By Christine A. Holliday. February 18, 2013.
Knight, 50, is a lifelong Toledo resident, who is proud to claim that, “My roots are in the Diocese.” He grew up in the Rosary Cathedral area, attended the parish school, and recalls that he served as the late Bishop (then Father) James Hoffman’s paper boy. He is a 1978 graduate of St. John’s Jesuit High School and thereafter the University of Toledo, but admits a career in teaching or educational administration was not in his plans at the time of his graduation with a business degree.
Instead, he worked with his father in the family business, Superior Kitchens, for ten years. He enjoyed the work, but says he felt a call to serve the community in some way. Following the lead of an older brother, he returned to school to be trained as a teacher obtaining a teaching certificate in Language Arts Grades 7-12. Taught for three years at St. Joseph School in Sylvania.
new St. John’s Jesuit Academy, wher he served until last spring.
The jobs done by those teachers and administrators (called teacher-ministers in recognition of the religious component of their jobs) have been challenging in recent years. Ten-year enrollment figures are down nearly 27% since 1999-2000, a mirror of the changing demographics of the areas served by Diocesan schools. General economic conditions, including increased costs for employees’ health care, utilities, decreased funding from the State, and rising unemployment have meant big challenges for those who administer the schools.
Knight also recognizes that changing trends in the way people practice and express their religious faith have an impact on Catholic education. Most elementary schools are supported by parishes, and decreasing numbers of worshippers in the pews usually means less support and fewer students for the schools, whose administrators have to find creative ways to provide programs. “Many schools have instituted ‘service hour’ programs to keep parents involved,” he said. “The parents may choose to volunteer at parish events, in the school library or cafeteria, at dances, etc. And their volunteering does help a great deal, but the schools cannot do without the money that comes from tuition payments and the parish.
Some of those public school children have chosen to take advantage of the State of Ohio’s Education Choice program. That initiative gives funds to families whose ‘home’ public schools have been in “Academic Emergency” or “Academic Watch” for two of the last three years. Those funds can be used to pay tuition at private schools that meet state guidelines. The program has also brought some special challenges to the administrators and teachers in Diocesan schools.