He didn't mince words. This is going to take some extra effort, but it will be worth it, Jeff Brull said.
In an informational meeting about starting a Catholic junior high and middle school in Hays, Brull told those gathered at Holy Family Elementary School on Monday night what it will take to get classes up and running by fall 2012.
"We are asking above and beyond for an above-and-beyond project," said Brull, director of advancement for Hays Catholic Schools.
Brull handed out pledge cards to those in attendance for the newly formed St. Thomas More Society, and more cards will be available in the local Catholic churches. Brull will send out more through a mass mailing.
The name of the society, which will serve as a fund to start and operate curriculum and activities for seventh and eighth grades, was derived from the patron saint for whom the Catholic high school in Hays -- Thomas More Prep-Marian -- is named.
In the second of such meetings in as many days Monday, a 12-member panel explained information gathered from a task force that was formed when Heartland Parishes began pursuing the possibility of adding seventh- and eighth-grade classes to the Catholic education curriculum in Hays.
The task force's financial committee came up with a figure of $254,000 for start-up costs for classes and activities for seventh and eighth grades, based on 100 students. The projected yearly operating costs for a middle school is $707,000.
Currently, students have the option for Catholic education in grades kindergarten through sixth grade at Holy Family and grades nine through 12 at TMP.
Most of the students from Holy Family have used Kennedy Middle School, a public school in Hays USD 489, as a bridge school before entering high school at TMP.
Taking advantage of opportunity
When USD 489 voted in June to close Kennedy at the end of this school year, Heartland Parishes realized it "should take advantage of the opportunity to add seventh and eighth grade to the Catholic school curriculum," said Father Daryl Olmstead, pastor at St. Nicholas of Myra of the Heartland Parishes.
Kennedy is one of two middle school options in Hays; the other is Felten Middle School. After this year, all middle school students attending public school in Hays will enroll at Felten, which will be renamed.
Glenn Braun, co-chairman of the task force and former school board president, thanked the local school district for keeping the HCS board informed along the way of its intentions.
"They gave us as much notice as they had," of the possibility of closing Kennedy, Braun said. "And we really appreciate that."
So even before the decision to close Kennedy became final in June, board members and administrators were thinking about possibilities and options for adding a seventh- and eighth-grade curriculum to the Catholic school system.
Diocese approves plan
The task force took several options to the Diocese of Salina for approval. Its first choice was the three building option -- to continue high school classes at TMP, with grades five through eight at the soon-to-be vacated Kennedy building, which is owned by St. Joseph Parish, and pre-K through grade four at Holy Family.
However, a bishop is the only one with authority to open a new school in the diocese, and the Office of the Papacy in Rome still has not appointed a new bishop for the Salina Diocese to replace Paul Coakley. Coakley left in February when he was appointed archbishop of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
Father Barry Brinkman, diocesan administrator filling in until a new bishop is appointed, has approved a short-term plan, along with Nick Compagnone, superintendent of Catholic schools in the Salina Diocese.
Those two grade levels then would be part of a middle school with grades five through eight at the former Kennedy building once the three-building option is approved by the bishop.
At the head table Monday were pastors from the three Catholic parishes in Hays, as well as board members of HCS, who explained the process.
Plans are under way to make room for seventh- and eighth-grade students in the TMP building for the 2012-13 year, as well as developing its curriculum and extracurricular programs.
Plans for next year
Bill DeWitt, principal at TMP, explained the east wing of the third floor will be made available for the junior high students, and six core classroom teachers would be hired.
"We will have teachers who teach seventh- and eighth-grade curriculum," DeWitt assured the audience.
High school classes in those rooms will be relocated to other areas of the building and in former classrooms in Al Billinger Fieldhouse.
However, the panel pointed out, that can't happen until it has the pledges for start-up and operational costs.
"This is not a done deal until the money is raised," said Tim Werth, co-chairman of the task force with Braun. "We want to incorporate a process to raise money on an annual basis."
"It's about showing our support through a grassroots effort," Brull added. "As a Catholic faith community, we can be all in. We're confident it can happen. "
Donations are set up for gifts in increments that range from $250 to $25,000 a year.
But, Brull stressed, "We will not turn away money."
"If someone has a different amount in mind, or even a different time frame for giving," he said, "write that in the space on the card."
Anyone wanting more information about the society or to get a pledge card can contact Brull by phone at (785) 625-6577 Ext. 203, or by email at brullj@tmp-m.org