Igniting the Future Together

A Comprehensive Campaign for

Althoff Catholic High School

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

During my 11 years as Bishop of Belleville, I have made the mission of Catholic education a high

priority. Through regular visits to our elementary schools and our three Catholic High Schools, and by

meeting often with the principals and faculties, I have seen their good work and unique challenges

firsthand.

As Althoff Catholic High School embarks on its” Igniting the Future Together” Campaign, I wish to

encourage the friends and benefactors of the school in this important undertaking. Althoff Catholic

High School, like all Catholic schools, is dedicated to the work of educating young men and women

in a manner that brings them closest to the Person and the Message of Jesus Christ.

The High School recently celebrated 50 years of providing excellent spiritual, intellectual,

emotional, moral, and physical education for more than 10,000 individuals. In order to achieve the

vision of being a vibrant, Christ-centered learning community for young men and women for

generations to come, you have my full support as you set out to raise the funds needed to provide

for the facilties improvements and unrestricted support outlined in this booklet.

It is my hope and prayer that the “Igniting the Future Together” Campaign will surpass its goal. I

wish to assure the students, faculty members, staff, families, and your many generous benefactors of

my continued assistance in making sure that every student receives the best possible Catholic

education in the atmosphere of a true Christian Community.

May God who begins this good work in you bring it to completion.

Sincerely and appreciatively yours in Christ,

The Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton

Bishop of Belleville

Dear Friends of Althoff Catholic,

According to the book A Time of Favor—The Story of the Catholic Community of Southern

Illinois (by Betty Burnett), when it opened in 1964, Althoff High School offered its thousand-plus

students the most modern equipment possible and the latest in educational theory, including

tracking, a coordinated program of courses that set students toward a specific college major.

The founders of our school recognized and adapted to the needs of the time. In 2016, Althoff

Catholic recognizes the need to make adjustments in order to address trends that impact its ability

to sustain and grow enrollment. In our early years, the question “Why Althoff Catholic?” had a

much simpler answer – Catholic families sent their children to Catholic high schools. These days the

answer to the question must address a multitude of factors that justify the significant financial

investment for families. In order to do so, the administration has created an Advancement

Department aligned with national best practice strategies in the areas of marketing, enrollment and

fundraising. We are embarking on a new strategic effort to market our school to increase enrollment

and encourage philanthropy. Our goals will be to achieve a 30% increase in enrollment within five

years, to engage alumni in the life of the school community and to increase the annual fund so that

more tuition assistance will be available to deserving families.

Choosing the best high school for one’s child is a very important decision. Academic excellence,

quality extracurricular activities and meaningful social experiences are all factors that go into

making such a decision. So that we might remain a strong and vibrant learning community for

generations to come, Althoff Catholic plans to make the following additions to its campus:

renovation of second floor library space to a STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering,

Arts and Mathematics) Lab and the addition of an outdoor athletic complex.

I am excited for the future of Althoff Catholic High School and believe that with your help we will

indeed “Ignite the Future Together.”

Sincerely,

David L. Harris

Principal

Following the Lead of Those Who Came Before Us…

Igniting the Future Together Comprehensive Campaign

Dear Friends of Althoff Catholic High School,

Catholic secondary education has been a vital part of our community for

157 years. Our rich history illustrates many examples of the Catholic

community coming together in changing times to do what was necessary to

make Catholic secondary education strong and viable in our community for

future generations.

“Igniting the Future Together” is more than just the name of our

comprehensive campaign to improve Althoff Catholic High School; it is part

of our legacy as a Catholic community. A review of the book A Time of

Favor—The story of the Catholic Family of Southern Illinois by Betty Burnett

highlights many examples of perseverance and action taken in changing

times to keep Catholic secondary education relevant.

Did you know that in 1924, the School Sisters of Notre Dame funded the

construction of their new, modern high school in Belleville (Notre Dame

Academy) by raffling off three automobiles, selling tickets at $5.00 each?

(Burnett, A Time of Favor—The Story of the Catholic Community of Southern

Illinois, 1987, p. 94)

Did you know that Althoff Catholic High School was constructed to meet the

needs of the “Baby Boomer” generation? In addition to wanting the most

modern facilities and equipment, students wanted their courses to relate to

their lives in a personal way. Althoff Catholic High School made every

attempt to fill those needs. (Burnett, A Time of Favor—The Story of the

Catholic Community of Southern Illinois, 1987, pp. 202, 203)

As a Catholic community we have found ourselves at a crossroads many

times throughout our history. We have a legacy of responding beautifully to

the needs before us. This booklet outlines the ways in which we hope to

“Ignite the Future Together” for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Andy & Joanne Blassie Mike & Patty Guignon

Mike & Susie Riley Brad & Julie Ringhofer

Igniting the Future Together Campaign Co-Chairs

Notre Dame Academy–1924 to 1972

St. Teresa Academy—1884 to 1974

Cathedral High School—1905 to 1964

St. Henry’s Seminary–1926 to 1984

Central Catholic–1929 to 1953

Assumption—1953 to 1989

Honoring Our Past...

Celebrating Our Present...

Preparing for Our Future...

Enrollment Trends and the Need for Unrestricted Support

Throughout the course of our school’s 50 year

history, enrollment has fluctuated for a variety of

reasons. In some cases, increases in enrollment were

caused by other area high schools closing. High levels

of enrollment can also be attributed to family size and

Catholic families having a greater propensity toward

choosing Catholic education for their children. During

times of higher enrollment, the school was staffed

largely by clergy and religious, whose salaries were

significantly lower than that of their lay

counterparts. Tuition was also significantly less than it is

currently. For many years, the school would have a surplus at the end of the year which it used for

needed facilities improvements and tuition assistance.

Decreases in enrollment, such as the one experienced in the early 1990’s can be attributed to

economic recession. In response to these changing times in the 1990’s Althoff Catholic, along with

many other schools in the Diocese of Belleville, began its annual fund program to raise much

needed unrestricted funds.

Campaign Components

{Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics Lab}

{Outdoor Athletic Complex}

{Unrestricted Support—Annual Fund}

Competitive Advantage

By the year 2002 Althoff Catholic had achieved and sustained a 30% increase in enrollment.

However, over the last decade, significant changes in our region have occurred that have caused

a decline in enrollment. A decrease in Catholic grade school enrollment in our area and new

construction and renovation of public high school facilities have contributed to a 19% decrease in

enrollment in the last five years at Althoff Catholic. We believe that our strategic marketing and

recruitment efforts, a strengthened annual fund, along with the addition of a STREAM Lab and

outdoor athletic complex, will strengthen our competitive advantage and enable us to remain a

strong and vibrant institution for generations to come.

Learning Launcher engagements provide:

Engaging, hands-on, minds on, project-based

activities in STREAM, digital communications

and related topics

Applied technology to reinforce academics

and build next generation skills

Personalized learning with multiple challenge

levels, open-ended activities and opportunities

for students to shape and expand learning

around their own interests, abilities and learning

styles

Connections to core academic content and

alignment to standards

Systems of Technology:

Alternative and Renewable Energy

Circuitry

Computer Graphics

Digital Communications

Mechanics and Structures

Robotics and Control Technology

Scientific Data and Analysis

Software Engineering

A STREAM Lab focused on science, technology, religion, engineering, arts & math would:

better prepare students for college;

give students the opportunity to understand the 21st century workforce skills at an earlier age;

increase students’ enthusiasm for learning.

The renovation of our second floor library into a state-of-the-art learning lab focusing on STREAM

training will give Althoff Catholic students the competitive edge needed for the 21st century

workforce.

Renovation of Second Floor Library Space

Science Technology Religion Engineering Arts and Mathematics Lab (STREAM)

Outdoor Athletic Complex

The construction of an outdoor athletic complex on our property would mean that, for the first time in

more than 50 years, all of our student athletes and their fans would have a true “home field.”

Additionally, in opening up these facilities to Catholic grade schools for their sports and fitness use, we

will create a sense of belonging and “ownership” in the Althoff Catholic community at a young age. We

believe this addition to our facility would create an even greater sense of pride in being a “Crusader”

and in Catholic secondary education in our region.

The addition of an onsite, outdoor athletic complex would help:

alleviate scheduling, travel and cost concerns for teams currently practicing and playing at

facilities across the region;

boost pride & school spirit among players, student fans, alumni and spectators;

allow feeder schools to utilize our facilities for their team sports and fitness activities, leading to an

increased affinity for Althoff Catholic at a younger age, resulting in increased enrollment;

increase the number of times alumni return to campus, increasing their

likelihood of choosing Althoff Catholic for their own children.

Bringing our Athletes Home, Completing Our Campus

Adding an Outdoor Athletic Complex to Campus

“The correct practice of sport must be accompanied by

practicing the virtues of temperance and sacrifice; frequently it

also requires a good team spirit, respectful attitudes, the

appreciation of the qualities of others, honesty in the game

and humility to recognize one’s own limitations. In short, sports,

especially in less competitive forms, foster festive celebration and friendly

coexistence with the Christian outlook, becomes a “generative principle”

of profound human relations and encourages the building of a more

serene and supportive world.”

-Pope John Paul II

Our Vision

For generations to come,

Althoff Catholic will be a

vibrant, Christ-centered,

learning community for

young men and women.

We will be the school of

choice for families who

know that academic rigor

and faith formation in

a small, family-like

environment,

right here in our own

community is what is best

for their child.

Our Mission

We are called by

Jesus Christ

to educate young

people, in the Catholic

tradition, to

lead successful,

faith-filled lives.

“Playing sport has become very important today, since it can

encourage young people to develop important values such as

loyalty, perseverance, friendship, sharing and solidarity.”

-Pope John Paul II

There was no annual fund when I attended Althoff Catholic High School. We were fine

without it back then, why is it so important now?

Althoff Catholic’s annual fund was introduced in the 1993-1994 academic year. For

much of our history, high levels of enrollment and lower salaries for clergy and religious

teachers were what we relied upon for financial stability. Lower enrollment, an entirely

lay staff and a facility requiring more updates necessitates significant growth in our

annual fund. National best practice data indicates that a school the size of Althoff

Catholic should have an Annual Fund of $400,000.

What would an increased Annual Fund do for Althoff Catholic?

65% of the cost to educate each student is covered by tuition. We rely upon donations

for the remainder.

A strengthened Annual Fund will allow us to offer more tuition subsidies for deserving

families from our Catholic feeder schools who need just a little help to make an Althoff

Catholic education possible for their children.

Althoff Catholic High School desires to remain on the cutting-edge with facilities

improvements, technology updates and academic program advances. We rely on the

annual fund to make all of these a reality.

A:

Q:

Why Does Althoff Catholic Need Unrestricted Support?

Annual Fund

A Strong Annual Fund :: Low Visibility, High Impact Capital improvements such as the ones we are proposing through the Igniting the Future Together

Campaign offer many reasons to be excited! The addition of a STREAM Lab and an outdoor athletic

complex will offer tangible benefits for Althoff Catholic High School students.

The impact of the annual fund is not as easy to see, however it is truly vital to the success of Althoff

Catholic. We hope you will partner with us by making a gift to support our capital and ongoing

operational needs. Together we can make changes needed to ensure Althoff Catholic will be a

strong and vibrant learning community for generations to come!

Igniting the Future Together Campaign Goals The task before us is a significant one. With the support of our generous community, we believe

our “Celebratory Goal” will be met. Below you see the improvements possible at each of our

three goal levels.

Raising $3,000,000 would allow Althoff Catholic High School to add a STREAM Lab, construct an

outdoor athletic complex to accommodate soccer, football and track and to renovate the

current baseball and softball fields.

CHALLENGE GOAL—$3,000,000

Aforementioned capital improvements + baseball and softball fields

STREAM/SMART LAB

The renovation of our second floor library into a state-of-the-art learning lab focusing on STREAM

training will give Althoff Catholic students the competitive edge needed for the 21st century

workforce.

OUTDOOR ATHLETIC COMPLEX

The construction of an outdoor athletic complex on our property would mean that, for the first

time in more than 50 years, all of our student athletes and their fans would have a true “home

field.” Additionally, in opening up these facilities to Catholic grade schools for their sports and

fitness use, we will create a sense of belonging and “ownership” in the Althoff Catholic

community at a young age. We believe this addition to our facility would create an even

greater sense of pride in being a “Crusader” and in Catholic secondary education in our

region.

PRELIMINARY GOAL—$2,300,000

STREAM/SMART LAB, Athletic Complex, Public Restrooms and Concessions

In order to truly “Ignite the Future Together,” Althoff Catholic must increase its annual fund.

While less exciting than capital improvements, the annual fund is just as important! A strong

annual fund supports tuition assistance, improvements to our aging building, as well as technol-

ogy and academic advances. Including the annual fund in your “Igniting the Future Together”

pledge helps Althoff Catholic immensely.

CELEBRATORY GOAL $3,500,000

Aforementioned capital improvements + baseball and softball fields

+operational support

Total Pledge

Amount

Monthly Payment

(5 years)

Quarterly Payment

(5 years)

Semi-Annual Payment

(5 years)

Annual Payment

(5 years)

$50,000 $835 $2,500 $5,000 $10,000

$25,000 $420 $1,250 $2,500 $5,000

$20,000 $335 $1,000 $2,000 $4,000

$10,000 $170 $500 $1,000 $2,000

$7,500 $125 $375 $750 $1,500

$6,000 $100 $300 $600 $1,200

How can you help? In this campaign every gift truly matters! Make a gift in the way that

best suits YOU!

All campaign contributions are tax deductible. In addition to monetary commitments, we welcome

contributions of appreciated securities.

Your company’s matching gift program allows you to double the size of your gift! Please contact

the appropriate personnel at your company to request the match. If you have any questions,

please contact the Advancement Office at 618.235.1100 ext. 115.

5401 West Main Street

Belleville, Illinois 62226

618.235.1100

althoffcatholic.org

Campaign Prayer

Loving God, at this time in the life of our beloved school, we turn to you with

grateful hearts for what we have, and with great anticipation for what is yet to be.

Bless us with a sense of unity, a spirit of cooperation, and a generous sacrificial

heart as we face the responsibilities and challenges of the

Igniting the Future Together Comprehensive Campaign.

We know there is much to do.

We believe our goals are rooted in Your Word and in Your Work.

Please guide us, strengthen us, and bless us with Your Presence,

now and through the years to come.

In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.