Another School in the Catholic Tradition

A group in Montrose, Colorado will be opening the Pope John Paul II Academy in September, according to an on line report.  The academy will be a private independent school in the Roman Catholic tradition, said board member Dr. Michael Brezinsky. It will start with kindergarten through second grade with hopes of expanding one or two grades each year, eventually becoming a K-12 school.  According to the report,

The academy is not a "Catholic school," as it did not gain approval from Bishop Arthur Tafoya of the Catholic Diocese of Pueblo. Approval from the bishop is needed for the school to use the "Catholic" name.

"They asked the bishop for approval and he said he did not want any more independent schools in the diocese," said the Rev. Donald Malin of St. Mary’s in Montrose. The idea has been around for about 10 years, he said. However, details recently got under way.

"I'm very sympathetic with the desires of the hearts of those people who want to educate their children in the Catholic tradition," Malin said. "It (the academy) is not something the parish is sanctioning or supporting because they’ve chosen to become independent."

To aid in details such as curriculum and bylaws, the board is using the services of The National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools (NAPCIS).

The board hasn’t decided teacher credentials. A NAPCIS certification is a possibility, [board member Gery] Gordon said.

All this sounds very similar to what St. John Bosco Schools is in the process of doing in our area.  See here for the current status of the SJBS efforts. The web site also has available an information flyer, a FAQ sheet, a curriculum outline and a proposed book list, as well as form for parents and others to express their interest in the school.