Dividends for Life is an appropriate theme in 2010, especially when viewed through the lens of our world’s economic recession. Now more than ever, we realize that monetary reward for hard work is important to our livelihood. Now more than ever, we also recognize that it isn’t money that makes us happy. It’s the realization that our relationship with

Christ, our relationship with family and friends, and our relationship with our community is the true foundation of happiness.

Each day those in our Catholic Schools work tirelessly to provide the divi-dends that matter of faith, love, hard work, passion, and strong academics to the families who choose to send their children to a Catholic School.

The best dividend our Catholic Schools provide is that of developing a close relationship with God. It is much more than the knowledge of our faith; it is also putting faith into action. Faith that leads to prayer. Faith that leads to service to others. Faith that leads to love of others. Faith that leads to the Eucharist.

Those are the real dividends that lead to a happy, productive, Christian life. Those are the dividends our schools give to all students.

On behalf of the students, their parents/guardians, staff and administrators, I want to say thank you to all those who pray for and support the work of the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools. Without you, the dividends we “pay” to the students would not be possible.

God Bless,

Jeff Henderson, Ed.S.Superintendent of Schools

Dear Friends and Supporters of Catholic Schools,

“Catholic Schools: Dividends for Life” --that is this year’s theme for Catholic Schools Week.

Dividends usually refer to financial rewards gained from investing wisely. When applied to Catholic Schools, we are talking about how the investment of time, hard work and commitment produces dividends that last a lifetime and beyond.

In the schools of the Archdiocese, the theme Dividends for Life centers around four pillars of Catholic education: faith, knowledge, discipline

The Archdiocese of Dubuque • 2009 - 2010 • Catholic Schools Annual Progress Report

Dear Friends and Supporters of Catholic Schools,

“Catholic Schools: Dividends for Life” -that is this year’s theme for Catholic Schools Week.

Dividends usually refer to financial rewards gained from investing wisely. When applied to Catholic Schools, we are talking about how the investment of

time, hard work and commitment produces dividends that last a lifetime and beyond.

In the schools of the Archdiocese, the theme Dividends for Life centers around four pillars of Catholic education: faith, knowledge, discipline and morals.

Faith refers to our personal relationship with God. Our schools work hard to instill this faith in our students, whether in religion classes, in worship, or in respectful service of others.

Knowledge is fostered by the academic excellence of our Catholic schools. The results from testing, as detailed in this report, verify that excellence. Through high standards, academic rigor, and high expectations for all students, our schools prepare students to make a positive contribution to our parishes, neigh-borhoods, Archdiocese, state, nation, and the entire world.

Without discipline, we cannot achieve dreams and goals. Our teachers and administrators, working with caring parents or guardians, set the appropriate boundaries at our schools ensuring that students learn the habits of self-control that will lead to a better life.

Lastly, the morals taught at our schools reinforce parents or guardians in their work as the primary educators of their children. Setting high standards in all aspects of life brings out the best in young people. Knowing what is right along with having the self-control to choose good over evil prepares our young people to live with integrity both now and in the future.

Because of your help, our Catholic schools provide dividends for life.

Sincerely in Christ,

Most Reverend Jerome Hanus, OSBArchbishop of Dubuque

Message from the Archbishop

Message from the Superintendent

Dividends For Life

Catholic Schools

Archdiocesan Mission Statement

Vision 2000

We the Church of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, are God’s people gathering together as a Eucharistic community to worship, sharing the Word of God, affirming traditional and emerging leadership roles and supporting families to model Catholic faith and morality for the next generation.

We commit ourselves to lifelong faith formation and to the service of humanity because we believe in the Risen Christ, in the wisdom and kindness of God, the author of life, and in the love the Holy Spirit bestows.

Mission Statement of the Educational Apostolate

Archdiocese of Dubuque

The mission of the Educational Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Dubuque is to promote lifelong faith formation which challenges individuals to:

• respond to God’s continuous call to conversion to Jesus Christ

• form and be formed in Christian community life

• grow in knowledge of faith • participate in liturgical celebrations in prayer

• collaborate in the Church’s mission of evangelization

Revenue Percentages for Catholic Schools

Expense Percentages for Catholic Schools

* Data is composite of averages for previous three years

Archdiocesan Proficiency Levels4th GradeYear Math Reading05/06 88.3% 86.1%06/07 90.8% 88.4%07/08 87.1% 86.6%08/09 88.6% 88.2%

8th GradeYear Math Reading Science05/06 88.9% 85.4% 87.7%06/07 88.6% 86.3% 91.7%07/08 87.1% 83.0% 84.9%08/09 87.5% 85.5% 90.7%

11th GradeYear Math Reading Science 05/06 90.2% 87.3% 88.1%06/07 91.2% 87.1% 88.8%07/08 90.5% 89.1% 88.9%08/09 89.2% 87.6% 89.9%

At a Glance

Elementary (K-8): $48,335,348Secondary (9-12): $21,274,363Total Expenditures for Catholic Schools: $69,609,711*

Sources: Archdiocesan Status Reports, 2009-10 The Annual Condition of Education Report, 2009 N.C.E.A. Report, 2009 Annual Progress Report Data, 2008-09.

Schools / Enrollment:• There are 44 elementary / middle schools and seven secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Dubuque.

• Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade enrollment is 10,020.

• High School (grades 9-12) enrollment is 2,432.

• The student population is 7.1% ethnically diverse.

• 13.63% of the student population qualifies for free or reduced lunch under the Federal Nutrition Program.

• There are 39 Early Childhood Centers in the Archdiocese of Dubuque, ranging from infant care to preschool programs.

• Early childhood enrollment is 2,981, including infant care, daycare, and preschool.

Staffing:• There are 829 full-time certified staff and 211 part-time certified staff.

• Lay personnel comprise 98.3% of the faculty and the remaining 1.7% are sisters or priests.

Dropout Rate – Grades 7-12:• There was a 0% dropout rate in the 2008-09 school year. This compares favorably to the Iowa rate of 1.96% in 2007-08. (This is the most recent information available.)

Post-Secondary Education / Training, May 2009:• At least 97% of the graduating seniors pursued post-secondary education / training following graduation in 2009, as self reported by the seven high schools. This compares favorably to a rate of 81.2% in Iowa public schools, according to the Annual Condition of Education Report, 2009.

Graduation Rate, May 2009:• The graduation rate was 100% in May 2009 in the seven Archdiocesan High Schools. This compares favorably to a rate of 88.7% in Iowa public schools, according to the Annual Condition of the Education Report, 2009.

Proficiency is the percentage of all students in intermediate and high achievement levels

In Iowa 80.3% of the 4th graders are proficient in math; 80.4% in reading.

In Iowa 75.9% of the 8th graders are proficient in math; 70.4% in reading; 82.9% in science.

In Iowa 76.6% of the 11th graders are proficient in math; 75.8% in reading; 80.3% in science.