Spalding Catholic Sharing Agreement Being Considered By Subcommittees
Date posted - October 15, 2012
Granville, Iowa — Officials at Spalding Catholic High School in Granville are considering a merger or sharing agreement with Gehlen Catholic High School in Le Mars, due to lower enrollment. We had a chance to speak with school president, Father Terry Roder, who also serves as parish priest in the three parishes that support Spalding Catholic. Father Roder gives us some background.
He says Spalding has been looking at their numbers, programs, prices, and demographics, and enrollment is getting lower.
He says it’s a common problem in rural America with smaller and fewer families. Plus, he says the cost of providing a great Catholic education continues to go up as well. He tells us at this time they plan on maintaining their own pre-K through eighth grade system and busing high school students to Le Mars Gehlen.
He says they’re looking at the possibilities, busing, combining programs, and what they value. They’re also considering the tradition of service programs, and what both schools offer each other.
He says they’re gathering information from surveys from meetings that have taken place, and are recruiting people from the meetings to address areas of concern. Spalding School Board President Jeanne Jungers tells us about those.
She says some of those include academics, finances, Catholic identity, extra and co-curricular, and transportation.
Donations are strong, Father Roder says, but they have to consider how long they can continue to support the high level of education the students deserve. While Gehlen Catholic is probably in a better position financially, Jungers says both schools have something to bring to the table.
She says they feel like sending Spalding high school students to Gehlen would be a benefit to both schools.
Funds to run the schools come from donations, fundraisers, and tuition. But they say disadvantaged families are also assisted by the parishes in paying tuition.
Father Roder gives us the timeline for the decision.
He says they would like recommendations from the subcommittees sometime in November or December so that they have an opportunity to present the results to the public, and so the boards can make the decision as to if this is something they can go ahead or not. The final decision should be made in January or February so that they can plan for the next school year.
Jungers says the main goal is to insure that there will be a strong, viable option for Catholic education for all of northwest Iowa.
For more information on Spalding’s web site, click here.
13 Responses to “Spalding Catholic Sharing Agreement Being Considered By Subcommittees”
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Back to:Spalding Catholic Sharing Agreement Being Considered By Subcommittees
Fun fact, the students from Spalding Catholic will be transported through the Remsen St. Mary’s Catholic School service area in order to get to LeMars Gehlen.
Welcome to Iowa.
Fun fact….. RSM wanted nothing to do with merging.
heard through the grapevine that Remsen St Mary’s was not interested in merging with Spalding Catholic
Well thanks for publishing what you heard through the grapevine all over the Internet for the world to see. Because we all know how reliable those stories through the grapevine are!!!!!!!!!
Please read the FAQ’s from Spalding’s website.
http://www.spaldingcatholic.org/files/1241706/bulletin%20announement%20rsm%20petition%20roof.pdf
They did approach RSM and St. Patrick’s in Sheldon. Both schools chose to continue on their own.
don’t you feel silly Sandy?
No, because you said “heard it through the grapevine” (gossip). She posted a link (which I don’t even care to open).
Didn’t even know there were any Catholics in NW IA.
So how’s the saying work… “Don’t care” ? :D
How can you claim to be Smart when you are living under a rock and don’t know that there are hundreds of strong and proud Catholics in NW Iowa? Do you not watch any sports scores to know that Catholic High Schools do very well..and academically achieve high marks..and Catholic Churches are in many of the towns? I am proud to send my kids to Spalding Catholic and they will attend Gehlen if they merge.
The Junior High football sharing worked out well between Gehlen and Spalding, whereas the junior high sports shared between RSM and Spalding were more strained….Word on the street is RSM has more financial concerns than Spalding, however they benefit by using R-U for some subjects…..
Two can play that game.
Imagine the Baseball team if St. Mary’s & Spalding combined. State championships left & right.