Dear Flyer Family,
I am sharing an update on This is Next, our series of special projects intended to build a safer, more secure, and more welcoming campus for our students and families. We have been working with the city of Norwalk to obtain permission for our single point of entry plan supporting safety and security. A few news media articles have been written and now is the time for me to share where we are at in the process of making these special projects a reality.
Where We Are
It has now been 30 days since the Norwalk City Council voted to approve the vacation of Wooster Street, a critical step that allows this project to move forward. This milestone matters because it clears the path for the work ahead including our new single point of entry Welcome Center, a new elementary playground, and an outdoor prayer and learning space that will give our students room to grow, explore, and engage with Christ throughout our school grounds.
At the heart of this work are three simple goals: safety, security, and welcoming. Every decision we make in this project is guided by how it will protect our students, secure our campus, and open our doors more warmly to the families and community members who are part of our Norwalk Catholic story.
From Vision to Reality
Many of you have seen the artistic renderings that have been shared publicly, and the excitement around them has been wonderful to witness. I want to be transparent, though, that there is still significant work ahead before construction begins. We are in the important, unglamorous stage of turning a vision into a plan one that will hold up to the standards this project deserves. We do not have a firm timeline to share today, but I can tell you that our sense of urgency is shared by everyone involved in this effort.
An Exciting Development in Our Leadership
I'm pleased to share that our Governing Board has recently invited the FCEDO Endowment Board to join the leadership group guiding this project. Should this collaboration move forward, it will bring together an extraordinary breadth of voices: representatives from the Firelands Catholic community of parishes, current and past school parents, SPH alumni, a pastor, a Sister of Notre Dame, grandparents, and community members at large. This is exactly the kind of shared ownership that This is Next was always meant to inspire a project built not by one person or one board, but by the whole community that carries forward the mission of Norwalk Catholic.
Our Partner in This Work
As we transition from planning into this next phase of progress, we are working with Janotta and Herner, a local construction and design company as the general contractor, to help ensure that the goals of This is Next are carried out in a manner that is effective, efficient, timely, and truly transformational. We will need many other partners in this work as time progresses. We are a community blessed with many skills and talents that will be needed to move forward. As the plan progresses, I will continue to keep our Flyer Family informed.
Thank you for your continued prayers, patience, and support. This project belongs to all of us, and I look forward to sharing more as we move forward together.
With gratitude,
Martin Linder
President
President
Norwalk Catholic / St. Paul High School