It is always with great excitement that we open the doors to another school year. It is a time when all things are made new. What remains the same is our mission. The work of Catholic schools is ultimately a matter of maintaining the Church’s mission of building Christ’s Kingdom of justice, love and peace, while continuing relevant, real-world instructional excellence in meeting the needs of a 21st-century world that is ever-changing. Catholic schools in San Diego have always embraced the challenge.

In the summer of 2013, Bishop Flores commissioned a special Strategic Vision Committee to study the organizational structures, policies and financial stability of our Catholic elementary schools. The committee partnered with the University of San Diego to provide a thorough study of the current state of the schools within our diocese. Surveys and interviews with various stakeholders, including many of you, ensured an opportunity for your voice to be heard, for your experiences to make a difference, and for your perspectives to be a part of the plan to strengthen our schools. Thank you to all who participated.

The findings and recommendations including the strategic statement commissioned by Bishop Flores are provided below. While the value added to Catholic education should never change, I invite you to join me in celebrating a newly articulated roadmap to success vetted by you, the People of Christ in San Diego.

May God bless our children in mind, body and spiritual growth. I look forward to continuing our work together in building a new vision for strengthening our Catholic schools in the Diocese of San Diego.

In Mission,

John Galvan
Director, Diocesan Office for Schools