Section A: Regarding the Proposed Sale of the Current Campus

What are the financial figures regarding the sale of the current campus and buildings on the one hand, and the cost of the new school on the other?

Answer: The new school will cost a fraction of the replacement value of the current school. Cathedral grounds already have many of the facilities that would otherwise have to be built or purchased, including a parking lot with lighting and cameras, space for basketball courts and a playground, use of the Cathedral as a school chapel, and a cafeteria, kitchen, library, and some offices at the Family Center. Thus the new construction would include classrooms, a multi-purpose building, and office spaces.

Where is the money for the new school coming from, and why wasn’t it available before now for helping the current school?

Answer: The funds offered for the sale of the current campus originate from Aequitas Education, a non-profit based in Gallup, NM.  The amount for the current plan was only negotiated very recently and was not proposed before this school year. 

Who is the decision maker for the school, if the board is advisory? It seems like total strangers were given more say than parents and teachers. Who can we go to with concerns, now and in the future?

The school board has always been advisory. The structure of authority in the diocese begins with the bishop. The superintendent oversees matters of Catholic education throughout the diocese, and in a parochial school the rector or pastor is the direct supervisor for the principal, who asks the school board for assistance as needed. This is a proposed plan that would affect the diocese as a whole, and so it was a diocesan decision. Please always feel free to contact the diocese with questions, or for day-to-day concerns, the principal would be the appropriate contact.

Will there be a meeting with parents and other members of the public regarding the proposed plan?

Answer: Information about the plan will continue to be made available through our online platforms as more aspects of the plans are developed and finalized. The principal will primarily be communicating with parents and the school board, as usual.

Section B: Regarding the Proposed Transition Period

How will the Family Center be secured during school hours?

Answer: As with any school, the doors will be locked, authorized staff will have keys, and there is a doorbell and intercom so that visitors have to be let in by staff. 

Will the Family Center, while it serves as the temporary location for the school, also be used for religious education classes, public meetings (AA, etc.), the SEARCH retreat, and others? If so, how will school property and supplies be secured?

Answer: During the transition year, CCD will continue in parish facilities, though the large rooms there and the Cathedral church itself will likely be used more often for this. As for the rest of these programs and ministries, they will likely not be offered at the Family Center. The Cathedral parish will have to make a number of sacrifices during the transition. The local Knights of Columbus building, the St. Francis Family Center, and Sacred Heart Retreat Centers are still going to be available for such activities.

Who will help move the school’s items and supplies to the new building?

Answer: A portion of the sales price will be allocated for the move. Cathedral and diocesan staff will likely also be utilized.

During the transition year, where will recess be held?

Answer: Since this plan is still in the proposed stage, some details like recess have yet to be determined. However, indoor and outdoor spaces will be furnished for the children to play.

Will music class be offered in the Family Center?

Answer: As music and choir classes are essential, they will continue to be offered, but the location has yet to be determined.

Where will PE classes be offered, in transition and in the new school?

Answer: This is another detail that will be determined as we move forward.

Where will the library be, in transition and in the new school?

Answer: There is a library in the Family Center, and it will be the school’s library during the transition. As a library is also essential to the school, the final location will be determined as we move forward.

Section C: Regarding the Proposed New School

Is there a plan in place for the school if enrollment drops?

Answer: Enrollment has decreased over the past 7 years by about 25%. We have every reason to believe that enrollment will either remain the same in transition or increase when the school offers the option of a Catholic, classical education for students at the parish. Additionally, some new families have already expressed their desire to enroll their children to the school now that it will be parochial. We are committed to working on retention and recruitment. 

Will tuition rates change, and will the children of staff still be able to attend the school for free?

Answer: Tuition rates will likely stay the same for regular students, and for the students of teachers and staff. We will also be in a position to award more scholarships and grants in the future when the trust accounts given to the Cathedral specifically for the Catholic education of parish students mature. Three of these accounts will be maturing over the next eight-year period, beginning next year.

What exactly is a “Classical Education” Curriculum?

Answer: A Classical Curriculum, properly implemented, is drawn from the traditional Catholic model of education, which forms the whole person to be a Christian disciple. In addition to fundamental skills, it includes philosophy, faith and reason, the arts, math and science, and more. Many schools and Dioceses throughout the country have experienced great success shifting to this model, especially the Diocese of Marquette, Michigan. Read more here and here.

If the school is moving to the classical program, why would parents pay to send their children to Sacred Heart Catholic School when a free public charter school in Gallup also offers a classical curriculum?

Answer: We are not simply reproducing the Classical program exactly as used by Hozho Academy. The Catholic model incorporates religion classes, faith and reason, spirituality, and students will be able to continue to attend Mass, though now on a daily basis rather than once a week. Additionally, class size is smaller than Hozho, meaning there is more contact with teachers. Finally, parish priests will be able to have regular interaction with the students as well.

What role will Aequitas Education have in the future of the school?

Answer: The future of the school is determined by the Bishop, the Superintendent, and the school’s pastor. Aequitas has offered to provide curriculum development to the school and to assist in training teachers by providing Catholic consultants and professionals to help in this training. They themselves will not be doing the training. Administrators of Aequitas Foundation will have no relation with the school.

Will there be any emphasis on subjects that prepare students for vocational trades and the workforce?

Answer: This school is Pre-K-8, which focuses on building fundamentals upon which the students can build toward any job in the future. Catholic and classical education focuses on forming the whole human person, body, mind, soul, and spirit. For generations this has formed men and women who can enter into a variety of trades and jobs, because they know how to think and reason well, meaning they can train well for any job they may want. More than this, however, this model reminds us that we are not only training for jobs in this life, but that our true goal, in whatever job or vocation we have, is to build the Kingdom of God and so prepare for heaven, and we must be “training” for that all the more. 

Will Project Lead the Way and the STEAM program be part of the new curriculum?

Answer: One of the main subjects missing from STEAM is religion, which is core to the Catholic model. If there are aspects of the current curriculum that work well for the school, they will be maintained, because a Classical education is one that consists of many subjects, including science, engineering, technology and the arts. 

Which grades will be offered, and will there be a distinction between the elementary and middle school? Will classes be combined, or will there be a separate classroom for each grade?

Answer: Pre-K through 8th Grade will be offered at the proposed new school with distinct classes for each grade.

What is the capacity of the new building? If enrollment grows, would there be an expansion? Would a high school ever be created?

Answer: Plans are still developing. The new building will likely be made for 150 students. Inasmuch as the former high school has been closed for many years, there is no present prospect of it reopening. If in the future that door opens, we will assess that possibility and work toward it.

When will the students be able to attend daily Mass, and how would this fit into the schedule of the school day?

Answer: This is another detail that will be determined as we move forward. Likely, they would attend the daily 8am Mass, which would be made available each day again for the students and parishioners. 

Will the Smart Boards that the school currently uses continue to be utilized?

Answer: Yes, any assets and materials the school currently uses would be included in the new school.

Will the name, logo, or uniforms of the school change?

Answer: There is no reason they would need to change. Even if the name changes to reflect its new location, current logos and uniforms wouldn’t however need to be changed just for that. Perhaps further on we could work on school gear, but we can address that then.

Section D: Regarding Faculty, Staff and Students

Will the current principal remain in her position?

Answer: The current principal is under contract through the end of the school year. Letters of intent are going out soon for principal and teacher positions throughout the diocese.

What are the plans for recruiting or retaining teachers? Will the current teachers retain their positions? What about other staff, like the librarian and bookkeeper?

Answer: There is no reason to let teachers and staff go who wish to stay and who have been working well for and with the school. Letters of intent are given to teachers every year, and that will remain the same, but that regular process, nor this move, mean they are at risk of losing jobs. These decisions ultimately belong with the principal

Will there still be a school board?

Answer: There will still be a school board, whose members would serve as advisors to the principal as needed.

Please note: we will continue to update this list as plans for the school develop.