MADISON COUNTY - Catholic School for Me (CS4Me), a group of Catholic parents, teachers, and pastors, has commissioned a feasibility study for a possible new Catholic high school in southern Madison County to serve primarily the Illinois communities of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Bethalto, Troy, Maryville, Collinsville, Highland, Marine and Granite City.
The feasibility study, conducted by Partners in Stewardship for Life based in Longwood, Fla., began in late May with plans to conclude in November. The study will involve a number of aspects: demographic and data evaluation; population trends and projections; determining enrollment potential in a new high school; and an analysis of costs and financial support necessary to develop the school.
An important part of the study will be a market research survey to be conducted among a random sample of Catholic families in the region. This study will be conducted in correlation with the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year. It will be used to gauge interest for a new school.
Significant growth in southern Madison County and a history of Catholic grade schools in the area sending nearly all their graduates to public high schools were two of the reasons Doug and Diane Villhard, residents of Glen Carbon and parents of three young children, started CS4Me.
"We've been extremely pleased with the education our children have received in our parish grade school," Doug Villhard said. "However, the overwhelming majority of Catholic parents in our area choose public high schools for their children because Catholic options in Alton, Belleville, Breese, and St. Louis pose a logistic and geographic challenge for this region."
Father Tom Meyer, pastor at St. Mary in Edwardsville, believes a new high school would strengthen the Catholic formation of young people throughout the region.
"In our parish," Father Meyer said, "we are interested in the lifelong Catholic education of all our parish members. We are very proud of the Catholic education and formation we provide in our grade school, but we realize that our young people deserve more than that. They deserve an education that will guide them in Christian faith through the challenging years of high school. In my own experience, a Catholic high school is the best vehicle to provide them that integrated education which will prepare them for life."
Organizers say the group is working closely with Bishop George J. Lucas and the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.
Bishop Lucas recently made a donation to CS4Me to help cover the cost of the study.
"It is always encouraging to see a group of parents who are so passionate about their children's Catholic education," Bishop Lucas said. "Certainly the growth in this area of our diocese, as well as the enthusiasm of local parents and pastors, leads us to think that a study will be valuable. Like everyone else involved, I am anxious to learn from the study how we might use every means possible to lead our young people to Jesus Christ."
The biggest challenge at this point, according to CS4Me, is most likely demonstrating how a new school would be funded.
"The major concern of pastors and others is how we're going to pay for the school," Villhard said. "We'll certainly wait for the results of the study, but we need to attract some major donors to the project. Most likely we're going to need a catalyst to put us over the edge on this opportunity."
For more information about CS4Me including joining the group or exploring a donation please visit its Web site at www.CatholicSchool4Me.com or contact Doug Villhard at or (618) 531-6167.