Special Taskforce for Catholic Schools
December 2020 Update

In mid-August, Archbishop Paul D. Etienne appointed ten members to the Special Taskforce for Catholic Schools led by Father Ronald Nuzzi from the University of Notre Dame. This taskforce was charged by the archbishop to study church teachings, examine best practices among Catholic educators nationally and internationally, and eventually develop a set of recommendations about professional standards for the employment of teachers, principals, and presidents in archdiocesan and parish schools.

Since August, the taskforce has met monthly. They have focused on two key efforts:

1) Reading and discussing the official teaching and tradition of the Church concerning Catholic schools, the human person, marriage, sexuality, and chastity, including the Scriptures, papal documents, The Code of Canon Law, and The Catechism of the Catholic Church.

2) Designing, editing, and finalizing a survey that will collect information from Catholics in the Archdiocese of Seattle about their perceptions and assessment of Catholic schools and their understanding of the current Ministerial Covenant. This survey will be distributed via email by principals and will be available online to faculty, staff, parents, priests, and alumni of Catholic schools during January and February 2021. Survey results will be used to assist the taskforce in formulating their recommendations next summer.

Starting early next year the team will begin promoting the survey and will begin working on a summary statement of the Church teaching, concluding Phase One of the three-part plan.

Catholic Schools Taskforce Fall Update