'We know we're ready': Cathedral Prep president talks priorities in wake of consolidation

Kevin Smith, the new president of the Villa Maria Cathedral Preparatory Catholic School System, which oversees the newly-consolidated Cathedral Preparatory School, has likened the coming days to a 5-kilometer race.

"I feel like I'm standing at the starting line," he told the Erie Times-News. "We've done the hard work. We know we're ready. We know it's going to go well. But until that gun goes off and you're in it, there's always that nervous anticipation for what's to come."

The nerves are understandable.

Smith, 58, a Cleveland-area native who most recently led the pre-K-8 Monte Cassino School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is now leading a school system in the wake of consolidation. The merging of the all-boys Cathedral Preparatory School in downtown Erie and the all-girls Villa Maria Academy in Millcreek Township has been years in the making and has involved a massive $14.5 million construction and renovation project.

Renovated school:Villa Maria students will attend renovated Cathedral Prep, with expanded STEM facilities

When students arrive for their first day of school on Sept. 13, they will enter a new three-story, 25,000-square-foot building, complete with a spacious cafeteria, kitchen and student lounge, a fitness room and dance studio, expanded office space and a third-floor devoted to science, technology, engineering, mathematics and art classes.

The high school, which will retain the name Cathedral Prep and be located at the Cathedral Prep's West 10th Street campus, will have an approximate enrollment of 700 students.

Smith, who will also oversee the coeducational Mother Teresa Academy, a K-8 school, said he was optimistic the construction work will finish by the first day of school. He insisted the greater challenge was the successful operation of the school, ensuring students and faculty adjust to the new consolidation landscape and align to a new culture, all the while preserving and celebrating the legacy of the school's two foundational institutions.

Smith named president:Prep-Villa names head of Catholic school in Oklahoma as new president; school colors to change

"It's a big challenge, but it's exciting," Smith said. I've worked in school mergers before. I've worked around the country in leading schools. And I think that my experience will hopefully be beneficial."

As a first step, the new school will incorporate the blue of Villa Maria Academy along with the black and orange of Cathedral Prep as the school's colors. It will also retain traditions from both schools, such as pep rallies and Villa Maria's Mary's Day.

The school is also expected to have a "history wall," to showcase the history and traditions of both Cathedral Prep and Villa Maria Academy.

Smith sat down with the Erie Times-News recently to further discuss his priorities and expectations.

This interview was edited for length and clarity.

Q: What are your top priorities for the 2022-23 school year?

A: My top priority is always to be advancing the mission and the values of the school. In this situation, it's really about understanding the history, the legacy, the values, the traditions and the cultures of our founding schools. That means meeting with the Sisters of St. Joseph, the bishop and with community members to really understand because we don't want to just carry forward activities and actions, we want to really carry forward history and culture. Beyond that, it's about not missing the opportunity of the moment. Since we're bringing together student bodies and faculties, I have to believe it's a really ripe time for innovation, forward-thinking and new opportunities for a new era for the school. So, as much as we want to carry forward a foundation, we want to build a very forward-looking institution.

Q: Will construction/renovations be done by the start of school?

A: There'll be some finish work to do but we'll be ready for the kids in September. The school will function will all of its resources on the first day of school.

Q: How do you intend to preserve the traditions of Cathedral Prep and Villa Maria Academy?

A: First and foremost, I think we need to get everybody involved in that discussion. Whether it's an alum who is thrilled about what's happening or concerned, we want them part of the conversation so that we can make sure we preserve what's important. I think there's also 'legacy things' that you do, whether it's a ceremony or an activity. This school has incredible traditions from both campuses, and we want to make sure those are carried forward because they're really meaningful and we want students to benefit from those. I think there has to be obvious symbols, like trophy cases. You want people to walk in and clearly see evidence the values the traditions of the school.

Q: What do you see as the greatest challenge of consolidation?

A: I think the challenge in any community is advancing culture, and trying to help everybody be aligned in that common culture. I worked at a school that had merged a few years before — a Catholic high school, at Notre Dame Cathedral-Latin in Cleveland. I was among the leaders that did the Anders-Osborne merger in Cleveland. And I think that's always the challenge is finding the alignments and advancing the culture of the school.

Q: What do you see as the benefits of consolidation?

A: There's a simple benefit of scale. By having more students and more teachers, you get a more diverse curriculum and more opportunities for extra-curriculars for the students. More opportunities for kids to explore their talents, their interests and more people to be working together to advance the school. I think culturally, whether it's a co-ed situation or single gender, what matters most is that it's a great school for the kids. And I think we're going to learn from each other more about best practices and opportunities.

Q: How do you stem a declining student enrollment?

A: Our enrollment is strong. I think what every private school needs to do, Catholic or otherwise, is be reaching out and having a relationship with the community. There are many students that would love to be at our school that may not feel it's accessible, so I think we need to be in a relationship with the community and help a number of students come. A school year is like running a race, more like a half marathon. In a half marathon, the first five miles are a cruise. You're kind of working the second and then you get to the end and you're gritting it out. School years have ups and downs. But I love being in this profession.

A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNRao.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Cathedral Prep President Kevin Smith outlines school year priorities