Pittsburgh Catholic Newspaper - News and Features

News & Features

Catholic Schools Network launched
archived from: 2013-02-08
by: William Hill

Common platform is promoting the area’s 91 schools

Pennsylvania’s third largest school system — the Diocese of Pittsburgh’s Catholic schools — has launched a new initiative aimed at creating a more coordinated and common platform for promoting enrollment, retention, vitality of curriculum and awareness of the benefits of a Catholic-based education.

Called the “Catholic Schools Network,” the 91 Catholic schools, from pre-K through 12th grade in six counties of western Pennsylvania, will share a common brand or marketing platform promoting the formation of Catholic education.

Catholic schools in Allegheny, Butler, Beaver, Lawrence, Greene and Washington counties comprise the network and school system that are part of the Pittsburgh Diocese and the more than 200 parishes that, in addition to tuition fees and donors, support them.

The formalized network of Catholic schools was introduced to school administrators in January and features 15-second television spots that communicate the primary message of the campaign: “Faith. Character. Wisdom. Leadership. Educating young minds for meaningful lives.”

The television ads, which began airing in January, will alternate promotion of specific schools starting with Seton-LaSalle High in Mount Lebanon, and later the anticipated opening of Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic School in Cranberry.

“Our Catholic Schools Network is a new model for promoting Catholic education at a time of higher interest in educational alternatives for our children,” according to Dr. Michael Latusek, superintendent of Catholic schools.

“More of our schools are adopting a ‘consortium’ model that promotes an academically excellent group of regional schools that are aligned with and supported by nearby parish communities. Our stable enrollment of approximately 21,000 students supported by 1,700 fully accredited and committed teachers, along with an outstanding team of administrators, is the basis and opportunity for promoting Catholic education throughout western Pennsylvania,” he said.

In addition to the television ads, a website for the Pittsburgh Catholic schools is being promoted at www.CatholicSchoolsNetwork.net. The site includes information on the network of schools, enrollment and financial aid.

A private donor has underwritten the cost of this campaign with the support of professional and community volunteers. As part of the network each school is creating its own community-oriented marketing and outreach effort to promote its role in the community it serves.

The idea for Catholic Schools Network is derived from a recent study conducted by the Alliance for Catholic Education that validated the need and opportunity to assert a regional and parish school strategy to enable the viability of a strong local model for Catholic education. This new model is central to Bishop David Zubik’s “Church Alive!” strategy for faith formation and growth throughout the diocese.

E-mail this story