Small School: Parents Rebuild School Spirit

Six years ago, five Catholic schools in Wisconsin were reorganized into one unit. Whatever happened at one school had to take place systemwide, in effect squashing local drive and ingenuity. The result at St. Patrick School in Onalaska was a loss of identity, a decline in enrollment, and the dismantling of the parent group. “A lot of the parental input and impact that there had been in the past was kind of eliminated during the reorganization,” says parent Andy Fries. “It was a difficult time for families.”

Last year, parents decided to take back the school. “A bunch of us parents who knew each other started talking, saying we really needed to have the parent group to rebuild the cohesiveness of families in the school to get the energy and excitement back,” says Fries, president of the reconstituted St. Patrick School Parents.

Under the new name, parents rallied to create school spirit again. A buddy system was developed to welcome new families, pairing veterans with newcomers to answer questions and serve as contacts. A “sunshine club” provided comfort when families faced difficult times. Parents sent 100-lb. packages to seven people, relatives of students, who were serving in the military. And just about every month, the hospitality committee hosted a family event: movie night with popcorn and lemonade; reading night, during which parents and older siblings read their favorite books to younger children; pool night, exercise night, circus night. As word spread, attendance grew. Eventually, these activities drew as many as 120 people, representing more than half the school’s enrollment.

“We just needed that one spark, that one core group of people to get things started,” says Angie Jones, the group’s vice president.

Parents also formed an instructional quality committee to look at the school’s curriculum and take charge of events like Family Math Night. And last year’s president, Joe Chilsen, recruited some of his University of Wisconsin-La Crosse students to help develop a marketing plan. Their main advice was to use a single logo across all forms of media and to focus on one message: that the school offers faith-based education. “Our parents are our best advocates, our best marketing tool,” says Principal Greg Wesely.

The revitalization efforts are working. K-6 enrollment grew from 140 to 148 students, and the school has 12 new preschoolers, enabling them to offer an additional class for 3- and 4-year-olds. This resurgence also has led to more parishioners volunteering at events. Perhaps the biggest change, though, is in the atmosphere.

“There’s a cohesiveness,” Fries says. “We’re more of a community than just a school, more of an extended family.”

Group at a Glance

Name: St. Patrick School Parents
Location: Onalaska, Wis.
Community: population 15,701; suburban
School Size: 160 students, grades preK-6
Annual Budget: $10,000