Barbara Bray

By Sister Barbara Bray, SNJM
Superintendent of Schools

My vision in 10 years and beyond is that Catholic schools in the Oakland diocese are fulfilling our mission to educate children in the Catholic faith and nurture their minds, bodies, and souls, inspiring them to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, achieve their highest academic and creative potential, and actively serve and enrich the community.

To fulfill this mission I envision our diocese providing a 21st century Catholic education in which all schools fully achieve diocesanwide standards for excellence in Catholic identity, academics, safety, technology, facilities and human resource administration. We have the right schools in the right places, fully enrolled and financially viable. All children are welcome and no child is turned away because of financial need. Our Catholic schools are culturally responsive to all in the community. And the entire community of the Diocese of Oakland shares responsibility for Catholic schools so that all children flourish and reach their God-given potential.

The recently published National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools clearly articulate the defining characteristics of Catholic schools that endure. Catholic schools are: Centered in the Person of Jesus Christ, contribute to the evangelizing mission of the Church, are distinguished by excellence in all curricular and co-curricular programs, committed to educate the whole child, steeped in a Catholic worldview, sustained by the Gospel witness of principals, teachers and staff, shaped by an educational community of persons and a genuine community of faith and are accessible to all students.

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