Important Announcement: HALO is Heading to the Finish Line |
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It has been a while since we shared a newsletter, as much has been unfolding with our area Catholic schools. New initiatives are starting and The Catholic Schools Office (CSO) is investing in resources for evolving needs. As a result, beginning in July the CSO will no longer contribute to The HALO Initiative operation costs in exchange for services we provide. Because the CSO covered the majority of the costs associated with our small team, and we are diligent about donor funds being used only for student or school-related pilots, our Board of Directors determined it is best to close The HALO Initiative on June 30, 2024. We have been very pleased to serve the community since 2020, and with tremendous gratitude for our HALO supporters, together we have made a positive impact that will last for years to come. Our most notable accomplishments in these years include the HALO 139 pilot that attracted more than 100 new families to Catholic education at five schools, the Shared Facilities Maintenance pilot that is improving campuses and supporting leadership at seven schools, and the allocation and governance of nearly $11M in tuition assistance distributed on behalf of the Endowment Trust and the annual Bishop's Invitational. Additionally, we have helped organizations to work together for a more collective impact, created a knowledge base of processes to assist the CSO, enhanced annual recognition of our educators, and provided other support for Catholic school system leaders and educators so they could focus attention on a caring and learning environment, even when many schools could not keep campuses open. We know you are big fans of Catholic Education and we thank you for this opportunity to come alongside you to try some new approaches. As we finish our work which will include providing donor information and archiving learnings from HALO pilots for our schools, you will be glad to know the tuition assistance support will continue through the Dallas Diocese Education Endowment Trust (also known as DEET or the Endowment Trust). Please read on to learn more about recent news. |
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Important Era in Catholic Education |
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In recent years the South region of the U.S. has become home to the largest population of Catholics according to the 2020 U.S. Religion census, making it a pivotal time for our Catholic church and schools to serve growing demand. Our Superintendent of the CSO Dr. Rebecca Hammel arrived last summer and over the past several months, three big goals have quickly become evident: Bolster the vitality of eight Catholic schools that serve the south and west area of Dallas Build Mother Teresa Catholic School to serve far north Dallas, and Boost and coordinate fundraising efforts for our Catholic school system that includes growing our Diocesan Education Endowment Trust.
South & West Dallas: An in-depth study of several Catholic schools in the south and west area of Dallas conducted by The Meitler Group has provided fresh data that can help the CSO determine more effective ways to serve students in the south and west part of Dallas. The study includes Bishop Dunne Catholic School plus Holy Family, Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Saint Cecilia, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Saint Mary of Carmel, and Santa Clara preK-8th grade Catholic schools. The Catholic Schools Office, a Steering Committee, and teams from each of these eight campuses aim to develop strategies in the coming months to maximize efficacy, build enrollment, and strengthen overall vitality at each school. North Dallas: At the northwest corner of Independence Parkway and Main Street in Frisco the development of Mother Teresa Catholic School is underway. This is a regional school with five nearby parishes working to support it: St. Gabriel the Archangel and St. Michael the Archangel in McKinney, Our Lady of Angels and St. Jude in Allen, and St. Francis of Assisi in Frisco. Funds for Today and Tomorrow: Watch for ways to support these significant efforts as well as how we can sustain our Diocese Catholic education for years to come. Visit https://www.haloinitiative.org/endowmenttrust to learn more, or reach out to Kelly Halaszyn, Diocese of Dallas Director of Development, at khalaszyn@cathdal.org or 214-379-3178 (direct) to learn more. The HALO Initiative has played a valuable role in supporting Catholic education, and Dr. Hammel is eager to build upon that foundation. She looks forward to embracing new and additional ideas to take us forward as we take next steps with the Meitler vitality study and Mother Teresa Catholic school. Please watch for more in the Texas Catholic and other CSO media. It is a pivotal time, and your support is important to the growth and vitality of our Catholic School system. |
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Tuition Assistance Growth, Additional Support Needed |
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Since 2011, our Diocese of Dallas Catholic schools have been able to count on tuition assistance that comes through the Bishop’s Invitational Golf Tournament each year and 5% of the Dallas Diocesan Education Endowment Trust that has grown to $45M today. As shown in the chart below, distributions are growing in excess of $2M per year. These funds provide about one-third of tuition for nearly 1,000 students attending Diocese Catholic schools. Approximately one in four applicants receives assistance from these two funds, and area foundations and individual donors provide additional support directly to schools to help more children attend. In addition, the Endowment Trust has been able to cover some timely needs - in 2020 when many families had lost income due to the COVID pandemic and now again in 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, at the request of the Diocese, giving exceptional support for our Catholic Schools in the south and west of Dallas. |
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*2020/2021 includes additional contribution to sustain schools through pandemic needs. ** In addition to tuition assistance, for 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, the Endowment Trust will provide an additional $950,000 to help build a new, more sustainable model for the south and west Dallas schools. |
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Dr. Hammel is grateful for the forward thinking of Dallas leaders back in 2011 that has created this annual support as we continue to support Catholic school students to receive a Catholic education. |
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With the cost of Catholic education continuing to rise to around $10,000 per K-8 student, the possibility for Education Savings Accounts (vouchers) is growing more important for more families. To learn more, visit: https://tpcetx.com. |
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HALO's Shared Facilities Maintenance Pilot Update |
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The HALO Initiative has a pilot underway and since it began in February, the Shared Facilities Maintenance Pilot has been making a noticeable difference on seven Catholic school campuses: Good Shepherd, Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Saint Cecilia, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Saint Mary of Carmel, and Santa Clara. Twice a week a professional from the Catholic Charities facilities crew visits each campus to manage whatever repairs or maintenance is needed. So far, the crew is finding plenty of work and often supplies are already on hand; the schools simply needed the facilities experts to complete the tasks. The school leaders are reporting the crew to be very professional and knowledgeable, and as most of these school facilities were built at least 30 (and up to 90) years ago, our Catholic school leaders are excited to have this resource to help them manage facility needs. |
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“What makes Shared Facilities Maintenance pilot such a great contribution are the people who do the visits. These are very talented craftsmen who can manage many types of facility repairs and maintenance, and they work very well with our staff. These experts have already made things possible that we could not have afforded this year without them, including installing an HVAC and fixing a number of issues to get the bathroom in our early childhood area working again.” |
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– John Hickey, Principal OLPH |
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The Catholic Charities crew has high standards and a desire to serve these communities well. Their consistent efforts are already saving money while improving campus appeal at these locations. And, leaders across these schools are consistently sharing how it is indeed giving them more time and focus to lead the priorities for their campus. Between the funds raised by The HALO Initiative and funds from second collections across the Diocese for Catholic schools in August 2023 and again in 2024, the two-year pilot can be funded through January 2026. This is a wonderful example of what we have been able to accomplish together. Thank you to all who have been so generous with your support of a facilities crew for these seven schools! |
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Standing on the Shoulders of Champions |
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Dallas has a strong foundation of support that was created in recent decades. The forward thinking and commitment to creating sustainable support for tuition assistance, capital improvements, programs and more has given us much to offer students who want the advantages of a Catholic education in Dallas. We want to honor Mike Corboy and Len Ruby who passed away in 2024, for their extreme generosity with their time, talent, and treasure for Catholic education in addition to the legacy they each left in their careers and their industries. They left us a legacy on which we continue to build. |
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Many years ago, Mike Corboy gathered support to invest in the future needs of Catholic education and many of the ideas this pioneer started, continue to be effective today. Mike was known for his work with the Diocese of Dallas inner-city schools while he served as President of the St. Anthony School Foundation and on the Board of The Children's Education Fund as well as his role as President of Jesuit College Prep’s Foundation and Board of Advisors, where he also established a Chair for the Corboy Math/ Science Scholarship Fund. Mike also served as a Trustee of the University of Dallas, the Board of Visitors of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, the Advisory Board of the Allies in Service, the National Board of the American Ireland Fund, and numerous other private and public companies. |
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Len Ruby has been part of and led many initiatives and boards in our Dallas area, including several public and private organizations, plus the University of Dallas, The Catholic Foundation, Bishop Lynch, and Saint Pius X, and he established and directed stewardship of the Dallas Diocesan Education Endowment Trust. Since it began in 2011 this Endowment Trust has been instrumental in providing crucial support to students from families unable to afford Catholic education on their own, with the Diocese investing up to 75% of its funds to ensure support to students for years to come. Under Len's guidance, the Endowment Trust has seen remarkable growth, expanding from approximately $13 million to $45 million today. Thanks to Len's leadership, the Endowment Trust has distributed over $13.9 million in tuition assistance to date, benefiting nearly 8,000 K-12 students in the Dallas area. The funding for this trust often comes from planned estate gifts from individuals who value the Gospel values, structure, safety, and personal attention that a Catholic education offers. |
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To learn more about opportunities to support more families who want to participate in Catholic education, please contact Kelly Halaszyn at khalaszyn@cathdal.org or 214-379-3178. |
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The HALO Initiative for Catholic Education, Inc. is an independent public charity working to make it possible for more children to receive a Catholic education. The HALO Initiative 972.669.9346 info@haloinitiative.org |
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