Parish School Board

The Parish School Board is a structure that provides for the sharing of responsibility for the educational mission of the Church, in particular, the Catholic educational mission of St. Mary's Parish.

Consistent with Section 1-209 of the Archdiocesan Handbook, The Board is consultative in nature and, as per archdiocesan policy, advisory to the Pastor and Principal. It follows a Committee Driven format. It works with the administration to oversee the financial and business management of the school, to evaluate its short and long term needs, and to develop the strategic plans necessary to ensure the continued excellence of the school. Although it is the administration which, along with the staff, formulates the rules and procedures of running the school, it is the board which advises and assists in the development of the policies which serve as guides to those rules and procedures.

Members and officers of the Board are appointed from members of the Parish and/or parents of the school, as per Archdiocesan policy. Among the important work of the Parish School Board includes the work of the following committees.

As a committee driven board, these committees include membership from outside the board itself. Non-members (including parents, parishioners, staff and others) are able and encouraged to be part of any of the committees of the board:

Budget/Finance

This committee works with the Pastor and Principal under the direction and policies and procedures of the Finance Director of the Office of Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Hartford. It formulates an annual budget, analyzes monthly income and expense reports, makes recommendations to the administration, and reports such information to the Board.

This committee also assists the administration in the collection of unpaid tuition and/or other monies owed to the school.

Advancement and Marketing

This committee, which runs under the school’s Director of Marketing and Enrollment management, organizes and oversees such things as alumni relations, the Annual Fund, special gifts, and endowments. Such programs are run in conjunction with the Archdiocesan plan for Advancement for Catholic Elementary Schools. Many volunteers are needed for the many projects of this committee and all are welcome to help. This committee also oversees the marketing and recruitment endeavors of the school. It should be noted, however, that all parents are in the position of marketing and recruitment.

Strategic Planning

Following the Archdiocesan plan for long and short term strategic planning in the Catholic Elementary Schools, this committee researches where we have been, where we are, and where we, as a parish and school community, want to be in the short and long term future.

Many of the improvements completed or in the process of being completed are a result of the work of this very busy committee.

Plant and Facilities

Following the Archdiocesan plan for long and short term strategic planning in the Catholic Elementary Schools, this committee researches where we have been, where we are, and where we, as a parish and school community, want to be in the short and long term future.

Many of the improvements completed or in the process of being completed are a result of the work of this very busy committee.

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The full Board meets every other month on a schedule it establishes for itself (the various committees meet during those months when there is not a full board meeting). Meetings are listed on the monthly Calendar Updates and are usually on Wednesday evenings in the Meeting Room in the Rectory Basement. Parents of St. Mary School and parishioners of St. Mary Parish are welcome and encouraged to attend except when the board goes into executive session. Those wishing to speak, according to the by-laws of the Parish School Board and the policies of the Archdiocese of Hartford, need to contact the Chairperson IN ADVANCE of the meeting, and follow the procedures outlined by the by-laws and/or determined by the Chair of the Board.

Our Parish School Board, as is any board of any Parish School in the Archdiocese, is consultative. As per Archdiocesan policy it does not and cannot become involved with any issue dealing with students or personnel. The staff is accountable to the principal who in turn is accountable to the Pastor who has final authority in all school related issues. As a Parish Catholic School, the administration is also accountable to the Office of Catholic Schools and the Archdiocese of Hartford.