Department adds two new positions and three new hires, including new associate superintendent for Catholic culture
DETROIT — The Archdiocese of Detroit's Department of Catholic Schools is ready to welcome students, teachers, principals, parents and other members of the school community back for the academic year with a clear goal: to introduce every person to a personal relationship with Jesus and to form disciples in Christ.
Laura Knaus, the new superintendent of Catholic schools, appointed April 11, who formerly served as associate superintendent for schools in the archdiocese’s Northwest Region, said one of the best assets her department has to offer schools is its dynamic and talented team.
“Our entire team is oriented to serving our principals and our priests who are at our schools to ensure that we are helping in the best way possible for them to live the mission in their school,” Knaus told Detroit Catholic. “What gives me a lot of hope is the level of talent and committed discipleship that we have on our team to ensure that we are able to work together to serve the needs of our schools and the parishes.”
Knaus’s team consists of several new faces and two newly formed positions: Pamela Scales was hired to serve as the full-time assistant superintendent for finance and federal programs, which previously was a part-time position; Dan Faas has taken over as associate superintendent for the Central Region; and John Brahier has been hired to serve in the newly created position of associate superintendent for Catholic culture.
“Our associate superintendent for finance and federal programs comes to us with an extensive financial background,” Knaus said. “(Scales) has a level of expertise in finances that is an addition to our team's skillset and will allow us to provide finance and professional development and recommendations for our schools, bridging the gap a little bit between school and parish finance, and will allow us to have better insight into the financial realities that our schools are facing and how we can best support and assist them.”
Additionally, the associate superintendent for Catholic culture will focus on implementing the department’s Catholic vision for schools to become and remain centers for evangelization, Knaus added.
“(Brahier) will work with me to ensure that the archbishop's vision for Catholic schools is implemented, and we utilize this ministry to positively impact the Church and bring souls to Christ and form disciples,” Knaus said.
Brahier, who previously worked at Divine Child High School in Dearborn for six years, said he is looking at ways to infuse a Catholic worldview into every aspect of the school, no matter the class, sport or extracurricular. Additionally, he hopes to find a way to support parents.
“We have this amazing opportunity with all of our schools, and I guess the way I’d put it is, my job is to help support schools in building and maintaining healthy and sustainable Catholic culture,” Brahier told Detroit Catholic. “Given where we are culturally and societally, it can be a hard thing to do. So, looking at it from a variety of different perspectives is going to be important not only for me, but for our team as well.”
In addition to the new hires, the Department of Catholic Schools also includes Eric Haley, associate superintendent for the South Region; Kimberly Vigneron, associate superintendent for the Northeast Region; May Bluestein, Ph.D., assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and assessment; Vic Michaels, assistant superintendent for student services and athletics; Michael Evoy, coordinator of student services and athletics; Stephanie Caruso, coordinator of student services and athletics; and Erin McNally, executive administrative assistant.
Knaus said her team is in the process of determining what each school needs, especially now, three years post-COVID.
“I think a lot of things have changed, and part of our discernment process with how we move forward is taking the time to assess the different realities that we have,” Knaus said. “Many of our schools have experienced an increase in enrollment, which is a wonderful opportunity. How we are best serving the needs of our new families and our returning families to the school to ensure that our mission is first and foremost?”
The crisis of COVID-19 disrupted and changed everything, Knaus added, and it's important that her team functions and adjust operations in such a way that they meet the needs of the time.
There is a great opportunity to introduce families, teachers and students to Jesus Christ through the ministry of Catholic education, Knaus said, and she, along with her team, are excited to help schools further embrace this opportunity.
“That’s why we exist: to share this message and to bring people to life in Christ, and I think we have a tremendous opportunity to do that with our schools,” Knaus said. “We spend all day, every day with our students, so we have a wonderful opportunity to form students. So how can we invite everyone who is in this ministry of Catholic education — whether it’s a student, a teacher, a parent, an administrator, or a staff member — into life with Christ and a sacrament life in the Church? I think that needs to be our focus moving forward to ensure that we are living this purpose that we have in our schools to really share the Gospel message.”
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