In the decade from the 2004 and the 2014 school years, 1,856 schools were closed or consolidated, the association says. Enrollment has declined by more than a half million, especially at elementary schools.
At CJ, campus growth has been unmistakable, especially to anyone who drives by the main building on Ludlow Street just north of U.S. 35 or near its practice fields on Eaker Street.
But the most important growth is happening inside. Early in 2013, CJ began construction on a STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medicine) Center, updating 11 second-floor class rooms.
In 2014, the school announced a $20 million dollar renovation for the main building at Ludlow and Franklin. And last month, a $2.5 million renovation plan was unveiled.
Even after all those changes, graduates and longtime friends of the school will immediately recognize the main building as they walk the halls.
We sat down with one of those grads — Dan Meixner, class of ‘84 — to talk about Catholic education, past, present and future. Meixner knows something of the subject: He has served as CJ president since 2004, after stints working as CJ’s development director and working for a family business.
This is edited and condensed.
Q: When you wandered these halls in the early 80s, did you see yourself as a future CJ president?
Meixner: "No. I had a great high school experience. I made a lot of friends who continue to be my best friends today. I obviously had an affinity for the place …
“This opportunity came up. I had a couple of people call and say, ‘You’re unemployed. CJ needs a president.’ I said, ‘No, I don’t think that’s possible, because I’m not an educator by background.’ I had been in business and development by background. I didn’t see the fit.
“There was a search consultant. They invited some graduates to come down and say, ‘What do you think the next president ought to be?’ I participated with eight or ten of us who were here. As we were leaving, one of them said, ‘Dan, we just described you …’
“I never really decided to take the job. I never really decided to apply for it (the position of CJ president). I stayed in touch with the place during the years I was away … I was kind of fascinated by the idea of serving in this role. I just didn’t think they would pick me. And they did.”
Q: Even if you're not tied to the school, you can see the growth on the outside. What are people missing inside?
Meixner: "When I got here, we didn't first focus on what we need to do with the building and the campus, although that was part of our priorities. What we really tried to focus on was: How do we better prepare students tomorrow? As good as we think we are today, how are we going to be better tomorrow? And then, how are we going to reach out more broadly to the community, as the demographics of Dayton change? …
“Today our kids are coming from Middletown. They’re coming from Troy. They’re coming from Wilmington and Xenia, Germantown — and everywhere in between. Kettering, Centerville, Vandalia, Tipp (City) …
“Inside the building, we really started the focus with how do teachers teach? How do students learn? And what combination do we need to have to make sure they’re all served? … There’s a lot more collaborative learning. It’s not just a teacher standing in front of the class giving knowledge. There’s a lot more conversation.”
Q: The criticism against Catholic schools sometimes is that they accept only the best students. But your student body runs the gamut, doesn’t it?
Meixner: "We are very intentional about taking kids across the entire academic spectrum. We have a special education program. We have kids who arrive here behind grade. We have kids who are headed to college, and we have kids who take every honors and advanced placement course that we can possibly offer.
“It’s that whole gamut. And we do that intentionally. And we realized that regardless of where kids are across the spectrum, teenagers sometimes face barriers to learning … we have kids who are homeless sometimes while they are here. We have kids who are dealing with parents who are facing mental health issues …
“About 25 percent of our students would qualify for free and reduced(-price) lunch … Now, some of our students come from very, very wealthy families. Again, we’re intentional about trying to create socio-economic diversity. We want to make sure we’re not just a school that can serve wealthy families.”
Know someone who can handle Three Questions? We're looking for behind-the-scenes-but-still fascinating Miami Valley residents with something to say. Send your suggestions to tom.gnau@coxinc.com.
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