2009 Economic Impact Awards, Private Education Finalist: Springfield Catholic Schools

At Springfield Catholic Schools, preparing future leaders means instilling the importance of academics, service and faith in God. Its next mission: to improve its reach within the Springfield community.

SCS started a branding campaign last year that incorporates Web sites, academic brochures, advertising and increased public relations efforts.

"The Springfield Catholic Schools have been under the radar for so many years; we wanted to build the brand for the school system," says Jann Holland, owner of Sugar Graphics Inc. and a member of the school development board. "The goal is to bring the vision and value of the Springfield Catholic School system to the forefront of the market."

One of the values SCS promotes is community service, and all high school students are required to perform a minimum of 60 hours of community service as part of their graduating requirements.

"Ninety-five percent of our graduates accumulate at least twice that number, and some graduate with as much as 10 times that number," says Jean Gruetzemacher, director of development. "This practice instills a strong desire to give back to the community as well as developing well-rounded citizens preparing for community leadership."

Numbers speak volumes about the success of the SCS curriculum: 99 percent of Springfield Catholic High School graduates go on to four-year colleges, and about half stay close to home, according to Amy DeMelo, director of schools. During the past school year, Springfield Catholic High School students earned an average score of 25 on their ACTs, compared to the national average of 21.2, she says.

As a private school, Springfield Catholic receives no state funding and is dependent upon tuition, subsidies from Catholic parishes and fundraisers.

Elementary tuition is $3,046 for Catholic students and $4,341 for non-Catholic students, and high school tuition is $4,680 for Catholic students and $6,611 for non-Catholic students.

School leadership is making a concerted effort to stay connected with graduates as a way to foster school spirit, work on capital campaigns and organize reunions and other events. One way to do this is through a new online networking site that the school is launching this year where alumni can reconnect with former classmates and graduates can network for jobs and internship opportunities, Holland says.

The Springfield Catholic School system has four elementary schools - St. Agnes, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Joseph and Immaculate Conception - and one high school, Springfield Catholic High School.

St. Agnes, 531 S. Jefferson Ave., has roots dating back to 1906. The newest elementary school, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, 2200 W. Republic Road, offers preschool through third grade, and it will add one grade level per year until it serves students through eighth grade.

Springfield Catholic High School, 2340 S. Eastgate Ave., was built in 1986 and serves more than 350 students. Last year, the high school purchased 10 acres of adjacent land for $510,000 to allow for future growth.

"The land recently appraised for (more than) $900,000," says David Duncan, development board president. "As Springfield grows and the area around the high school develops, the land would be unavailable or be priced out of reach for future generations to acquire."