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In an era of decreased expectations
for urban education, The Nativity School of Worcester opens
with high hopes and an Ignatian mission to help at-risk children
thrive.
By Phyllis Hanlon
 It’s a venture some would call bold, and others might
call radical. But then, “bold” and “radical” are
words that can be applied to many aspects of the Jesuit tradition.
And if the new Nativity School of Worcester appears a bold
venture, surely it is one built on the strongest of foundations:
a half-century mission to transform the world by transforming
the individual.
The Nativity School “movement” began over 30 years
ago on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and has spread from
Milwaukee to Omaha, from Saint Louis to San Jose. And while
the schools may vary somewhat from city to city, the basic
mission—to educate at-risk, inner-city children by way
of time-honored Jesuit concepts—does not. The schools
place an emphasis on discipline, structure, personal responsibility,
a rigorous work ethic and an underpinning of spirituality.
Parental involvement is a requirement. School days are long,
student-to-teacher ratio is low and a dress code is mandatory.
Community service is part of the curriculum. And from the
first day of school, there is an expectation that students
will advance to high school and college. Dreams, in other
words, are vigorously cultivated.
The facts speak for themselves: Nationally, students of
Nativity Schools are regularly outperforming their peers.
And now, the Nativity School concept has arrived in Worcester.
In a joint effort, Holy Cross, the Society of Jesus of New
England (the Jesuits) and two foundations are joining forces
to establish The Nativity School of Worcester.
From 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., students—who must reside
in the target neighborhood—receive academic instruction
as well as tutoring, mentoring and help with homework. And
the learning doesn’t stop there. Weekend field trips
and summer camp enhance the students’ classroom learning
and expose them to positive influences and experiences. Tuition
costs are minimal, with operating expenses provided for through
the generosity of foundations, the community and individuals.
This model typically establishes same-sex schools.
Joanne Glavin McClatchy ’79, executive director of
the school, is delighted to be part of the team that will
launch this initiative. Together with her husband Brian,
who will serve as the school’s director of development,
they communicate a sense of unbridled excitement. Coming
from The San Miguel School in Providence, which embraces
a similar philosophy, they are intimately aware of the challenges
and rewards that lie ahead. “We’ve both been involved
in urban education and that type of program for the last
five-to-10 years,” she says. “We understand the
mission and the amount of hard work and how rewarding it
will be.”
With a master’s degree in finance from Wharton, McClatchy
spent 20 years working at a major financial institution before
starting her own business writing grant proposals for small
businesses and non-profit organizations. When the opportunity
to direct the Nativity School presented itself, the job description
mirrored her own resume. “I could see that what I had
done for every job was geared toward this,” she says.
Even though the decision to make the move carried a number
of other related changes, the McClatchys took the leap of
faith and landed feet first.
Brian McClatchy, development director, is charged with soliciting
funds and other types of support for the school. He notes
that the success of the program depends on communities trusting
in urban education. “I believe that brilliant children
come from all areas, and I’ve never felt that poverty
makes a child unable to be successful,” he says. “Every
fifth grader comes in raw, and, as they accept the program
and see that they are loved and really cared about, by eighth
grade, they are groomed for success in high school,” says
McClatchy. “That’s where the success in Nativity
Schools and the individualized care makes so much difference.”
Teachers in the Nativity School need a deep commitment to
the students and a thorough understanding of the model. “One
of them will perhaps be a mentoring teacher, someone who’s
been an urban educator for a long time, who would work with
younger teachers,” Joanne McClatchy says. Another two
or three volunteer teachers from Holy Cross or some other
area college will offer one to two years of service in exchange
for a small stipend, living quarters, health insurance and
for AmericCorps education credits.
This entire initiative has been made possible through the
generosity of others. A feasibility study, supported by a
grant from the Cassin Educational Initiative Foundation (CEIF),
identified the Main South section of Worcester, which is
currently undergoing civic revitalization, as the neediest
area. Vacant stores are being converted into attractive,
affordable housing and several commercial enterprises are
taking root in the neighborhood. The school will share space
initially with the Boys and Girls Club on Ionic Avenue and
will welcome approximately 30 boys in grades five and six
when its doors open in September 2003. In two-to-three years,
the school will become the sole occupant and will transform
a memorable building into a new venture in the heart of Worcester.
CEIF, who funded the feasibility study, has a special interest
in the project. Chairman and president Brendan J. Cassin ’55,
whose five children attended Catholic institutions, understands
the importance of this type of education.
“The business model of old, where priests, brothers
and sisters used to teach in Catholic schools, no longer
exists,” he says. “The economics of Catholic grammar
and high schools in inner cities has disappeared.” CEIF’s
additional support comes in the form of a three-year trailing
grant, earmarked for development office personnel and equipment
as well as for newsletters and other development-related
activities.
“Eventually the Nativity School has to raise 100 percent
of its budget,” says Cassin. CEIF encourages financial
independence and makes it part of the grant conditions.
Charles Weiss, director of grants, foundation and corporate
giving at Holy Cross, notes that another foundation that
wishes to remain anonymous has generously provided funds
for the school. He adds that the Jesuit community of Holy
Cross recently made a gift of $100,000 to the Nativity School.
Rev. Michael Linden, S.J., of the Provincial’s Office,
vows that the Jesuit community will “shepherd the school
into existence.” He indicates that initial sponsorship
plays a critical role as the Nativity School is being established. “The
vision looks at the person in the general population not
well-served by ordinary schools,” he says. This fiscal
support will enable the school to reach optimum size and
capacity and build local community ties.
Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., president of the College,
emphasizes that Holy Cross is not funding the school, but
providing significant in-kind support. “The McClatchys’ offices
are housed on campus,” he says. “We are giving
lots of administrative support, such as accounting and so
on. We are involved as initiators. They’ll be looking
to the community for financial support once they are up and
running.” Additionally, students and teachers from the
Nativity School will have access to resources at the college,
including faculty, library facilities, lecture series and
other services.
Fr. McFarland hopes that the college students will also
profit from this collaboration as much as the children. “This
is an opportunity for Holy Cross students to do volunteer
work. Hopefully, some of our graduates will teach there and
cultivate Holy Cross students from the ranks at the Nativity
School,” he says. He points out that intervening in
the lives of these young boys benefits society as well as
the individual. “You can’t wait until students
graduate from high school to rescue them,” he says.
According to Weiss, the faith-based Nativity School promises
to be a win-win situation. “I think it’s going
to be a great help to the city, and I think these kids are
going to thrive,” he says. “The school will offer
the kinds of programs and opportunities that can produce
mature and contributing individuals.”
Phyllis Hanlon is a free-lance writer from Charlton, Mass.
Alex
Zequeira ’94 appointed Nativity School principal Sidebar >
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