1. What Challenges Face Catholic Schools…..
And what do parents have to do with them?

2. Purposes of Home-School Associations:
Involvement of parents in their children’s education;
Communication between the school and the home;
Cooperation among teachers, students, parents, administrators;
Mutual support

3. Functions of HSA’s:
Provide forum for parents to communicate with the school;
Provide a source of enrichment for parents;
Provide support for school activities;
Provide for parental spiritual, educational growth;
Provide source of social enjoyment.

4. The Challenge of Finances
Need to find new sources of funding
Need to raise teacher salaries
Need to find ways to allow poor children to attend Catholic schools
Need to continue to upgrade buildings

5. The Challenge of Alternatives
Public schools doing a good job of selling themselves
New “Catholic” schools
Home schooling
Charter schools
Universal Pre-K

6. The Challenge of Catholicity
Need for orthodoxy in teaching
Teacher formation
Parent formation
Support for mission
Social Justice
Student formation

7. The Challenge of Personnel
Need to see lay ministry
Teacher attrition
Leadership
Shared governance
“We are the people
of God

8. The Challenge of Time, Talent, Treasure
Busy parents
Working parents
Guilty parents
Non-involved
Priorities

9. For Parents:
How will we continue to provide support for single parents, working parents, surrogate parents?
How will we continue to find new ways to pay for schools?
How can we strengthen bonds between parents and schools?