December 22, 2022
To our beloved administration, faculty, parents, and students:
As we enter into the Christmas break, the Board of Directors of the Kennedy Catholic Family of
Schools would like to take this time to update you on the progress we, as a family, are
achieving. We have heard your feedback. We appreciate that you have been looking for
stability, and through all of our efforts, that state of calm has returned to the school. We are
thankful for you.
We do have very exciting news to share. As of December 20, 2022 we have collected $740,000
and have received recent additional pledges of $40,000!!! We are just dollars short of our goal
and need all of you to be ambassadors over the holiday season to reach the $800,000
commitment. Every donation matters, from $1 to $100,000. Together, we can exceed our goal.
We as a Board have been working diligently, populating all committees required for the school
and board to function properly. We encourage all of you and those in the community to step
forward if you have an interest. If you are unsure where you can serve, just ask one of us. This is
your school system, your community, your family. All help is always appreciated, from serving
on a committee, to taking tickets at an event, to just helping hang posters around town. “Many
hands make light work.”
The board is working on a communication plan so all voices from the school community can be
heard. We are committed to transparency and will provide, at minimum, monthly updates in
this form.
Our work has just begun. It is not over, nor will it ever be. It will always be a process. As we hit
our short term goals, we will adjust our long term vision in strategic planning while protecting
our assets.
We have started the interview process for a new President of the school system. We will be
looking for a Finance Director and Advancement Director in the very near future. We encourage
our community to reach out with names and ideas as we are still reviewing applications. All of
these positions are needed to implement strategies and policy, to work successfully with
administration, the board, and the diocese and to maintain a sense of continuity.
One of the short term capital improvement goals will be to replace the roof on the school in
2023. We will determine our long-term capital improvements strategy and best use of our
buildings and grounds.
The board is working directly with Mrs. Janet Halicki and Mrs. Kathryn Tiefenthal on a retention
plan for teachers and administration and to upgrade any needed areas of the curriculum.
We are thankful for Bishop Persico and for the continued Erie diocesan guidance and support.
The diocese has assisted in the new board formation and provided detailed training facilitated
by Superintendent Jim Gallagher and Assistant Superintendent Laura Blake Their guidance is
critical in our overall success.
We thank the entire administration for working hand in hand with the board. Only through
open dialogue and assisting in necessary research can we identify and resolve past issues that
plagued our schools. We are learning and listening and while we do not have all the answers,
we are discovering that the solutions are within reach. We thank all of our priests for their
leadership and guidance as well as you, our faculty, parents, students, and alumni for all the
continued support. We are thankful for all of our Catholic church parishioners for their
continued support and all the individuals and corporations who have contributed as a new
Kennedy Catholic Family of Schools is born.
We wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and may God bless you!
Today is a new day!
Board of Directors Angela Surano & Patrick Zoccole – Co-Chairs
Rick Whalen – Vice-Chair
Eric Perry – Secretary
George Becker – Treasurer
Candice Bartosh
Keith Brooks
Father David Foradori
Randy Hofius
Karen Ionta
Gene Sheehan
Father Tom Whitman
Deanna Yarboro-Brown