The Catholic school boards in Austin are consolidating to form one school board under direction from Bishop Bernard Harrington.

Friday, August 25, 2000

The Catholic school boards in Austin are consolidating to form one school board under direction from Bishop Bernard Harrington.

The school boards originally started out as one, but separated three years ago. After three years of separation between the school board for grades K-8 and the school board for grades 9-12, the two boards are in the process of becoming one.

"We wanted everyone to hear the same information at the same time in the same meeting," Jan Baldus, chairman of the Pacelli School Board, said, "so that we can have a whole K-12 philosophy."

The unification of the boards is expected to create a continuity of direction for the Catholic schools in Austin. It also will allow for unified goal planning instead of creating separate goals for each board.

The first meeting to begin the process was held Thursday.

"We’ll need to look at what was in place before the school boards separated and to model and refine from there," Baldus said. "It’s an on-going process for us. Right now we’re in transition."