Healey Recognizes Diocese of Allentown Schools for Excellence in Advancement
Two Diocese of Allentown elementary schools have received awards from the Healey Education Foundation for excellence in Catholic school advancement. The School Advancement Grants for Excellence (SAGE) acknowledge results in Catholic school sustainability through effective work by the Foundation’s partner schools in enrollment management, fundraising and governance.
Kathy Link, Senior Director of Schools, Healey Education Foundation, with colleagues and friends from the Diocese of Allentown: Amy Butler, Board Chair, and Manda Smarr, Advancement Director, St. Jerome Regional School; Christine Fannick, Advancement Director, Trinity Academy; Amy Hannis-Miskar, Principal, St. Jerome Regional School.
St. Jerome Regional School (Tamaqua, PA) was honored with a $5,000 award for achieving Highest Percentage Growth in Enrollment, K-8, among all Healey partner elementary schools. The school’s 62.8% enrollment increase for the 2016-17 academic year resulted from exceptional efforts to retain 73% of the students displaced when another Catholic school closure was announced in late April.
“Amy Hannis-Miskar, Principal, and Manda Smarr, Advancement Director, have been exceptional partners this past year,” said Kathy Link, Senior Director of Schools, Healey Education Foundation. “Both new to St. Jerome’s, they were up to speed quickly, eagerly implemented best practices, made some tough decisions and set the school on course for success.”
Immediately following announcement of the closure, they added student shadow days, information sessions and other events to welcome the families. “They worked tirelessly over the summer to prepare for 197 children in a school that had 121 the prior year,” Link said. “Their own personal dedication to this school community is exemplary.”
The new Principal and Advancement Director orchestrated St. Jerome Regional School’s success story in retaining students in the Catholic school system.
A surprised and pleased Christine Fannick, Advancement Director, Trinity Academy, learns of her school’s Advancement Staff Award based on her exemplary achievement. “We describe the recipient as having heart and grit,” said Kathy Link, Healey Senior Director of Schools. “This is absolutely accurate for Christine.”
Trinity Academy (Shenandoah, PA) was recognized with a specialty Advancement Staff Award for exemplary achievement by Christine Fannick, Advancement Director. The school has delivered strong results through implementing the Healey Advancement Methodology over the past three years, each of which saw an increase in enrollment, annual fund or both.
“This success is due in large part to Christine Fannick, who has served as Trinity’s Advancement Director since 2013,” Link said. “Her energy and passion, fueled by a commitment to the mission, helped Trinity earn two SAGE awards in 2015.”
The 2016 SAGE awards were presented at the Foundation’s fourth annual Celebration of Achievement attended by more than 240 guests at the Union League of Philadelphia.
The Healey Education Foundation invests in PK-12 Catholic schools. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Foundation provides a high-impact program delivered through a coaching relationship with dioceses and schools that are ready to embrace change. Healey’s work For the Future of Catholic Schools empowers grant recipients to deliver sustainable results through effective governance, enrollment management and fundraising. Since its establishment in 2004, the Foundation has grown to serve more than 60 elementary and high schools across five dioceses in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Minnesota.
The team from St. Jerome Regional School, recipient of Highest Percentage Growth in Enrollment (Elementary School): Amy Butler, Board Chair; Manda Smarr, Advancement Director; Foundation President Christine Healey; Amy Hannis-Miskar, Principal; Jason Morrison, VP of Operations, Healey Education Foundation.
For further information: Contact Valerie Asuncion, Director of Communications, Healey Education Foundation