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(Press release)

Speaking on behalf of Cathedral Preparatory School and Villa Maria Academy, we bring you some momentous news that will change, improve, and strengthen Catholic secondary education in the Diocese of Erie. Over the past several months, the Diocese of Erie and the Sisters of St. Joseph have been in discussions about how the schools might work together and join the best of what each has to offer ultimately providing the very best opportunities for Catholic secondary education in the Erie area.

Today we announce some exciting and good news to the Villa Maria and Cathedral Prep families.

In an effort to ensure Catholic secondary education for the students of the Erie area, the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Diocese of Erie have agreed to form a new Diocesan corporation for Catholic secondary education in Erie, PA. This co-institutional school will include both Villa Maria and Cathedral Prep, effective July 1, 2009.

Much thought, prayer and study have gone into this decision to ensure the viability of Catholic secondary education in the Erie Diocese.

For 116 years, Villa Maria Academy has been the cornerstone of the Sisters of St. Joseph education ministry. The Sister’s charism, uniting people with people and people with God, has been a part of the education of more than 7,500 alumni. For the past eighty seven (87) years, Cathedral Prep has been educating young men in the Catholic tradition and has provided an educational foundation to more than 12,000 alumni.

This collaboration represents a continuation of the Sisters’ commitment to education, and ensures the Villa tradition and the Sisters’ charism remain part of this SSJ educational opportunity. This decision also represents a clear commitment to the future of Catholic education on the part of Bishop Donald Trautman and the Diocese of Erie, and ensures that Cathedral Prep’s mission as an all-male campus will continue well into the future.

Under this co-institutional model, the Villa tradition and the Sisters’ charism will continue for young women on the Villa campus and the Prep tradition for young men will continue on the Prep campus. Many clubs, after-school and extra-curricular activities will be conducted collaboratively, thus effectively blending the strengths of single-sex education with a co-educational experience.

Boys currently enrolled at Villa will have the opportunity to continue their education and graduate from Villa. For the incoming freshman class and all future classes, only girls will be enrolled at Villa and only boys will be enrolled at Prep.

Policies for the co-institutional school will be established by a single Board of Directors which will be comprised of both VMA and Prep constituents. Current Villa Board Chairperson and Villa parent, Attorney Jerry Wegley, will be the Chairperson of the new board. Attorney Wegley was instrumental in the creation of the plan to develop this corporation. Dave Slomski, a Cathedral Prep graduate, will serve as Vice-Chair.

As a Diocesan co-institutional school there will be one President and two Principal’s. Fr. Scott Jabo will serve as the school’s first President. Sr. Mary Drexler, SSJ, will continue as Principal at the Villa Maria campus, and Sr. Claudia Dombrowski, SSJ, will continue as Principal at the Cathedral Prep campus. Those are the only positions that have been assigned to date.

Bishop Trautman will lead a new non-profit corporation that will govern the school, and will maintain reserve powers over the Board of Directors. Included as Members will be two Sisters of St Joseph, the Vicar for Education, the Vicar General, the President of the school, and the Chairperson of the Board.

It is with great anticipation and excitement that we pursue this new venture as we believe this to be in the best interest for the current and future students in the Erie area. We ask for your prayers to ensure the ministry of Catholic education continues to shape the minds and hearts of our students. It is through the empowerment of our students that they will have success in a global society and become leaders; creating a world of optimism, generosity and confidence.

We know we can count on you, the Villa and Prep families, to support this new endeavor and ensure our fulfillment of the Gospel mandate of preaching and teaching God’s word.