Dear Readers,

Welcome back!  With the summer months quickly coming to an end, it is my privilege to welcome you back to another school year. Whether in parochial, private or public schools, may all students return from their summer vacations with open hearts and minds eager to learn.

Specifically, I welcome back students, families, teachers and staff members to our Catholic schools. In this issue of The Georgia Bulletin, readers will be introduced to three new principals in our Archdiocesan schools while being further informed of the unique attributes of our schools and teachers. We are reminded daily of the many blessings and resources available in our Catholic schools:  talented students, supportive families, high-quality teachers, excellent administrators and support staff members, strong faith communities and dedicated clergy.  Most importantly, we are grateful for the financial support and sacrifices of the parishioners in the Archdiocese of Atlanta who generously contribute to make a Catholic education possible for our students.

The mission of our Catholic schools remains, “The Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Atlanta serve a vital role in the educational ministry of the Church. Our schools are committed to providing quality education in an environment of spiritual, intellectual, and moral formation in accordance with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.” This past school year, our 18 Archdiocesan and six independent Catholic schools served approximately 11,700 students in our schools—roughly 17 percent of the registered school-age children in our Archdiocese.  When our schools open their doors to a new school year, we are cautiously optimistic that enrollment trends will hold.

Our Catholic schools reflect on-going continuous improvement efforts in all areas of curriculum; we are extremely proud of rising national achievement test results, which place our schools in the top 10 percent of all academic institutions. Additionally, we commit ourselves to teaching all subjects well, especially through the teaching of the Good News of Jesus Christ; to forming community through which the presence of our God is experienced among faith-filled people; and, to serving others following the example of our Lord.

At the same time, we are aware of our duties to be good stewards of the resources with which we have been graced. With the assistance of our parents, pastors and school advisory councils, our schools remain, for the most part, financially viable. We continue to seek ways to benefit from strategic purchasing efforts and to access federal programs for our students and teachers.

I pray that this journey of a new school year will be a time for joy, celebration and many continued successes.

Sincerely,

Diane Starkovich, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools, Archdiocese of Atlanta