About Bishop Leibold
Bishop Leibold School is the shared school of St. Henry, St. Mary, and Our Lady of Good Hope Parishes. Our school faithfully serves families of Preschool-8th Grade students in Springboro, Centerville, Miamisburg, Franklin, Miami Township, West Carrollton, and Germantown. We currently have 326 students enrolled in grades PS-8 at our two campuses.
Mission Statement
A Catholic community of faith in which all students grow spiritually and academically while being recognized for their unique virtues and talents.
Our Beliefs
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We are a faith community actively promoting and modeling the Gospel message.
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We recognize the importance of nurturing the whole student.
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We are a community that develops and promotes a strong educational foundation that recognizes the capabilities and talents of each individual.
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Prayer and worship are important expressions of our daily lives.
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We are a community that respects life and works to appreciate the gift of life in our families, neighborhoods, and global communities.
If you have any questions about our school, please contact us, and we will be happy to assist you.
From Good to Great: The Future of Bishop Leibold School
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Background
Bishop Leibold School enjoys a very positive reputation in the greater Dayton community, thanks in particular to the educators and families who have been associated with Leibold over time. But we need to acknowledge and address the reality that the way that our children learn in 2018 is far different than even in 2010.
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Excitingly, just like in other professions, the tools and resources available to improve the educational delivery by educators have improved in dramatic ways to enable us to adapt more adeptly to meet the specific needs of each child.
Vision
To become recognized as a premier elementary school in the Miami Valley and a top tier Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
Strategies used to move us toward achieving this vision include:
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Multi-tiered Student Support (MTSS) approach
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Create a student support team to guide all staff in the service of every child in the school.
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Using the newly adopted universal student growth data screener, i-Ready, teachers will analyze data weekly and adapt instruction to be more certain that we are effectively meeting the specific needs of all children including those most gifted.
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A School Leadership Team will meet monthly to monitor the student progress data and to learn about how each teacher is using it effectively for their students.
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The “6 Hats” approach will be used for consistent incorporation of critical thinking skills in all K-8 classrooms.
2) Enhance the instruction of religion
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Utilize BLS results on the ACRE national assessment of Catholic religion instruction.
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BLS results are top tier nationally, but we are targeting areas for improvement.
3) Provide excellent school to home communication
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Consistent in format, timeliness and frequency.
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Administrative monitoring to ensure accountability.
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Host two teacher-parent-student conferences with students prepared to lead their individual conferences.
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Host evenings for parents to learn more about the student growth progress results and how they can utilize i-Ready at home in support of their children.
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Continue to meet with parents for “coffee” in parent homes to discuss Bishop Leibold School.
4) Long-term viability
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Reach or exceed our Annual Fund goal.
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Ensure fiscal stability and family affordability.
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Investment in compensation, classroom resources and professional development of Bishop Leibold Staff.
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Expand our preschool program to more families.
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Continue to provide new programs like the Peterson Scholarships, The Reading Lab, Before and After School, 8th grade retreat, STEAM Saturdays and enhanced technology resources that will enable us to retain and attract students and their families.
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Where did the name Bishop Leibold come from?
Paul Francis Leibold, for whom our school is named, was born in 1914. He was a member of Holy Trinity Parish in Dayton, where he served as an altar boy and attended school. According to Sarah Leibold, his great-niece, two Leibold brothers, one being Paul’s father Frank, and the other Sarah’s grandfather, lived in homes next door to each other near Holy Trinity Church (their homes were located in what is now the parking lot of Dayton Main Post Office). Whenever there was an immediate need for Mass servers, the parish staff would holler across the yards or run over and knock on the Leibolds’ doors: between the cousins, they were sure to get four servers quickly! Paul graduated from Chaminade High School, and The University of Dayton. He completed his studies for the priesthood at St. Gregory and Mount St. Mary’s of the West Seminaries in Cincinnati, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1940.
While serving as pastor of St. Louis Parish in Cincinnati, Father Leibold worked in the Archdiocese Chancery, the office which expedites canonical matters, keeps parish records, and helps parishes with civil law issues. He served as Assistant Chancellor and then Chancellor under Archbishop Alter until 1966. In 1958 he was made Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati, and eight years later he was named Bishop of Evansville, Indiana. In 1969 Bishop Leibold returned to Cincinnati to become Archbishop.
By the time he was installed as Archbishop, the 55-year-old Leibold had become known for his warm, pastoral style and was considered to be approachable, humble and hardworking. The religion writer for the Cincinnati Post at that time noted, “…he was a very unassuming man who seemed almost uncomfortable with his high position”. While in Evansville, Leibold served on many community boards, not as an authority giving advice, but as a member often taking unwanted jobs, such as secretary. He was a personable man with a ready wit, and over the years, a sought-after speaker.
In 1974, when our school formed as a consolidation of St. Henry and Our Lady of Good Hope Schools, the name “Bishop Leibold School” was suggested by student Annabelle Leyes, who now has three nieces attending Bishop Leibold School. The beloved eponym was chosen for his commitment and humility, as reflected in the words on Archbishop Leibold’s resting place at Gate of Heaven Cemetery:
"I have come to fill my office as witness of Christ to all men. And the Christ I know from the Gospels is a meek and humble Christ, who came to serve, and not be served…"
Father Paul’s example as a faithful, humble and tireless servant of God provides inspiration and a good example to the students of Bishop Leibold School and thus our school is named Bishop Leibold School.
Our Two Campuses
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Since 1974, Bishop Leibold School has operated as the consolidated school of Our Lady of Good Hope and St. Henry Parishes. Those unfamiliar with the multi-campus dynamic of a consolidated school might consider it unique or unusual. Yet our families settle quite comfortably into a two-campus arrangement, and with a nearly 40-year history of consolidated operations, we are often consulted by other parishes on how to successfully establish this dynamic.
Among the benefits are the collaboration and shared resources of two parishes. The use of two buildings and two campuses has provided a more enhanced educational experience for our children, allowing for two computer labs, two science labs, and dedicated spaces for Art, Music and Physical Education at each site. Two campuses means two cafeterias with less waiting for the students, and plenty of space for the children to play at recess. As most students are transported by one of four public districts to either campus, orderly student delivery and pick-up to the two campuses are most commonly the responsibility of the bus drivers. But even those parents choosing to drive their students to our two campuses find their journey between campuses extremely doable.
Finally, many newly-built schools now purposely form their physical campuses to the educational precept of age grouping. We already enjoy this benefit with our dual campuses. An important advantage of “like-aged” students learning together lies in the opportunity for them to easily adopt and in turn, demonstrate good behavior. For example, our youngest students, whether Preschool, Pre-K or Kindergarten have understandable and attainable goals by being in close proximity to good role models just a few years older. And our Third Graders at the West Campus are able to become leaders at a young age, and learn to enjoy guiding those younger, and have the responsibility of modeling good behavior. Although both campuses join together for special events throughout the school year, the daily grouping of similar ages provides for the best dynamic of both “followship” and “leadership”.
Our West Campus Preschool-3
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Preschool through Third Grade is located at the West Campus in Miamisburg, on the property of Our Lady of Good Hope Church. This campus features two recent additions: a wing of classrooms and auxiliary services offices, and a Parish Center with Music Room and physical education space. An excellent Children’s Section and staff is located at the Public Library next door, a short walk away, across historic Library Park. The West Campus has its own STEM Room (for integrated instruction of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). The campus has a new computer lab, and LCD projectors and Smart Boards throughout the building. In 2010, the parish purchased property next to the school to establish green space for play. In the fall of 2011, students at each grade level planted their own garden, as part of our establishment as an Ohio Division of Wildlife WILD Ohio school site
Our East Campus 4-8
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The East Campus, for students in Grades Four through Eight, is located in Miami Township on the property of St. Henry Church, across from the beautiful Cox Arboretum. This campus features a Parish Center with a full gymnasium used for Physical Education classes and large school assemblies, and multiple well-maintained athletic fields, including a baseball diamond. There is a fully-equipped Science Center for weekly STEM sessions, Science class labs, and QUEST, our after-school Math and Science Enrichment program. A Computer Lab, LCD Projectors and Smart Boards throughout the building, and access to 30 “roaming” laptops and Wi-Fi connectivity allow our faculty and students to fully explore technology as a learning objective, and easily employ technology as a tool to advance learning. This campus also has its own library as an informational resource and for encouraging a love of reading.