A couple weeks ago, more than 600 Crusader alumni and friends made our annual Club 53 event a tremendous success. Dedicated volunteers, donors, staff, and business partners created a wonderful night of fun and fellowship for hundreds of Scecina supporters and, ultimately, for our students.

If you are wondering where the event name, Club 53, comes from, the answer is pretty simple. Our first freshman class began their careers at Scecina in the fall of 1953—thus the name Club 53. We are grateful for our pioneering students and alumni in Catholic education on the Eastside of Indianapolis.
Looking ahead, our committed Board of Directors will soon review and vote upon a Strategic Growth Plan for Scecina Memorial High School. More than 200 community members have helped to build this plan since last summer. At this time, the Board anticipates receiving a proposed plan in June for discussion and a vote of approval at the June 25 Board meeting.

The planning process has been a powerful experience that continues to foster dreams, realistic thinking, and engagement in a vibrant future for our school. Please look for more information later during the summer months.
During this season of First Communions, Mothers’ Day, family gatherings, sporting events, and Commencements, please savor the many opportunities to celebrate and give thanks!

“Uniting People. Faith. Vision” Convocation
March 11, 2013
Transcript of President’s Remarks

Welcome
I want to begin by thanking Jim Maslar and our prayer team, Jerry Jones, John Hegarty, and Kayla Wagoner for opening our gathering and for the excellent work they do for our school. In addition, a very special thanks to all of our staff members and students who helped prepare for today—from set-up to 25 of our students who made rsvp phone calls to many of you. Our students and staff are some of the most remarkable people you could ever meet. Their enthusiasm and personal strengths are phenomenal!
I’d like to welcome you all and thank you for caring about our students. We have invited you to help us realize the theme of this initiative: “Uniting People. Faith. Vision.” Your time and talent are great gifts to help us Unite the People of our community, based on the Faith of our church, to build a shared Vision for the future.

Overview
I would like to build a context for our discussions tonight by speaking on five topics: Mission, Governance, Catholic Culture, Successes, and Strategic Growth Planning.

Mission
Starting with mission, let us ask ourselves: “What are the defining characteristics of a Catholic school?” Our Church has a clear response to this question, and it says that a Catholic school exemplifies at least six attributes:

2. Wholeness: We are called to educate the whole child in all his or her dimensions.

3. Community: We are to be a community in which relationships among all members are channels of peace, justice, reconciliation, and faith.

4. Accessibility: Catholic schools are to be accessible to all families who desire a Catholic school education. In this day of limited resources and diverse student needs, especially in our setting, answering this call is not easy, yet we can embrace it knowing that God looks with favor on our response.

5. Excellence: Catholic schools are called to seek and deliver excellence in all that we do.

6. Faith: Finally, at the core, a Catholic school is intended to foster among its members knowledge of AND a personal relationship with God and Jesus Christ.

Our namesake—Father Thomas Scecina—is a person who knowingly and willingly laid down his life for his fellow human beings, Church, and country. While Father Scecina did not rise to the highest level of the hierarchy, his life was saintly. His inspiration was and is his commitment to service, the whole person, community, accessibility, excellence, and faith—the defining characteristics of a Catholic school.

Governance
In the Governance arena, we are a ministry of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Accordingly, we are here to help fulfill the priorities of the Archbishop of Indianapolis, Archbishop Joseph Tobin. The archbishop delegates governance and oversight of our work to the archdiocesan administration, primarily the Office of Catholic Education, and to a local Board of Directors.

The archdiocese is structured for Scecina Memorial High School to be an extension of the Catholic parishes and 6 Catholic elementary schools in the East Deanery of Indianapolis. While these parishes and schools are not a part of our institutional governance structure, developing and sustaining rich and mutual relationships with them is an important part of our identity and of serving our students well.

The Archbishop of Indianapolis and archdiocesan administration, the Scecina Board of Directors, the East Deanery parishes and schools, and the Scecina staff form a four-way partnership to design and deliver Catholic school education—in concert with parents as students’ first educators—in our unique setting.

Catholic Culture
Having a Catholic Culture that is integrated throughout our operation is vital. It would be easy to think that this duty falls only to the departments that we call Catholic Theology and Campus Ministry, which are extremely important departments. Having a Catholic Culture, though, means that Catholic principles guide everything from daily prayer to weekly worship to individual and group service projects to Christian Awakening Retreats to classroom and co-curricular instruction and role modeling to how we seek volunteer and financial support to recruiting, admitting, and retaining students to managing resources to the care of our buildings and grounds to our relationships with one another.

Successes
Within the context of a Catholic Culture, our programs and resources have experienced many successes and much growth through the support of many generous people. After a period of operating challenges, we have experienced enrollment growth and break-even or surplus budgets through generous support, wise oversight, and strong day-to-day implementation across the board.

During the last two years, we have more than doubled our Guidance Counseling staff and services, increased staff expertise and support for students who have Special Learning Needs, and expanded our Campus Ministry department.

These accomplishments, and others like them, have resulted in Scecina Memorial High School earning and maintaining the State of Indiana’s highest performance levels for academic performance and progress since 2008.
Looking ahead, by the end of this school year, our goal is for the entire school building to provide wireless access for students, teachers, and visitors. We have also begun working to try to earn the resources to bring about new academic classes and opportunities as soon as possible in science, mathematics, performing arts, and college and career readiness.

In co-curriculars, our football team has played in the IHSAA State Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium each of the last 2 years; our Softball team has won the City and IHSAA Sectional Championships nearly every year in the last decade, including a State Championship; our Boys Basketball Team earned an IHSAA Sectional Championship a week ago; and our Indiana Crossroads Conference Academic Superbowl Team won the conference championship last year over some very well-known schools. 95 percent of our students are engaged in 1 or more co-curricular programs, so when they look tired, you know why!

And, recognizing that growing up today can be just plain complicated, we recently began a suicide awareness and prevention program to train staff and parents in how to provide appropriate help if a student reaches out for assistance.

To improve our facility continually, in concert with the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, we have made numerous capital improvements in recent years. These enhancements include a beautiful science lab renovation, several classroom renovations, hallway and music room upgrades, aesthetic improvements here in the gymnasium and on the stage, locker room renovations, and improvements to the infrastructure inside and outside the school building.

By the summer, we hope to complete a project we are calling the Scecina Story, which will provide illustrations and captions throughout our hallways of our mission and values, our history, and our accomplishments.
I would now like to connect these results to the world of Advancement. A common understanding of Advancement is that it is an integrated and coordinated effort to articulate and attain a vision by strengthening a school’s image, enrollment, leadership, and funds for student opportunities. Just as everyone is on the Catholic Culture team, everyone is on the Advancement team!

The funds that alumi and friends have generously given Scecina Memorial High School during the last 5 years have doubled. This growth has funded needed programs and capital improvements. Your support also allows us to be accessible to the students of our community, which again is one of the defining hallmarks of a Catholic school. For example, 5 years ago, 40 percent of our students qualified for need-based financial assistance in order to attend Scecina. Today, more than 60 percent of our students qualify, and we try to meet the need of every student and family who wants to be part of our community. We offer nearly $800,000 annually in financial assistance through our Godparent Program and other avenues, which is a very high rate per student, yet it also reflects our mission of educating a diverse student body in this particular location.

Enrollment has grown more than 10 percent since 2009, and our student body hails from more than 30 different schools in the metropolitan area. Prior to attending Scecina, the majority of our students attended the East Deanery and Eastside Catholic School Partnership schools of Holy Spirit, Our Lady of Lourdes, and Little Flower.
In terms of community involvement, more than 300 people have volunteered their time and talent for our students this year alone to signify their engagement in our mission.

Strategic Growth Planning
Today, we ask you to be engaged in looking forward. Since November of 2012, members of 7 Planning Area Teams have participated in 4 Workshops to review and discuss our mission statement, core values, and vision statement; perform an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; and suggest important Challenges for our Strategic Growth Plan to address in the context of our mission and realities. Your booklet summarizes this work for your particular Planning Area.

You will notice that the Challenges are worded in question form. We see the Challenges not as negatives, but as opportunities. In the breakouts, our facilitators will ask you to share your ideas for innovative Solutions to address the Challenges.
In mid-April, our Board of Directors and the Steering Committee for the planning process will meet to discuss the data and ideas from this evening. Then, during the several weeks that follow, we will draft and edit a plan for our Board of Directors to vote on in the summer. And then we will request an audience with the archdiocesan administration leading up to final approval.

I again want to thank you for being here today. Please share your insights, easy or not-so-easy questions, and dreams so that we can be true to the mission-critical needs of today and tomorrow. With your presence and support, I know we can do it, and I thank you again.

Mr. Frank Donaldson
It is now my pleasure to introduce our facilitator for the evening, Mr. Frank Donaldson, the President of the Institute of School and Parish Development in Slidell, Louisiana. Frank has significant experience teaching and volunteering in Catholic schools and in facilitating efforts such as ours. His corporate motto is to “Bring People, Process, and Ministry Together to Build the Kingdom of God.” Frank has been a partner on this journey since May of last year. Working with Frank has been a wonderful experience, and I know he will keep us on track tonight. Please welcome Frank Donaldson.

Last week, we held our Open House for prospective students and families. 195 guests attended the event. Our student guests ranged from grades 5 to 11, and they hailed from 20 different schools in our community. Our Advancement Staff, Student Ambassadors, parent volunteers, faculty, and staff did a tremendous job of displaying Crusader hospitality and spirit.

The football team itself showed the spirit and resiliency that has marked its season since spring and summer workouts. The team has played in a variety of weather situations and has battled a host of injuries leading to numerous on-the-field playing combinations all season.

Yesterday, at a CYO Boys Cadet “A” Basketball Pre-Season Tournament game, I had the pleasure of visiting with an alumnus from our Class of 1989 and the Saint Michael—Greenfield Class of 1985. This individual, an accomplished professional and active parishioner in the Indianapolis West Deanery, remarked that he is now President of the Parish Council in his parish. He then said, “If I learned one thing at Scecina, it’s that you have to get involved.”
During the next game of the tournament, I visited with another alumnus from the late 1970’s. This graduate has a son who is in the 8th grade at an area Catholic school. He said, “Scecina would be a great fit for my son. It would give him the personalized attention and opportunities to grow that he needs.”

Just a week ago, our Strategic Growth Planning initiative continued with the first in a series of workshops for our Planning Area Teams. 98 participants attended! We had strong representation from parents, school staff, alumni, and friends. The initiative will continue through next spring. A couple current projects within the overall project are satisfaction surveys for current school families and staff. I look forward to the results!

As Thanksgiving approaches, thank you very much for your Crusader Spirit. We are in the midst of our Giving Back, Looking Forward annual appeal with $330,000 pledged toward our minimum goal of $678,000. To the people whose generosity has brought us to this point, thank you very much! If you have not yet had an opportunity to make a difference, please respond as generously as you can when you hear from us.

Go Crusaders!
Joe Therber
President

First and foremost, our current and very recent students earned this accomplishment; they deserve our most sincere recognition. Their parents, who are students’ first and primary educators, are foundational to their children’s and our school success. Congratulations and thank you, students and parents!

Day in and day out, our dedicated faculty and staff work tirelessly. We have a magnificent group of educators who value continuous improvement and our students’ growth in spirit, mind, and body. They deserve our public thanks, especially Principal John Hegarty—our instructional leader—and all members of our faculty and support staff. Please read a message from Mr. Hegarty with academic data at http://www.scecina.org/hegartys-hour.

Alongside our instructional staff is a group of professionals who carefully invite and steward our friends’ gifts of time, talent, and treasure so that we can provide outstanding programs and services every day.
Like the cars we drive, a Catholic school relies on energy for the journey. Our alumni and friends who generously contribute their God-given time, talent, and treasure—energy for educational success, you might say—are invaluable partners in our ministry.

We are a school ministry of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. We are accountable to the Archbishop, to one another, and, ultimately, to the God of Creation who has endowed us with abundant gifts for building the Kingdom among us.
In the Catholic Christian tradition, an accountable steward gives thanks to God and generously, increasingly shares his or her gifts in service to one’s brothers and sisters. We will continue to set our sights even higher while thanking you for making us the best Catholic school that we can possibly be. Thank You!

Joe Therber
President

During the last two weeks, professional painters applied sparkling coats of cardinal and gold paint throughout the gym. Our school colors are truly evident! New protective padding for both ends of the gym floor is on order, and new glass backboards have been installed. The stage walls have been re-painted in anticipation of musical auditions and performances, and the stage floor now has new carpet and has been freshly painted. A couple finishing details remain, such as re-painting the Football State Championship signs. All the way around, this project is a beautiful upgrade to our campus and continues the strong facility improvement momentum that has been in place for many years thanks to our loyal supporters, Facilities Committee, staff, and other partners.

I hope you will soon see and experience these updates! Thank you for your support of our school, and Go Crusaders!

Joe Therber
President

As a way to communicate with you, this blog will be an avenue for sharing news and views regarding Scecina Memorial High School. I look forward to starting this endeavor and welcome your comments and suggestions along the way.

The opening of the blog coincides with the memorial that our Church celebrates this week to the life of Saint Vincent de Paul. This valiant figure was renowned for his compassion, humility and generosity. He is known to many as the "Great Apostle of Charity".

Charity, as we know, comes in many shapes and sizes. It can be in the form of donating money and items to a person who is in material need. It can mean lending a compassionate ear or standing up for a person whom others may unfairly critique.

Above all, being charitable means making the world a better place through the generous and responsible sharing of our time, talents, and treasures for God’s glory and the good of our neighbor. As we contemplate and advance the mission of Scecina Memorial High School, may charity be a hallmark of our efforts to help our diverse community of students grow as servants and leaders. In the lives of heroic figures such as Father Thomas Scecina and Saint Vincent de Paul, we have powerful role models of charity!

We’ll stay in touch!

Joe Therber
President