The Catholic High School of Baltimore
RISES
2020-2025 Strategic Plan
CATHOLIC HIGH by the numbers
100%
76%
College Acceptance Rate
Roman Catholic
67
33%
Zip Codes
13
Advanced Placement Courses
Diversity
12:1
Student:Teacher Ratio
What’s Inside?
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Mission & Vision
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Graduate Outcomes
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Strategic Planning for Catholic High
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Strategic Plan Goals
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Goal A: Mission
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Goal B: Academic Excellence
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Goal C: Enrollment
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Goal D: Facilities
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Goal E: Stewardship
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Strategic Plan Implementation
Our Mission Empowered by Gospel Values and rooted in the spirit and tradition of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi, The Catholic High School of Baltimore, a sponsored institution of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, is dedicated to the education of young women in an environment that fosters Christian attitudes of dignity and respect for the human person and all of creation. In our mission, we recognize that through education the empowerment of women can effect the transformation of our society. Therefore, we challenge our school community to academic excellence, to responsible leadership, and to Christian community service.
Our Vision Rooted in Franciscan Values, The Catholic High School of Baltimore is a leader in providing quality educational programs for young women. The school community challenges its students to excellence through innovative academic programs, responsible leadership, Christian community service, and cutting-edge technology. Highly skilled staff ensure that the young women of The Catholic High School of Baltimore are empowered to live and share the Franciscan Values of Reverence, Integrity, Service, Excellence, and Stewardship.
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Graduate Outcomes The Catholic High School of Baltimore expects that every graduate is: Spiritually Rooted and therefore - maintains a relationship with God, centered on prayer - lives the Gospel at all times, using words when necessary - believes in Christian moral convictions and confidently lives a life consistent with them - respects and celebrates the God-given uniqueness of each person Intellectually Equipped and therefore - thinks critically and communicates effectively - displays a curiosity about the world in which she lives - possesses the academic and technological skills to support a lifetime of self-directed learning - utilizes logic, experiences, and observation to analyze different ways of thinking Socially Responsible and therefore - accepts responsibility and consequences of her actions - collaborates with others toward a common goal - advocates for peace, justice, and reconciliation in the global community - serves all of God’s people compassionately, justly, and responsibly - maintains a high standard of integrity and serves as a model to others
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The Catholic High School of Baltimore RISES The Catholic High School of Baltimore successfully completed its last Strategic Plan, Shining Brightly to 2019. In addition to strengthening efforts that promote Franciscan values and rigorous academic programs that serve as hallmarks of a Catholic High education, the Plan also helped to secure the school’s physical plant and financial health. From the new driveway loop and Archangel Resource Center to the strengthening of Catholic High’s Green & Gold Fund, Catholic High is shining brightly as a result of the hard work of those who helped to realize the vision of this Plan. As we enter the school’s 81st year, we do so with even greater enthusiasm for the opportunities and promise that lie ahead. Catholic High Rises reaches for new heights, providing a map toward an even better future while embracing its rich history and storied past. Strengthening its educational foundation rooted in Franciscan values (Reverence, Integrity, Service, Excellence, and Stewardship) built over the past eight decades, this Plan also seeks to build on the success of the previous plan by cementing the school’s identity as a center for academic excellence and further securing its financial future and its place as an anchor in Baltimore City’s Belair-Edison community. Catholic High Rises seeks to embrace this role and leverage the school’s diversity as an asset in a demographically changing community. This Plan challenges Catholic High to continue to be a community that is welcoming and inclusive of all students, forming them to be members of a global family, and thus preparing them to transform the world.
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Sr. Mary Katherine Farrell, OSF Assistant Congregational Minister Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
Patricia Bonner McElroy ’78 Board of Trustees, Chair The Catholic High School of Baltimore
Barbara D. Nazelrod, Ph.D. ’68 President The Catholic High School of Baltimore
Sharon Johnston Principal The Catholic High School of Baltimore
Strategic Plan Goals Mission Academic Excellence Enrollment Facilities Stewardship
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Mission The Catholic High School of Baltimore will continue to integrate and promote Franciscan Core Values of Reverence, Integrity, Service, Excellence, and Stewardship throughout the school community.
Enhance the pastoral role of Campus Ministry to meet the needs of the school community. Empower the school community to participate in Christian service and promote volunteerism globally, nationally, and locally, including in the surrounding Belair-Edison neighborhood. Provide opportunities that foster a climate of diversity, respect, acceptance, and inclusion within the school community. Increase opportunities to advance social responsibility among members of the school community and to promote dialogue on social issues and injustices. Enhance the skills of conflict resolution for members of the school community.
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Academic Excellence The Catholic High School of Baltimore will attract and retain highly qualified faculty and staff who are committed to the school’s Mission in order to provide highly successful educational programs and innovative opportunities to empower young women for success.
Evaluate and, where required, challenge the rigor of the academic programs to ensure they are consistent with Catholic High’s standards, up-to-date, and meeting the needs of students. Unify and strengthen the Science specialty programs under STEM to include two tracks, Engineering and Biomedical. Explore and develop more strategic partnerships to create opportunities for mentoring and/or experiential learning, including those with connections to Catholic High alumnae. Explore partnerships with colleges and universities that provide college credits to students engaged in distance learning. Maintain a learning environment for Faculty & Staff that continues to advance Professional Development opportunities, including the areas of diversity and inclusion. Provide opportunities to improve cultural awareness and community engagement for all members of the school community. Develop and implement an innovative recruitment and total compensation package for employees. Expand and increase faculty and staff diversity as part of the school’s ongoing efforts to create a more inclusive school environment.
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Enrollment The Catholic High School of Baltimore will build on its enrollment stability by strengthening its brand and broadening marketing efforts to encourage widespread involvement of current families and alumnae.
Create brand awareness of Catholic High’s unique academic and extracurricular programs, including summer offerings. Evaluate effectiveness of social media and the website as enrollment, marketing and promotional tools and develop strategies for improved use. Develop marketing strategies that support and promote the school and its academic programs. Ensure consistent engagement with alumnae and update recruitment and enrollment strategies to align with trends. Strengthen the current Parent Ambassador Program to include representatives from a variety of geographic areas, as well as those who have existing relationships with aspirational markets. Develop and implement proactive student engagement strategies among students of all grade levels.
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Facilities The Catholic High School of Baltimore will maintain and improve facilities and infrastructure to support the needs of the school community. Such efforts will be consistent with the school’s commitment to environmental stewardship and continue to reflect its role as an anchor institution and member of the Belair-Edison community.
Expand the Biomedical Program to include a Clinical Simulation Lab. Enhance the energy management profile of the school by choosing, where possible, “green” eco-friendly systems to replace outdated/nonoperational ones. Ensure learning spaces are equipped with updated learning tools and technology aids consistent with the school’s emphasis on academic excellence in a college preparatory environment. Evaluate design planning for further enhancements to the Western Campus entrance, and additional facility improvements.
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Stewardship The Catholic High School of Baltimore will ensure consistent and sound use of fiscal policies and procedures, including appropriate independent oversight, to maintain financial stability.
Improve budgeting strategies, and review external benchmarks to maintain a strong financial balance sheet. Enhance the use of technology to support integrated financial management. Successfully conclude the 80th Anniversary Campaign, designed to secure the school’s financial future. Explore and establish community, corporate and institutional partnerships to enhance academic offerings, improve alumnae relations and create new funding sources. Align Institutional Advancement and Alumnae goals to increase Alumnae engagement in school and special events and Alumnae participation in Annual Giving. Initiate planning for the next capital campaign.
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Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. - St. Francis of Assisi
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CATHOLIC HIGH Specialty Programs
78%
of Catholic High students are in one or more specialty programs.
State-of-the-art Clinical Simulation Lab established 2020
First Maryland Catholic high school to offer a STEM Program in 2008
Leadership in the Franciscan Tradition
Seven concentrations in the VPA Program
Strategic Plan Implementation The Catholic High School of Baltimore Administration, together with the Board of Trustees and in consultation with the Sisters of Saint Francis of Philadelphia, accept the responsibility for implementing the Strategic Plan. The Plan will be implemented during the next five school years: 2020-2021 through 2024-2025. During this time, all will work collaboratively to ensure that all goals, objectives, and tasks are being addressed and accomplished in a timely and professional manner. Progress on the implementation of the Plan will be reported regularly to school stakeholders.
School Administration Dr. Barbara D. Nazelrod ’68 - President Mrs. Sharon Johnston - Principal Mr. Robert Wuenschel - Assistant Principal Mr. Robert Stead - Director of Finance Dr. Gwendolyn Grant - Director of Institutional Advancement Sr. Ann Dutrow, OSF - Director of Mission Mr. Gene Cockerham - Director of Facilities & Operations
Board of Trustees Mrs. Patricia Bonner McElroy ’78 Chair
Mr. Louis Forte, Jr.
Mrs. Michelle Yeager Streckfus ’95 Vice Chair Strategic Planning Committee Chair
Mr. Kevin Healey
Mrs. Cheryl Cavanaugh Chizmar, RN ’67 Sr. Kathleen Dauses, OSF ’61 Ms. Allison Profili Donaldson ’99 Sr. Mary Katherine Farrell, OSF
Mrs. Bonnie Kannler Hatami ’99 Sr. Anne Hefner, OSF ’66 Mr. Carmel Kelly Dr. Barbara D. Nazelrod ’68 Ms. Christina Pappas, Esq. ’90 Mrs. MaryBeth Perry, CPA
Front Cover: The photo of some members of Class of 2023 is a replication of the September 6, 1939 photo of Freshmen arriving for the first day of school. 12
The Catholic High School of Baltimore 2800 Edison Highway Baltimore, Maryland 21213 410.732.6200 www.thecatholichighschool.org