By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph Catholic schools will be operated under a new management alignment.The St. Joseph Catholic Schools Partnership announced that after two years of study, the five St. Joseph Catholic Schools will align under one entity, called St. Joseph Catholic Academy."The St. Joseph Catholic Schools Partnership was formed to facilitate collaboration among the area's Catholic schools and ensure a common experience for all students. We have laid an important foundation for that work with the decision to establish St. Joseph Catholic Academy," Ann Lachowitzer, president of the St. Joseph Catholic Schools Partnership, said in a written statement. "We are excited and inspired by the opportunities that this new alignment offers to the students, families, teachers and staff of our St. Joseph Catholic Schools."The five schools - St. Gianna Early Childhood Center, Cathedral School, St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, St. James Catholic School, and Bishop LeBlond High School – will continue to operate as individual campuses. A centralized administrative team will include Pastoral Coordinator Father Christian Malewski, pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish; St. Joseph Catholic Schools Partnership President Ann Lachowitzer; and Head of Students Catherine Neumayr. The administrative team will work closely with Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph Superintendent of Schools Karen Kroh and Bishop James Johnston.Catholic Schools Partnerships says the consolidation of administration will provide several benefits, including Catholic liberal arts opportunities such as advanced technology, STEAM, foreign languages, robotics, fine arts, and other diverse electives. The realignment should also provide expanded professional development opportunities for teachers and staff.For more information, click HERE.