Objectives for Intro. to Operations
OCS communicates, Principals understand and dialogue covers the following:
Hour 1
 Strategic imperative behind the Cardinal/School Board’s Strategic Plan
(pertaining to Schools’ Operational Vitality)
 Structure and staff of OCS’s Regional Team
 Key areas of strategic support for the School & Principal
Hour 2
 Overview of Key Operational & Policy Topics:
 Admin. Handbook, Issue Management, RD involvement, Performance Reviews
 Working Session: Case study exercise
 Key artifacts underlying school’s strategic plan/performance
Context: Cardinal’s &
School Board’s Strategic Plan
Directives to OCS ripped from the headlines….
 “OCS needs to…take very proactive steps to assist the 90 schools in taking
actions they need to achieve financial stability”
 “The hands-on management that OCS must provide to successfully
turnaround the FAST schools and implement other recommendations of this
Strategic Plan can only occur if OCS is reorganized and strengthened”
 “FAST schools need the directed attention of a senior manager (from
OCS)…they will require much more local hands-on support and guidance.”
 “the OCS field leaders with responsibility for FAST schools…must have the
authority to require that the schools follow FAST protocols (best pratices)”
 “Regional Directors…who have both education and business skills”
http://ocs.archchicago.org/StrategicPlanning/StrategicPlanforCatholicSchools.aspx
Strategic focus and use of resources
 OCS has limited staff
 Currently, one Regional Director, one Marketing Field Consultant and one Finance
Field Consultant each covering ~65 schools
 One RD for High Schools
 We have one Board Development, one Advancement and one Planning Consultant
each to cover the entire Archdiocese
 Generally and on-demand, OCS can/will provide Operational/Policy support
for all schools
 But OCS provides deeper, Strategic support for and oversight of schools
who need it – typically “FAST” schools (Financial Advancement through
Strategic Teamwork)
 Annual school aid from the AoC over $300K
 Enrollment under 225
 Annual per/student aid from the AoC over $1,000
Org. structure of the OCS Regional Team
Superintendent
Assoc. Supt.
Academics
Assoc. Supt.
Operations
Regional Directors
Academics/
Leadership
Experts
Marketing Field
Experts
Regional
Planning
Finance Field
Experts
Board
Development
Advancement
Regional Director’s Strategic Role
 ….is the Leader responsible for creating strategies and performance goals that
schools must adopt (and OCS must support) to regain or sustain excellent
outcomes. The Regional Director will work with the Principals in managing
and measuring those plans to successful conclusion.
 …provides transformational leadership and the strategic vision needed
to ensure Principals and/or schools in need find and follow a plan to
sustainability.
 …provides mentoring support and management coaching to Principals in order
to enable Principals to successfully execute the school’s strategy and to build
capacity within the school community.
 …builds and manages effective relationships with multiple school stakeholder
and AoC policy groups, including School Principals, Pastors & Vicariate Bishops,
Parish & School boards.
OCS’s Regional Team
 Regional Directors





Fr. Peter Wojcik / Merry Quinn – Vicariates I & II
Matthew Banach – Vicariates III & IV
John Segvich – Vicariates V & VI
Debbie Sullivan – various schools across Vicariates
Jo Marie Yonkus – Arch. high schools
 Finance Team – John Pantle, Finance Director
 Finance Consultants/Field Experts
 Bob McQuade
 Jim Earner
 Mike Tortorello
 Sarah McNulty, Caritas Scholarship Program
 Marketing Team – Maria Ippolito, Marketing Director
 Marketing Consultants/Field Experts
 Advancement/Development – Lynn Fredrick
 Board Development – Sr. Judy Murphy
 Regional Planning – Carol Palmer
Your Regional Directors
Matthew Banach
John Segvich
Merry Quinn
Debbie Sullivan
Fr. Peter Wojcik
Your Finance Team
John Pantle
Mike Tortorello
Bob McQuade
Sarah McNulty
Jim Earner
Your Marketing Team
Maria Ippolito
KK Cleland
Juana Sanchez Graber
Yasmin Quiroz
More of your Regional Team
Lynn Fredrick
Advancement
Carol Palmer
Regional Planning
Sr. Judy Murphy
Board Development
Strategic support for the School – starts
at the Parish
Pastor
Principal
Business
Manager
Principal needs to demand that their Bus.
Manager provides school with these standard
services/supports
• Initial creation of annual
budget
• Monthly budget to actual
reports (income statemt.)
• Monthly Cash flow actual &
forecast ; balance sheet
• Creation & mgmt. of Tuition
Tracker
• Managing and reporting
uncollected Tuition
• Generation & management
of Financial Aid
program
Strategic support for the School – is
readily available from your colleagues
Pastor
Fellow Principals
(Council meetings; OCS
references)
Other staff
Principal
Business
Manager
At minimum, Principals can manage
how/when they share or solicit best practices
through the APA and Council meetings
Strategic support for the School – can be
enhanced with OCS support
Pastor
Regional Director
Regional Support Team
Academics/
Leadership
Principal
Business
Manager
Enrollment/ Marketing
Finance/
Operations
Board Development
Advancement/
Development
Regional Planning
General training/PD sessions are available as
well as one-on-one coordination & delivery of
support
Annual Schedule of OCS Financial Review/Support
July
Fill
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
FC conducts audit of
Fin. Process, People,
Technology
Current year Budget
Future Budget(s)
RD/FC
review/
approve
budget
revisions
Apr.
May
June
FC conducts audit of
Fin. Process, People,
Technology
RD updates Principal
evaluation and 6 & 12
mo. action plan
FC audits
& collects
initial
Tuition
Tracker
Mar.
RD updates Principal
evaluation and 6 & 12
mo. action plan
FC audits
Fin.
Statemts
(unpaid
arch and
tuition)
FC reviews (approves)
Tuition plan
FC audits & collects
final Tuition Tracker
FC audits
Fin.
Statemts
FC audits
Fin.
Statemts
FC audits
Fin.
Statemts
FC audits
Fin.
Statemts
RD & FC review/ approve annual
budget(s)
FC reviews (approves) Fin.
Aid Program
RD & Marketing define
enrollment goals
FC audits
Fin.
Statemts
RD & FC
set
/revise
AoC aid
targets
FC audits
Fin.
Statemts
Strategic support for the School – is
sustained through strong governance
Pastor
School Board
SB Committees
Finance
Principal
Enrollment/ Marketing
Advancement/
Development
Marketing
Director
Capital
Business Mgr.
Operational/Policy Support
• Administrators’ Handbook
– Archdiocesan policies/procedures trump any school or board policy
– Schools can make policies not found in this book according to what a
“reasonable and faith-filled person would do”
• Determine how policies are made at your school (pastor/board involvement)
– Be careful of wording (e.g., “will” vs. “may,” “other serious offenses” and “all”)
• Review your own student handbook (See “Handbooks” for
required topics)
– You can add addendums during the course of the year with written notice
within reason
But your logic and judgment will need to be
applied -- in addition to Admin. Handbook -- to
manage each complex issue successfully
Issue Management –
some guiding principles
• If issues arise, have person deal with the person with whom they are having an
issue and then move up the ladder if they are not satisfied (e.g., teacher, principal,
pastor, OCS)
– Make sure to get both sides of the story before determining consequences
– If people get belligerent, you can ask them to continue the discussion later. If they refuse to
leave, you have the right to call the police.
– To ask about a situation, you can say, “Do you know why “Mr. xyz” would be saying “abc”?”
• When working with parents and students, make sure that you show:
– they are being heard (write down notes and paraphrase- ask them what they want to see
happen)
– you are taking them seriously and working within the policy
– there are consequences that are consistently enforced (they cannot know the consequences for
other students, but they will find out)
– you are proactive and hold confidentiality (especially with communication and follow-up)
• If people threaten to call the police, take legal action, or talk to the media- tell
them that they need to do what they think is in the best interest of their child
Issue Management –
when to contact the RD
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Solicitation/coordination of assistance from OCS resources
Emerging personnel issues that may result in suspension or termination (contact when the
issues begin and before a suspension/termination decision is made)
Potential or actual Reduction in Staff (RIS), which needs to be done before May 15 or notice
needs to be given to the teachers
Accidents/injuries that require professional medical attention (send a copy of the incident
report)
Parent/Other concerns that escalate (call/email to let RD know the parent call is coming)
Student behavior/other issues that may result in expulsion (suspension should precede
expulsion to give you time to determine the facts and consult)
When legal action is threatened or carried out against the school
Notify of any special awards or events the school has (also notify the Marketing Director)
A case where an employee or student is suspected of abuse or criminal behavior (DCFS
should be notified immediately of any abuse case against a minor)
In the event of the death/terminal illness of a faculty member or student
Call with any outbreaks of major communicable diseases (e.g., H1N1)
Overview of Performance Evaluations
• Principal Evaluations
– Traditional Parish Schools
– AIM Schools
– Milestones/Artifacts
• Teacher Evaluations
–
Specific training will be provided to you ; a) July 21 and July 23, b) in New Leaders PD in Sept. and c) for All
Leaders in Feb. 2015
• Teacher/Staff Hiring
– Contact Jeanine Gouzeas (jgouzeas@archchicago.org) for access to Applitrack
– Post position on Applitrack.
• “Accept Application?” – Yes.
• “Posting Active to Administrators” -- Yes
– Once you find an applicant you like, put the applicant in the “Applications Pending Review”
folder
– After review, you will receive a verification form and Applicant Acceptance form
– Fill out the appropriate paperwork (HR and see “Personnel File for School Employees”) and
return Applicant Acceptance form
– Applicants must complete Safe Environment requirements
Case Studies Exercise
 Objectives of Exercise
 Introduction to exercise
 Breakout Work Session

Principal-pairs spend 15 mins evaluating Admin. Handbook and their
 Regroup and report out
Strategic (Operations) Artifacts for
Principals
 Archdiocese School Board’s Strategic Plan
 Especially pp. 33-36
 http://ocs.archchicago.org/StrategicPlanning/StrategicPlanforCatholicSchools.aspx
 Parish/School-specific Strategic Plan?
 FAST Form (template and existing plans)
 Template: http://ocs.archchicago.org/SchoolVitality/FAST.aspx
 Existing FAST Plan/Goals: Pastor (or RD)
 Adjustment to format/schedule; Removal of Academic section (given AdvancEd).
 FY15 Budget & Tuition Tracker (template and existing plans)




Existing FY14 and FY15 Budgets: current Pastor/Bus. Manager (RD possibly)
Templates: http://parishops.archchicago.org/en-us/proceduresformsandmaterials/budget.aspx
Existing FY14 and FY15 Tuition Trackers: current Pastor/Bus. Manager
PD Opportunities
 Bus. Manager Role Description
 Handout
 This presentation
THANK YOU!
Please contact me or your RDs with any
questions.
tomcgrath@archchicago.org
773.909.3435