Page 15: NAPC*IS, continued

A School Becomes A Movement
By 1980, when Kolbe Academy opened its doors, there already existed several successful private independent schools operating in the Catholic tradition. They dated back to 1969 and the founding of Holy Innocents School in New Jersey; 1973, Holy Angels Academy in Louisville, Kentucky and Our Lady of Victory School in Post Falls, Idaho; 1974, Colorado Catholic Academy in Wheat Ridge, Colorado; 1978, Our Lady of the Rosary Academy in Mountain View, Colorado, to name a few.

It was Kolbe Academy, however, that people from across the country turned to, and, in particular, the inspiration and counsel of Francis Crotty, who gave unselfishly of his time and expertise, to get them past the “I must be crazy” phase to the reality of starting a school. Dianne Muth was also there to inspire and put the daunting task into proper perspective. “It’s all about salvation of souls and academic excellence,” she would say. “If you remember that, everything else will fall into place.”

Thus, the model of private independent schools, teaching the Catholic Faith, flourished. Organized as a non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation, the schools were lay-founded and administered. The corporate trustees maintained control over the essential areas of a school: selection of staff; selection of curriculum; admission policies; discipline policies; and financial management. This control insured that the Catholic identity of the school would not be compromised and standards of academic excellence would be achieved.

But how could a school that professed to be in the Catholic tradition exist independently of a diocese and the authority of a Bishop? Exactly the same way as a family exists as a homeschool. The permission of a bishop or diocesan official is not required. A bishop’s recognition or approval is required, if a school is to call itself Catholic, but not to start and to operate as a private school teaching the Catholic Faith.