An innovative educational model that would serve Baton Rouge’s most impoverished students may become part of the Catholic school system as early as the 2016-17 school year. Community leaders as well as school officials of the Diocese of Baton Rouge have spent the past several months discussing the potential launch of a Crisco Rey Network high school, which employs a unique model where students work one day a week to help defray the cost of tuition. At least three meetings have already been held and a fourth was scheduled this past week. “We have had excellent feedback but we are still at the beginning stages,” said Cristo Rey Director of Growth Brian Melton, adding that a feasibility study must first be completed before moving forward. “It’s not a foregone conclusion (that a school will open in Baton Rouge) but we sure hope so,” he added. “A lot of things have to happen before then.” Bishop Robert W. Muench and Dr. Melanie Verges, superintendent of Catholic Schools, endorsed the feasibility study, which should cost about $100,000 and will be paid for with private funding, according to Melton. “What (Cristo Rey) offers students who have been denied a quality education because of their own academics or the families don’t have the resources is incredible,” Verges said. “The fact that they are focused on students who are two years behind their grade level with the goal of graduating them and getting them college ready is amazing.” Founded in 1996 by Father John Foley SJ in Chicago, Cristo Rey schools have expanded to 28 nationwide with a combined enrollment of 9,000 students, Melton said. Recently, Cristo Rey schools opened in Atlanta and San Jose, Calif., all with the same purpose of operating a college preparatory high school. Melton said 90 percent of Cristo Rey students attend college and 100 percent have been accepted into colleges. Cristo Rey schools differ from traditional school in many ways, the most significant being that every student must spend one day a week working at a white collar job that has been secured by the administration. The students are paid a salary consummate with the average pay scale for the area, but rather than paying the students directly the companies send the check directly to the school, and the funds are used to operate the school. “What students find is they love the work side,” Melton said, adding that Cristo Rey students have earned a 93 percent job satisfaction rate with employers. “They connect the dots between education and the work. They understand they are getting the education to be able to do the work.” “It’s amazing the success stories we have had,” he said. Cristo Rey graduates have gone on to college careers at Georgetown University, and others have attended Notre Dame and Boston College. Melton said the traditional school year for Cristo Rey students and teachers is 10.5 months, but incoming freshmen must spent three weeks before the first day of school to be trained in various computer skills such as Excel and Power Point as well as visit their workplace and meet their supervisors. Melton said each school follows four strict guidelines: they must be Catholic but open to all young people, be a college prep school, every student must work and the school is only open to low income students. He said the salary cap for a family of four is $38,000 annually although the average income for most of the families is $34,000 a year. “We are serving the low income community exclusively and trying to get those students into real life experiences and in a college prep curriculum to break the cycle of poverty,” said Melton, a Dallas native who has taken an indefinite leave from his 34-year career as an attorney to help the network expand. Before becoming a reality, however, local supporters face several daunting challenges, including an ambitious fund-raising program, securing jobs from area employers and determining the location of the school. Melton said if the feasibility study identifies a need as well as support, $2.5 million must be raised to cover the first two years of operation. Additionally, money would have to be secured to refurbish a building to Cristo Rey standards. Traditionally, they look for Catholic schools that have been closed or abandoned or shuttered public schools. Melton said the feasibility study, along with fund raising, the location of the school and many other details must be finalized by June 2015 if the school is to open the following year. He said he is optimistic a principal can be hired by Christmas or early next year. ”We are going to support it,” Verges said. “We will be serving students currently not being served. We are expanding our service, our educational ministry.”