INTRODUCTION

In the fall of 1998, after a year of work and study, the original Pastoral Plan to direct and guide St. Francis of Assisi Catholic parish was created by our Pastoral Council, ministry leadership and Fr. Jim McDougall, pastor of St. Francis parish. For the next five years, this plan was implemented.

In 2003, the Pastoral Council found that most of the original plan had been accomplished and that it was time to create a new plan for the parish. To better understand the needs of the parish, our council contracted with the Gallup Organization to do the Spiritual Engagement Survey within the parish community. The results of the survey and other consultations within the parish, along with extensive visitations of other successful large parishes and congregations by pastoral council members, staff and ministry members, led to the creation of this new strategic plan.

As was stated in the introduction to the previous plan, all of the listening in the world – all possible planning is in need of God’s blessing and grace if there is to be spiritual and ministerial fruit. So we begin this new segment of our parish journey with heartfelt reliance on God and also praise and thanks for God’s love and care. Once again, our research and planning has led us to the same ingredients for a plan for church that we can find in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. God seems to continue to call St. Francis to be a Pentecost-like church under the sway of the Holy Spirit - enlivened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, characterized by small groups or communities, filled with a spirit of evangelization and a concern for conversion, and alive with a contagious missionary passion that reaches out more and more to those separated or alienated from us, or those unchurched.

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church strives to be a Christ-centered expression of the family of God, nourished by Spirit-filled worship and ministries that impact, challenge, and empower people of all ages to serve one another in a spirit of community, stewardship, and outreach. Jesus Christ, companion, Lord, and Savior is the life-giving center of this community. The Eucharist is our font of nourishment, where with Jesus, we offer the Father praise and worship. We experience Christ’s love and presence also in our many groups and ministries, in which we feed and nurture each other and the world around us. We are a community of stewardship, sharing our time, treasure and giftedness with each other and the world. We believe that through our common Baptism, each of us is blessed with gifts of the Spirit to be used for the common good and the Glory of God. We are a welcoming, evangelizing community, striving to be accepting and inclusive of all people. We are a community of outreach, ministering to the victims of society’s sin and injustice with the resources God has blessed us. St. Francis is a community committed to responding to the mandate of Jesus in John’s Gospel: "Love one another as I have loved you."

1. Evangelization of the world around us toward conversion and life in God’s reign.
2. The Priesthood of the Faithful flowing from baptism, training, and formation for ministry.
3. Inner healing through Christ and spirituality and faithful presence to each other in times of need.
4. Small Groups and basic Christian Communities as paradigmatic for our parish life.
5. The Domestic Church of the home as the basic cell of Church.
6. Responsibility for all for social justice.
7. Communication of Jesus Christ and our faith community to the world around us.
8. Stewardship of time, treasure and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
9. A church for all ages, with special focus on children, teens, and young adults.

To further the kingdom of God, we at St. Francis will:

Outreach Programs:

1. Continue be a caring presence in the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti area by acting as a liaison between parishioners and existing programs.
2. Expand outreach to families living with adult children with disabilities.
3. Increase programming that would be of interest to those outside of the St. Francis family.
4. Celebrate different ethnic feasts such as Guadalupe and Martin Luther King, Jr.
5. Develop area in the church for a shrine for various ethnic religious symbols and art.
6. Develop ways to get "cultural Catholics" to participate in parish activities.
7. Purchase advertising space to market our outreach ministries (We Miss You, Annulment Workshop, Theology on Tap, RCIA).
8. Explore the possibility of obtaining a marketing consultant to assist with our outreach programs.

Christian Initiation of children is first and foremost formation with the family: catechesis with the family, spiritual guidance with the family, ritual celebration with the family, and apostolic service with the family. To achieve this, the Christian Initiation process will:

1. Recognize and minister to the diversity of family styles and cultures.
2. Encourage the parents to actively participate in the process by attending weekly sessions, mornings of reflection – either the adult or the children’s catechumenate, and rituals.
3. Nurture relationships within the Catechumenate and St. Francis’ Parish Community.
4. Provide for the children and their families to share their time and talent in preparing and planting the garden for the poor in the spring.

1. Explore the possibility of developing a year-round process for the initiation of new members.

1. Increase programming to twice a year, after Christmas and Easter.
2. Broaden advertising to include notices to surrounding parishes.
3. Add more follow-up events to build community.

1. Review the Welcoming process to see how it can be improved.
1. Provide more practical training for neighborhood coordinators to help them with interactive skills and knowledge of the parish.
2. Look at and review time and talent approach/analysis to better surface values and talents that are important to people.
3. Better connect Giftedness/Discernment/Time/Talent process to welcoming process.
4. Create monthly or bi-monthly gatherings/brunches for newcomers.
5. Enhance the personal welcoming of people at masses.
2. Web Site:
1. Review the front page of the parish web site and examine where it can be more welcoming and inviting.
3. Implement a process to improve community building at coffee and donuts.
4. Investigate different opportunities for parishioner socialization, e.g., inexpensive regular dinners, game night, etc.
5. Utilize church bulletin boards to welcome visitors while inviting and encouraging them to participate in the life of our parish, e.g., UMS Concerts.

In order to enhance the sense of belonging and empowerment, and to enable the parish to become more relational and communal, we at St. Francis will:

1. Review our Neighborhood approach and see where it can be improved and enhanced to build community and relationship.
1. use neighborhood approach to enhance sense of belonging/community/enablement.
2. create neighborhood activities; i.e., neighborhood masses.
3. use of neighborhood approach for ministries, i.e., visiting sick.
2. Train and surface parish leadership and ministers to build relationships among parishioners that enhance, build and create a more warm, inviting and inclusive community
3. Surface and develop mentor relationships between existing and involved parishioners and new or less-involved parishioners to enhance the sense of belonging and community
4. These relationships and community will be developed using, among other ways, the following special groups and approaches:
1. "Large" parish events such as:
(1) Ethnic festivals – to better include different ethnicities of parish
(2) Mother Daughter/Father Son type events
(3) Weekday evening meals in PAC
(4) "Upgrade" Sunday Coffee and Donuts: Sunday Morning Café
(5) Special festivals, i.e., Mardi Gras
2. Enhancing our "20 somethings" involvement in the parish: both married and singles. [See Focus # 4]
3. Improve our Middle singles group (35-55) [see Focus # 4]
4. Small group activities to fit the needs of different segments of our community. These could include but not be limited to the following small groups:
(1) young married group
(2) different ethnic groups
(3) group for parents of young children
(4) infertility group
(5) marriage enrichment group
(6) continue to develop senior citizens group
(7) those in 50-65 age group (post-children / pre-retirement)
(8) other groups as needed
5. Family groupings and activities:
(1) family bible study
(2) family gym nights and events
(3) family prayer learning sessions
(4) family retreats
(5) integrate ministries to become more family sensitive
6. Include the gifts, talents and spiritualities of the many ethnic and national groups into our parish community.
7. Better integrate existing groups into parish life and help them to use their groups to enhance community sense of belonging and to reach out to others
(1) K. of C.
(2) Boy and Girl Scouts groups
(3) Teen Groups – high school and middle school

To help the parish to this, we shall:

1. Parish Stewardship efforts shall be coordinated by a Director of Stewardship, with the assistance of an active Stewardship Committee.
2. Underline "Stewardship as a way of life" i.e., the need for parishioners to take "ownership" of the Parish, and to accept responsibility for what needs to be done, and not to automatically defer such responsibility to others.
3. Educate the Parish concerning "Stewardship as a way of life." This shall necessarily involve becoming better educated ourselves, requiring research into both the subject itself and ways to communicate it more effectively to others.
4. We shall continue to offer parishioners a wide variety of ways to contribute their time and their talents.
5. We shall continue to offer parishioners efficient and convenient ways to contribute to the financial well-being of the Parish.
6. We shall investigate ways to improve our data base of parishioners so as to easier identify those with usable skills, and better match them to Parish needs.
7. While we may continue to consider September as the annual kick-off of our Stewardship campaign, we must do a better job of keeping "Stewardship as a way of life" before our parishioners on a regular and consistent basis. This shall involve at least a half-page of the Forum each week, including a scriptural reference, focus on a "Ministry of the Week," and a specific mention of how funds may be used to support it, in addition to the usual report of how much was collected the previous Sunday.
8. We shall improve the way we recognize those who serve the Parish and others. This shall include listing names in the Forum when a specific ministry is featured, or some other regular form of print recognition, and some sort of parish-wide reception for significant volunteers.

Adult Formation and Education:

Learning about our faith is a life-long process that equips the community to follow Jesus’ mandate to evangelize. Therefore, we will:

1. Broaden and extend the ways that scripture study is offered.
2. Develop a school of ministry that offers a variety of courses for deeper theological development, for personal growth and/or leading to certified levels of competence.
3. Increase the ease of use and accessibility of the parish library to make it a valued resource for the parish.
4. Continue to encourage and develop small group faith sharing opportunities.
5. Develop parish weekend retreat program to be initiated in 2005.
6. Advocate time at all parish meetings to include the three elements of prayer/faith sharing, learning/formation, and business agenda.

1. Increase members' participation on the Singles Committee. Involve peer leadership and ministry.
2. Develop more small groups to meet particular spiritual needs and interests.
3. Continue the process of evangelization and establishing through spiritual formation events, opportunities to actively live the faith through service and ministry, and times of fellowship.
4. Further develop social nights and potlucks. Include particular events or presentations.
5. Increase members' awareness, access, and participation in the adult formation programs.
6. Encourage participation in other Catholic single groups and activities on a regional and diocesan level. Create activities to which other groups can be invited.

1. Strengthen the young adult committee. Seek to connect individuals with projects and ministries that they are interested and gifted in.
2. Encourage greater hospitality among members and in welcoming newcomers.
3. Maintain a high level of commitment to the service and social justice teachings through a variety of service projects and volunteer opportunities.
4. Develop additional small groups based on particular needs, interests, and spiritualities.
5. Concurrently, develop peer leadership and training to form small group leaders.
6. Maintain a connection with the adult formation program to encourage members to pursue those opportunities.
7. Investigate possibility of parish young adult retreats. Pursue a method of instituting them, including one-day formats and evenings of reflection.
8. Continuously encourage participation in regional, diocesan, and broader scale events and programs.

1. Actively work with the Library committee to create a resource center with age and developmentally appropriate materials for high school teens.
2. Develop links with the middle school youth ministry to provide a contiguous program and smooth transition to high school.
3. Maintain a high level of responsiveness to the culture and world the youth live in so that youth are equipped to deal with life issues based on a strong faith foundation.
4. Create a mentoring program for youth leadership
5. Maintain a high level of commitment to the Church's service and social justice teachings through fostering the service ethic and providing service opportunities.
6. Develop activities, programs, and retreats to involve parents with the youth group activities. Provide parents with consistent information on activities and how they can support their youth's spiritual development.
7. Develop peer leadership program including leadership training, spiritual formation, and theological understanding to equip them to lead.
8. Continue evangelization of the youth while providing activities, retreats, and ministries that aid them in establishing themselves in their faith and taking it on as their own (especially through continual efforts with the Youth Mass and participation in this and other liturgies).
9. Create a youth-friendly space for youth group and other special youth activities.

Middle School, Elementary, and Early Learning Formation and Education:

In the midst of family and community, Jesus grew in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor (Luke 2:52). Children experience, learn, and model the Faith first from the family and later from the wider community of believers. To further the kingdom of God, we will:

1. Increase opportunities for middle school student involvement outside of the classroom:
1. Expand opportunities in the Middle School youth ministry program to attract a greater number of students from all schools.
2. Link with high school youth ministry to encourage students to continue after Confirmation.
2. Move forward with the parish-wide survey on Middle School Religious Education.
3. Evaluate the structure of Confirmation preparation to begin earlier with seventh-graders.
4. Emphasize and strengthen family involvement in the formation of children through a variety of means including:
1. Continuing the development of the Family Religious Education program by providing resources and strategies for the formation of children and youth within a family context.
2. Continuing well-attended seasonal family events, such as the Nativity procession, while developing new family activities, such as the more recent Last Supper activities.
3. Strengthening and exploring strategies for developing prayer and sacramental opportunities for children with family involvement, such as family Masses and celebration of the sacrament of Reconciliation.
4. Continuing family involvement in sacramental preparation of Confirmation, First Eucharist and First Reconciliation and further develop family involvement in religious education classroom activities, such as service projects, retreats, and field trips.
5. Developing a religious education parent handbook to better communicate goals, policies, and information on children’s formation and adult opportunities for involvement.
6. Improving the ease of communication between parents and the religious education office through continued development of the web and e-mail use.
7. Providing today’s busy families with more accessible class times and a greater choice of options for class offerings.
5. Evaluate and strengthen the teaching of religious education to children as a discipline equal to other disciplines.
1. Evaluate and strengthen teaching methods that engage the variety of learning styles of children and that help relate lessons to real-life situations.
2. Expand the teaching of Bible stories to children and provide and promote scripture study among their parents.
3. Develop in collaboration with the Parish Library video and printed material resources for use in teaching children and enriching the spiritual growth of children within the family. Teaching resources would be located in the religious education office and be available to the parish through the Parish Library.
6. Encourage the expression of the various Catholic traditions and customs of the various cultures that make up the parish and enrich our religious education program with activities that include these Catholic cultural traditions.
1. Evaluate and provide for the religious educational needs of children and their families who are from a different culture.
7. Expand the special need ministry in collaboration with the social ministry to provide for the comprehensive inclusion of special needs children and youth in the parish.
8. Continue to develop resources and curriculum for the early childhood program during the week. Research the proposed idea of adding Kindergarten to Sunday morning as part of the program for the young child. Provide information on parent and young child groups in the parish to families involved in the parish preschool program.
9. Explore resources to expand the children’s liturgy of the Word to include grades K–5.
10. Continue to develop a service component to the Religious Education program which includes the social justice teachings by:
1. Providing a list of service opportunities for catechists through the Office of Social Ministry;
2. Provide opportunities for class and family involvement in service, including field trip opportunities;
3. Promote a program wide service project.
11. Develop and research opportunities for the personal growth and certification of catechists within the school of ministry.
1. Provide access to a greater number of resources and practical ideas for teaching activities.
2. Explore strategies for recognizing and showing appreciation for the contributions of catechists.

1. Continue the primary mandate of liturgical music: to evangelize, catechize and help build the body of Christ by:

    a. Encouraging the youth of the parish to become musically involved. (1) Elementary School (i) String Ensemble
(ii) Junior Choir (2) Middle School (i) Hand chimes
(ii) Sunday 5:00 p.m. Mass Ensemble
(iii) String Ensemble
(iv) Junior Choir (3) High School (i) Handbells
(ii) Adult Choir
(iii) Sunday 5:00 p.m. Mass Ensemble     b. Encouraging small groups within larger ensembles. (1) seasonal faith-sharing groups
(2) gathering for meals and celebrations (i) Sunday morning breakfasts
(ii) parties and showers
(iii) monthly dinners before choir rehearsals     c. Continuing the growth of the Sacred Music Fund through parish-centered concerts. (1) August Organ Series
(2) create committee to pursue opportunities     d. Continuing to introduce an international array of hymns/songs to be sung at parish liturgies.
2. Provide seasonal enhancements to draw us more deeply into the liturgy by:
1. Exploring options for back lighting the stained glass window of St Francis creating a sense of welcome to those who enter.
2. Maintaining the appearance of the sanctuary by investigating the possibility of hiring a company specializing in plant maintenance and rotation.
3. Creating an environment that has a larger impact on the worshiping assembly.
3. Offer an opportunity for parishioners to be aware of our need for additional liturgical ministers by:
1. personally addressing the assembly during weekend masses focusing on parishioners from other cultures, sharing with those present the requirements for becoming an extraordinary minister as well as the rewards experienced in serving
2. providing an additional training session prior to the beginning of Lent
3. reaching out through Forum articles and mass announcements
4. enlisting support of current liturgical ministers in recruiting and serving as mentors to others
5. especially invite youth and young adults to become involved in liturgical ministries.
6. especially invite parishioners from other nations and cultures to become involved in liturgical ministries.
4. Encourage parishioners to share their gifts with a spirit of evangelization by:
1. inviting others to reach out to those during their time of sorrow by participating in the Funeral Ministry
2. offering to help the wedding couple as Wedding Coordinators and Wedding Assistants
5. Develop an opportunity to collaborate with the Youth Ministry in a Burning of Palms Ritual by:
1. inviting parishioners to bring their palms prior to the Sunday before Lent
2. creating a ritual service
3. extending an invitation to all parishioners to participate following the 5:00 p.m. Sunday liturgy
4. involving the youth before, during, and following the ritual with the palms as well as sifting the ash to be blest and used on Ash Wednesday
6. Foster a welcoming environment and further increase the importance of being comfortable in reaching out to others at St. Francis by:
1. sponsoring a Greeter Ministry Seminar entitled "How To Work A Room," based on the book by Susan Roane.
2. inviting other ministries in the parish to participate.
7. Study the feasibility of installing a video system that would show baptisms and could be used for other events in the church.

St Francis Parish is dedicated to deepening its efforts and commitment to pastoral care by nurturing physical, spiritual and emotional healing and well being through the message of the Gospel, the utilization of our individual gifts and talents and the celebration of our liturgical and prayer life.

To achieve this we will:

1. Continue to explore areas of need, currently not provided for by pastoral care and continue the current process of reviewing existing programs with a view to enhancing, supporting and strengthening them.
1. Create ongoing training and support for all volunteers that includes some form of continuing education in theology and the development of ministry skills.
2. Continue to educate parishioners regarding ministries and ministry opportunities with a view to encouraging more parishioners to volunteer and become active members of our community. Empowering members of the community to be more pro-active in identifying and meeting the ministry needs of our community.
2. Explore the possibility of establishing Stephen Ministry within the parish to complement and where necessary assist in existing pastoral care programs.
1. Identify, recruit and train suitable leaders and volunteers as appropriate to carry out a Stephen Ministry within our parish.
3. Explore the possibility of developing a Men’s Spirituality program to identify the spiritual needs of men within our parish, to support their role in our families and community, and to empower and enrich their spiritual and emotional lives.
4. As a long-term goal to explore the possibility of developing a Women’s Spirituality program to identify the spiritual needs of women within our parish, to support their role in our families and community, and to empower and enrich their spiritual and emotional lives.
5. Undertake a study of the existing ministry to the infirm and homebound: that seeks ways to strengthen their connections with the community and utilizes their prayer and spiritual potential for the benefit of the whole community. This study would also seek to identify how we can best minister to this growing section of our community, as well as attract new volunteers to minister to them.
6. Continue to strengthen and support our current counseling program, by highlighting its work and the possibilities and services it offers to parishioners in their struggles with complex psychological and emotional issues and events in their lives.
1. Educate parishioners as to what is currently available in the ministry and explore ways as to how it can be enhanced and expanded to meet growing needs. Explore the possibility of offering alternative complementary styles of counseling such as ‘online’ counseling.
7. Continue to foster and advance spiritual support for parishioners through spiritual direction. Continue to highlight the opportunities available for one on one direction and to educate parishioners on the benefits of direction in the spiritual journeys of our lives.
8. Support and assist the Elizabeth Ministry in their on-going evaluation of their work and how they are currently organized.
9. Continue to explore and strengthen ways of offering emotional, spiritual and peer support to those currently in search of employment. Facilitate and assist the unemployed in gaining employment. Highlight and promote the contribution that parishioners can make and strengthen connections with other religious and civil organizations involved in similar work.
10. Evaluate existing ministry to those bereaved and grieving in our parish. Develop closer connections and contacts with local funeral homes, hospices and hospitals and identify and train suitable volunteers to assist the bereaved in healing.
11. Recruit a new health ministry leader/parish nurse. Encourage her/him to continue to develop closer contacts with local hospitals, nursing homes, and out-patient services.
1. This new ministry leader will assist the parish in identifying how we can best and effectively minister to and help the sick in our community through offering an holistic approach that integrates their physical and spiritual needs and at the same time deepens their connections with the community. Continue to highlight the work of this ministry and to support all those who volunteer.
12. Explore the possibilities of more regular celebration of the Sacrament of the Sick, especially during Sunday and Weekday Masses.
13. Explore the possibility of developing intercessory prayer teams to regularly intercede for pastors and all parish leaders, as well as the needs of the whole parish community.
14. Investigate the revitalization of the Telecare Ministry.

In order to grow in the sense of outreach, understanding and empowerment, we at St. Francis will:

1. Define and communicate our Catholic social mission to the people of St. Francis
1. assess the parish's knowledge of justice issues and the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching.
2. choose one major justice project per year to embrace as a community.
3. develop a social justice segment of RENEW.
4. organize an ongoing JustFaith Process.
5. build support and awareness for persons with developmental disabilities and their families.
6. actively work to end abortion especially near our parish, here in Ann Arbor.
7. educate our parish about the opportunities that exist in our community to serve the poor face to face.
8. develop more outreach and social justice opportunities for teens, children and families; work cooperatively with the School Service Committee, Youth Ministry, etc.
2. Identify people’s needs and help meet them – knowing our participation in this service is important in what we do in everyday lives:
1. organize at least one training session for listening to, and meeting people in need face-to-face or by phone. Encourage the St Vincent de Paul Society face-to-face interviews, and budget counseling;
2. For the Hungry: Sustainable Garden project; Serve Supper for the Hungry; parish-wide Food Drives and weekly non-perishable food donations;
3. For Shelter: Habitat for Humanity House; Homeless Shelters – Alpha House one week in October and Overflow Shelter one week in March; Christmas in April/Rebuilding Together;
4. For Transportation: car donation transfers; rides to church or medical appointments;
5. For those in need of Physical Care/items: build support, network and awareness of persons with developmental disabilities and their families; encourage Elizabeth Ministry in our neighborhoods; support Holy Family Ministry Camp; the Domestic Violence Project - Safe House Christmas Party; the Giving Tree;
6. For the Jail: after care programs; support meetings for family; train more lay presiders for prayer and teaching;
7. invite more parish members to help with Legislative Advocacy Work;
8. research and develop a "Christian-Family Friendly SHOPPING" program;
9. a fuller partnership with Perry nursery school;
10. determine some streamlined policy for special collections;
11. Develop county-wide Pax Christi organization with P&J @ all other Catholic Churches that wish to participate.
3. Help/encourage people to talk about their spiritual growth!
1. schedule one or two times each year for persons to share socially about their social service experience(s). Sharing our personal service stories with others;
2. hold a "social" for volunteers that serve supper to the hungry that they may share stories. (1-2 years);
3. Encourage volunteers to write personal service stories (with photos) for the St. Francis Parish Canticle. (Share the Elizabeth Ministry stories from our neighborhoods.)
4. Give recognition and praise to participants!
1. Celebrate the contributions that volunteer leaders have made by writing personal thank you notes signed by the team or committee;
2. Pray for the spiritual growth and blessings on our volunteers at Mass;
3. Write parish service stories (with photos) for the Canticle and report on how our SVDP fund is used.

As a Parish committed to the principle of Stewardship as a way of life, we are accountable to God, to the Worldwide Church and our Diocese, and to our Parishioners.

1. We shall be forthright in all our business affairs, and shall prepare accurate reports to the Parish on a regular basis.
2. We shall continually examine and evaluate our physical facilities, striving for improvement wherever possible, within the constraints of our financial resources. Our facilities must adequately support our many ministries and programs. We shall be open to the possibilities of developing or remodeling existing spaces, and of the construction of a new building if necessary.
3. We shall continue to strive for improvement in our existing vehicles of communication, the Forum, the Canticle, and our regular reports/letters to parishioners, with more pictures and color, better graphics, and more interesting articles.
4. We shall continue to maintain regular contact with our inactive members through the Canticle, as well as through our website and a neighborhood outreach effort.
5. We shall continue to utilize the internet in as many ways as possible to further communications to our members, and to improve their ability to contact us.
6. We shall investigate expansion of our existing video services in the Church and in peripheral locations as a means of enhancing the Sacramental experience for those attending. We shall continue to use video services as a means of including in our Masses and ministries those who are unable to be with us in person.
7. We shall improve our public relations process by designating a single staff person, i.e., the Communications Director, to be responsible for news releases to local media for parish and school events and achievements. The recognition of accomplishments of our members in parish or school activities helps to promote the image and reputation of the parish and school in our communities.

Philosophy and Mission Statement:

"St. Francis Catholic School is committed to maintaining and improving a multifaceted education that instills a respect for Christian values, a lifelong love of learning, a strong sense of self worth, and an active social conscience. We believe that this mission is shared with parents and members of the parish community."   In order to live this message, we teach and model these beliefs to our students and each other by:

1. Sharing the philosophy and mission statement regularly with parents, students and staff and with all ministries within St. Francis Parish.
2. Communicating information in the monthly calendar packet. "Coffees with Mrs. Miller" will continue to discuss current educational topics with parents. Conferences and teacher communication with parents about school progress will continue on a regular basis. Information about the school will be published regularly in the Forum and Canticle.
3. Gathering information from a survey mailed in the spring of 2003 that addresses curriculum and school climate questions from the last four years of graduating students and parents.
4. Actively guiding the thousands of volunteer hours (PTG) on behalf of the school.
5. Continuing many parish and school service opportunities for our students and parents (i.e., school service committee meets regularly with parish Social Ministry to coordinate efforts). Middle School service hours required.
6. Updating the school handbook to include a "policy on bullying" in the 2003-04 school year.

"The school curriculum encompasses all the learning experiences (cognitive, affective, psychomotor) that are planned, guided, and sponsored by the school. The students’ needs, abilities, interests, and self-image are taken into consideration when the curriculum is designed. The curriculum is developed with the intellectual, social, personal, productive and spiritual domains of the student."  The school will keep religion as its major focus as it continues to study and strengthen all curricular areas by:

1. Developing a values program each year that coordinates with the daily religion lessons taught in the classroom.
2. Including monthly K-8 prayer services in addition to weekday Masses.
3. Directing curriculum studies to include Social Studies in 2003, Religion, Physical Education, Art and Music in 2006, and Language Arts in 2008.
4. Encouraging staff development in religion and other curricular areas
1. Diocesan Religion Certification Classes are on-going
2. MANS Conference (Michigan Association of Non-Public Schools – October 7 and 8, 2003, Diocesan Common Conference – October 2004, Administrator Conference – October 2005 and then the rotation begins again.
3. On-going Conferences/Workshops funded by school and Parent Teacher Guild
4. School-sponsored studies such as "Best Practices for Middle School Students" 2003-04.
5. Regularly planned departmentalized teacher meetings for communication of goals at each grade level.
5. Technology enhancements will be included in all areas of the curriculum and for office and staff communication.
1. Staff training will be ongoing and mandatory.
2. Technology Wednesdays will continue.
3. A budget for additional computers for labs and classrooms needs to be formulated.

"Physical facilities provide an important part of the total learning environment of the student. Paramount attention is paid to the health and safety factors of the building and site. When the physical setting for the student’s learning experiences extends out into the community, a similar concern for the health and safety of the students is expressed. The physical facilities are inspected periodically to assure proper maintenance and to keep the facilities in harmony with changing needs."  School facility changes will include:

1. Exploring means to keep an effective cleaning schedule for facility and restrooms as building is used daily, evenings, and on weekends.
2. Continuing regularly scheduled maintenance programs (i.e., roof maintenance) as well as regularly scheduled safety checks and communicating these issues to the parish and school parents in the Forum and in the school’s monthly calendar packet.
3. Planning for the introduction of air conditioning for classrooms.
4. Upgrading locker rooms and shower facilities.
5. Creating additional storage space particularly for gym storage and coat and backpack storage for 2^nd and 3^rd grade hallway.
6. Adopting a regular rotation system for the upgrading of classroom desks and chairs, bookcases, file cabinets, computers, and shelves.
7. Exploring more creative solutions to increase usable space and formulating a long-term plan, possibly including expansion of physical facilities.
8. Reinforcing parking lot and playground structure safety issues and insuring compliance with all facets of safety plan.
9. Investigating use of security systems such as cameras and keyless entry systems for use of the building in the evenings.

"To insure the continuous, effectiveness of the school and its programs, the school must plan for the future. The areas of enrollment, recruitment, finances, and public relations should be included in a development program. It is the responsibility of the government board/legal authority to ensure that the school receives sufficient financial support to maintain high standards in providing staff, facilities, and materials needed to accomplish the school’s purpose."  Recommendations for improvement and growth include:

1. Creating a tool that can help the school consistently measure progress and is available for anyone to review.
2. Maintaining and supporting the Development Department in its efforts to promote the Annual Appeal, Car Raffle, and Educational Trust Fund Dinner.
3. Increasing development efforts to help fund salary increases for teachers.
4. Using alumni speakers to visit outlying parishes that do not sponsor their own school. This could be done during Catholic Schools Week.
5. Advertising St. Francis of Assisi School in community publications.
6. Collecting e-mail addresses for instant school announcements.
7. Creating a wish list for special gifts that may be used when people want to restrict a gift. Create a clear process to update the wish list.
8. Auditing all fund-raisers.
9. Encouraging planned giving.
10. Continuing to build the scholarship program and the opportunity to work at Bingo and during the school lunch program to help defray tuition costs (SCRIP).
11. Exploring funding to purchase a sign for Stadium Blvd that would announce school and Parish events.
12. Building relationships with businesses and Foundations within the Ann Arbor Community (i.e., Pfizer and Habitat Grant and Ann Arbor Community Foundation grants).