various areas. Mostly, we ask for your continued prayers as we walk through this process to make our school ever more Christ- centered, excellent in all areas, and rich in the spirit of a true family.
United in Prayer,
Sr. Sara Kowal, SCTJM
Principal, Peoria Notre Dame High School