By TAMI QUIGLEY
Staff writer
Two schools of the Diocese of Allentown were awarded SAGE (School Advancement Grants for Excellence) grants, which are given to Catholic schools that have adopted the Healey methodology in Dioceses in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and Minnesota.
A total of nine awards are given Nov. 8 to recognize performance in areas such as enrollment, development and innovation.
The schools that received grants are St. Jerome Regional School, Tamaqua, current Healy school with highest enrollment growth; and St. Ann School, Emmaus, runner-up alumni school for highest annual fund growth.
“The SAGE awards are given annually to recognize and incentivize exemplary work by the Healey Alumni Schools in advancing their schools’ missions through outstanding achievement in enrollment management and fundraising,” said Stephanie Schweder-Kratzer, Diocesan director of school development.
“The Healey Education Foundation partners with dioceses to strengthen Catholic schools. Healey provides resourceful strategies, training and coaching over a three-year period. After the three-year period is finished these schools become Healey Alumni Schools. About half of our schools are Healey Alumni Schools.”
Unlike previous years, these awards were announced by Christine Healey and her father Robert Healey using a video conference format.
Healey representatives and Schweder-Kratzer waited outside in parking lots and surprised each school with their monetary award as their names were announced.
“Congratulations to these two schools and all our schools who are working hard to create a vibrant future for Catholic education,” said John Bakey, Diocesan chancellor for education.
