IGNITING THE TRADITION: A Closer Look at Reitz Memorial High School’s New Strategic Plan

from Memorial Memories Magazine — Fall/Winter 2022

Letter From The Principal

A strategic plan provides us with a clear direction. It considers our past and aligns our community around shared goals and objectives for our future. This direction and alignment are more important than ever for Reitz Memorial High School considering the changing educational environment and our inspiring future possibilities.

“It is a challenging time and an exciting time to be in education,” says Reitz Memorial President Christian Mocek. “As president, I value the ability to collaborate with the entire community to achieve the wonderful mission of the school. We now have an opportunity to think together about what our institution will be in the future.”

This year Reitz Memorial High School launched its new strategic plan, “Igniting the Tradition.” The plan spans a three-year timeline from July 1, 2022, until June 30, 2025, and comes out of years of collaborative deliberation and decision-making.

“We titled the plan ‘Igniting the Tradition’ because it is really about getting back to our roots,” says Mr. Mocek. “It is about the story of who we are and how we invest in our people, our students, and our community.”

The Strategic Planning Committee entered its first phase in 2018. Mrs. Daniela Vidal chaired the committee, and she also recently became the Chair of the President’s Council and has served on the board for six years.

“The mission of the school itself is something I’m passionate about not just because my children attend the school but because Catholic education is important to me and my husband,” says Mrs. Vidal. “We want Catholic education to be accessible for anyone who wants to have this opportunity.”

Mrs. Vidal shares that several factors converged to create the impetus for the strategic plan.

“One factor was that the diocese is requiring all schools to develop a strategic plan,” says Mrs. Vidal. “At the same time, the president wanted to engage the President’s Council in impactful ways to create institutional change. Our initial goal was identifying foundational pillars, and we began with a survey and with focus groups.”

The survey went out to a wide range of Memorial stakeholders including students, parents, employees, and community members. The committee received hundreds of responses.

“The responses gave us good insight into what was the overall perception of the school, what was important for the different constituent groups, and what drives people to choose one school over another in this area,” says Mrs. Vidal. “We had a series of focus groups to dive deeper into the survey’s trends, and they informed the creation of the four pillars.” The four pillars in the strategic plan are Catholic identity, a culture of excellence, communication, and sustainability. Each pillar has a strategic goal and three corresponding objectives through which the goals will be achieved.

For example, the pillar of communication has the strategic goal to “ensure open and timely communication both internally and externally among students, parents, faculty, staff, and administration.” The related objectives are, in short, to “assess and strengthen technology use,” “audit and re-design digital communications,” and “create systems of feedback and accountability.”

Ultimately, the strategic plan will put into action Memorial’s vision statement of “providing an environment where God inspires, we educate, students thrive.”

“We’re here to make disciples, and Catholic identity is all about that,” says Mr. Mocek. “Excellence is about investing in our people and our faculty, staff, and students. Communication and sustainability are all about how we work with our alumni and benefactors to achieve our mission.”

Mr. Aaron Schmitt, Principal of Reitz Memorial High School, graduated in the Memorial class of 2004 and has worked at the high school for 13 years. During his time at Memorial, Mr. Schmitt has taught social studies, served as the department chair, and coached baseball. He extensively discerned becoming principal and spoke with his wife and the faculty at length.

“I am a teacher, I love kids, and I see that we’ve gone through and experienced quite a bit over the years as a school community,” says Mr. Schmitt. “We talked a lot while creating the strategic plan, and I’ve listened and written notes. We talked about the things that make Memorial unique and about a vision for the school’s future. We want Memorial to move in a direction that excites people, and I think it’s doing that.”

Over the years, Mr. Schmitt has listened to many faculty, staff, parents, students, and community members. When he thinks about the four pillars, Mr. Schmitt thinks first about how hungry people are for faith and a true Catholic identity.

“This school formed my character, and these students are looking for faith, guidance, role models, and ways to contribute,” says Mr. Schmitt. “We’re building a culture of excellence in all areas including faith, academics, and athletics. For me, communication is about being present. I want people to know I’m here and ready to listen and talk.”

The Catholic identity pillar also particularly motivates Mrs. Vidal. She believes that having symbols on the school’s walls is important, such as hanging crucifixes in every classroom, but that our faith must go beyond that.

“Catholic identity is at the heart of what Memorial is because otherwise, we’re just a private school,” says Mrs. Vidal. “We have to figure out how to make that identity come to life. We have to have that relationship with Christ and model that for the students. We have to show how the faith interacts with all subjects and our daily lives.”

Mrs. Vidal also believes in the importance of fostering our partnerships with local parishes, which will help students stay engaged with the faith and our community beyond high school. Mrs. Vidal is passionate about helping others see the benefit and value of a Memorial education, essentially seeing what they get out of it and will get out of it for years to come.

“Memorial is an incredible institution that has added tremendous value to our community, and the school is a ministry of the bigger Church,” says Mrs. Vidal. “We can better integrate with the parish communities so that students stay connected after high school. Leadership in our community has come out of Memorial, and that speaks to its values and its quality.”

When we consider the three-year timeline for the strategic plan and its ongoing implementation, Mr. Mocek reminds us that we are all responsible for carrying out the plan together.

“It will involve the buy-in and cooperation of the entire community to succeed,” says Mr. Mocek.

When Mr. Schmitt looks to the future, he looks beyond 2025 to when his own young children will begin studying at Memorial. He looks beyond the high school itself to fostering strong relationships with alumni and with our local and global communities.

“What opportunities do I want available for my son in 2035?” asks Mr. Schmitt. “We need to aim larger than the walls of this building and think about how these students and this school impact the community and can impact the world. We want our students to have empathy and a sense of obligation to give back because they have been given so much.”

There are many ways to support Memorial’s strategic plan over the coming months and years. Mr. Schmitt would encourage us to continue supporting the school in whatever ways we can.

“The support we have received has been overwhelming,” says Mr. Schmitt. “You can support the school by offering your time through volunteering or by sharing your talents and treasure. We must leave the world better for the people who come behind us. We want excellence, and the only way to get there is with your support. Do something that is going to last and have an impact.”

Speaking for the Reitz Memorial High School community, Mr. Mocek, Mrs. Vidal, and Mr. Schmitt would like to thank everyone who contributed to creating the plan and who will contribute to carrying it out.

“I want to say thank you to everyone involved in the strategic plan,” says Mr. Mocek. “Then I want to say that now the real work begins. We’re going to need everyone on board to achieve the ambitious goals we’ve laid out for the school’s future.”