Detroit — Spurred by Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron’s call for a “renewal of structures” both in the archdiocesan Chancery and in parishes and schools across southeast Michigan, the archdiocesan Office of Catholic Schools announced changes Aug. 14 to help the department “provide improved and more specialized services for our schools,” said superintendent Kevin Kijewski, J.D.

The changes stem from Kijewski’s visits with principals, pastors, parents and donors about “how we can better align our structures to our purpose and mission,” he said in a statement.

To facilitate smoother interaction between schools and Archdiocesan Central Services, Kijewski announced he would “assume responsibility as the central office point of contact for all Catholic high schools.”

Meanwhile, associate superintendent James Abercrombie will assume responsibility for Catholic elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit’s central and south regions, while associate superintendent Melissa Lipsmeier will serve elementary schools in the northeast and northwest regions, Kijewski said.

Karen White, Ed.D., will serve as associate superintendent for curriculum, instruction and assessment, and a newly created position of associate superintendent for strategic planning and accreditation will be added later this year.

Angela Naylor will serve as special programs coordinator and assistant to the superintendent, Kijewski said.

“We are committed to continuous quality improvement so that our Catholic schools are unapologetically Catholic, have effective leadership, are academically excellent, and are sustainable for the future,” Kijewski said. “In the coming months and years, I look forward to our continued work toward becoming the best Catholic school system in the country, helping to form the next generation of saints for life in this world and the next.”