2022 Board Chair Message
Each year, the Board Chair releases a letter on behalf of the Board of Directors. Please see below to read the Fall 2022 letter, also featured on page 2 of our most recent Annual Impact Report.
TOGETHER WE ARE BETTER.
This phrase captures the true essence of the Omaha Catholic School Consortium in southeast Omaha. As the Consortium approaches its 10 year anniversary, we have something special to celebrate, and we plan to tell our story far and wide.
It is no secret that nationwide Catholic schools are closing – especially in urban and ethnically diverse communities that look like southeast Omaha.
But the southeast Omaha area has a resilient spirit, one that continues to come together and support each other. How did businesses survive the pandemic? They came together. How do local immigrant families handle economic adversities? They come together. And how do our Catholic schools continue to thrive and provide for our families? They come together.
Our schools are stronger are more vibrant because we joined forces 10 years ago. We are not closing schools like other urban communities. Having opened a Catholic school in 2018, the Dual Language Academy, we stand strong – with six schools, nearly 17,00 students , and the support of 16 unique parishes.
I often get asked what differentiates the Consortium schools from other Catholic schools. It’s the diversity and cultures of our schools.
We are blessed that the community we serve has a rich heritage with different waves of immigrants having put their mark on this beautiful community. Our schools serve the most racially and ethnically diverse populations in Omaha. While at one time our neighborhoods and Catholic schools were filled with families from Germany, Ireland, Poland and Croatia, today almost 50% of our students are Latino. The diversity in our schools generates a spirit wrapped in rich cultural traditions with tremendous gifts. Our schools embrace and embody the cultures of the families we serve. No two schools are the same, and every day, our teachers commit their time and energy to amplify the gifts and talents of ALL of our students. We embrace, educate and empower the unique backgrounds and gifts of each of our students — and we do this really well.
We know that these children are the future of the Catholic Church, so we also work with fervor to help them grow closer to Jesus. I look forward to these young disciples becoming the next generation of leaders in the Church and in our communities.
And I want to thank our parents, teachers, donors and friends for standing with us and supporting us. Together, we are better.
Tammy Blossom, Board Chair
