April 25, 2022
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Over the past five years at St. Petersburg Catholic High School, we have witnessed incredible
growth and progress. With rapid growth, we are sometimes faced with challenges that require a
measured and planned response. This past January, we were presented with an opportunity to
reflect, process, and seize an opportunity to grow as a loving Catholic community.
We worked with an independent investigator, Ms. Barbara Madden, to assist in that process. Her
only purpose was to gather as much information as she could, related to the specific incident
surrounding the racist and threatening graffiti in the bathroom and any other related issues
around the racial climate at the school. She has completed her investigation and produced an
Executive Summary, which is being sent along with this letter.
We are now prepared to move forward with a more formal plan. This plan was created with many
sources of information including the following: Ms. Madden’s investigation, our parent discussion
groups, student conversations, and staff reflections. In addition, we have met with and received
input from other Catholic schools, the Diocesan Racial Harmony Committee, various community
members, and our Consultative Board.
We feel this plan will help us continue to grow as a school family, while allowing all of our
students, families, and faculty/staff to feel they have a place in our community. All aspects of this
plan will be solidly rooted in the Catholic Church’s Faith and Social Teaching. It will reflect our
Catholic identity in all aspects, specifically, two of the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching:
The Life and Dignity of the Human Person and the principle of Solidarity, that we are all one
school family working this out together. It will be our continued mission while executing this plan
to protect and recognize the dignity of each person in our school family, while remembering that
we must continue to work for peace and justice.
One extremely important aspect of this plan moving forward as we work for solidarity, properly
aligned with our school motto Fortes In Unitate, is that all aspects of this plan and its resulting
groups will work towards unity. There are far too many forces and groups in our larger national
and local community that seek to divide us along various political, ideological, racial, economic,
and ethnic lines. We will seek to bring all of our school family members together to create
opportunities for education, deeper understanding, empathy, and civil dialogue to grow a
community of love and mutual respect. Any attempts made to divide and divert our attention
from this purpose will not be tolerated.
In order to grow in the love of Jesus Christ and build a strong community of faith, we must be
united and trust in the goodness of others. We are a community of saints and sinners. There will
be issues that arise. But we are all working out our salvation together. While that process is often
imperfect, it can also be a wonderful opportunity of growth in our faith, mercy, and true Christian
Charity. My prayer is that together we can create a loving environment that truly reflects all that
we strive to be in Jesus Christ and His Church. Please pray with us for the continued success and
growth of St. Petersburg Catholic High School.
Moving SPCHS Forward
This plan represents an opportunity to continue to improve our school by focusing largely on two
pillars of our Faith, rooted in Catholic teaching and Catholic Social Justice. Those being that each
person is sacred and has inherent dignity and that we are together in solidarity as one family at
SPCHS. All aspects of this plan and any resolution created from this plan, or its resulting groups
will reflect these two principles.
Before the End of the School Year
● Begin implementation of all recommendations from the Independent Investigation
● Maintenance plan needs to include daily checks on all bathroom areas, locked bathroom
doors at 3:15 p.m. with the exception of the LC- Completed
● Wednesday Activity Block- continued conversations and listening sessions with the
students to discuss issues related to diversity and mutual respect- On-going
● Class offered in Multi-Cultural Studies, renew Ethics Class, 10th Grade Morality Theology
Class to stress Life and Dignity of the Human Person- On-going
By the Beginning of the School Year 2022-2023
● Review of other schools’ handbooks to determine effectiveness of current discipline
structure, seeking alternatives or additional remedies to include with In-School
Suspension that are more just and restorative.
● Establish a St. Martin de Porres Student Group to discuss diversity issues, educational
opportunities, and help coordinate a calendar of events.
● Establish a community committee, consisting of Board Members, Parents, Community
Members, and a student rep from the St. Martin de Porres Group with a focus on
discussing matters and policies related to human dignity and solidarity issues on campus.
● Align specific staff professional development to educate teachers to better prepare them
to work with a more diverse student population.
● Catholic Social Teaching Curriculum- with Catholic Social teaching focus across the
Theology curriculum.
● Create a “Fortes in Unitate” Day to be held annually during Catholic Schools Week to
celebrate and recognize the diverse gifts that individuals and groups bring to our one
school family as one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic.
● Freshmen and Transfer Orientation to include education session related to the principles
of solidarity and the life and dignity of each human person, as well as the call to family,
community, and participation.
