The Home and School Board and the SKS School Board of Limited Jurisdiction

There are two vital organizations in our school community that help our school move forward in different ways:

  • The Home and School Board
  • The SKS Board of Limited Jurisdiction (BLJ)

What are these two boards and how do they help our school?

 

                                                    Home and School Board

The objective of the Home and School Association, as defined in its by-laws, is the advancement of Catholic education and the welfare of all the school children of Saint Katharine of Siena parish; to promote parent-school activities and increase, on the part of its members, interest in educational and civic affairs, and to increase the knowledge of education and its processes on the part of parents and teachers by increasing mutual understanding of children, and by providing an opportunity for parents and teachers to work together for the good of the child.

 

Our Home and School Board had already been in existence for many years prior to my coming here.  During my time here, this board has been a cornerstone for the life of this school, making contributions not just financially to the school’s sustainability, but as important if not more important, helping to promote a strong Catholic identity and contributing to the school’s close knit and caring sense of community for our parish school.

 

The Home & School Board serves our school through the calendar year by:

  • planning/organizing/running several important school community events such as the Fall Parents Social and Breakfast with Santa. Through the hard work of this board, events such as these foster a strong sense of communal spirit throughout our community.  Some of these events have been on hold due to the pandemic.  However, the Home and School Board has been both responsive and creative by finding new, unique ways to keep us close as a community: the Scarecrow Contest in the fall, the Live Nativity, Handbag Bingo, Parents Trivia Night, and the SKS Parent Virtual Cocktail party are just a few examples.
  • assisting the school financially by using some social events as fundraisers to help defray the school’s operating cost and contributing to school improvements needs.
  • helping promote the school and create community in particular by welcoming new SKS school families through a new parent orientation.
  • helping with open house tours for new prospective families.
  • coordinating homeroom parents for each classroom to assist teachers with volunteer support and in planning of classroom celebrations.
  • planning activities and events that support a positive school culture specifically to support teachers, staff and students.
  • arranging opportunities through the Home and School Speaker Series to educate the school community on various important topics that impact their children and family life.
  • helping with publicity and marketing of our school through publication of the SKS Spirit Newsletter.

You can see all the current board members by clicking on the
Home and School Board member information

Question: How does one get on the Home and School Board? 

Answer: Please send your name to Home and School president Kate Quinn and she can review the process with you.

 

                           The SKS School Board of Limited Jurisdiction (BLJ)

In only its second full year of operation, the SKS BLJ is comprised of a group of people dedicated to promoting and sustaining the long-range growth of the school.  These people have a love for Catholic education and specifically for SKS.  Unlike the Home and School Board, whose function is to sponsor events and programs that run annually, this board is in place to help the school in specific areas that strategically plan for the school’s long term sustainability for the future.  The board is in place to assist both the pastor and principal in five major areas that are key to the school’s success.  Those five areas are:

  1. Finances
  2. Development
  3. Enrollment / marketing
  4. Facilities
  5. Board recruitment for future members

The SKS BLJ consists of 15 board members along with the pastor and principal. Only 20% of its constituency can be current parents.  There are three current parents serving on the SKS BLJ.  They are Mr. Paul D’Jamoos, Dr. Julie Hayes, and board chair Mr. Phil Hintze.  The rest of the board consists of former SKS parents and alumni.  Length of terms are on a 2, 3 or 4-year basis so there is a measured turnover on the board.

 

In addition to being part of the board, each member is charged with joining a committee in each of the five aforementioned areas (Finances, Development etc.) These committees are specifically charged with addressing these areas to help the school grow.  Non-board members are also invited to join these committees.  Membership on these committees is not restricted to the 20% of current parents rule.

 

Perhaps you have an area of interest or expertise that could help SKS in the future by being a part of the SKS BLJ. If you have any interest in becoming a part of the SKS BLJ please contact Phil Hintze at:  hintzephil@hotmail.com

I hope this information helps you understand how these two important organizations help our school community.  We are very appreciative of our current parents on both boards who serve the school with great commitment and passion.  Msgr. Brouwers and I, as well as our teachers and staff, are deeply appreciative of the how these two boards help our beloved school.

Take care,

Bud