Across the country, the week beginning on Sunday, January 29, is recognized as Catholic Schools Week, an opportunity to celebrate and to thank all who make Catholic education possible. During the week, schools throughout the Diocese of Columbus will host events and activities to recognize families, show appreciation for administrators and teachers, celebrate clergy and religious, and perform service activities for the community. It is also a time for inviting new families to take a look at the difference that Catholic schools make in the lives of our students, as our schools share the Good News of Jesus Christ all day, every day.
Catholic Schools Week is also a chance to share exciting news about Our Catholic Schools. I am pleased to share with you that enrollment across the Diocese has seen significant growth in recent years. Our official enrollment count of 16,913 students in preschool through 12th grades is the highest number of students in Catholic schools in ten years. Families have found us, drawn by the opportunity to surround their children in schools of faith. Many schools now have waiting lists, and several are even developing plans for expansion to better accommodate the increased demand for Catholic education.
Often, families considering Catholic schools are concerned about the affordability of tuition. Thanks to the success of our scholarship granting organization (SGO), the Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund, plus local fundraising, endowments, the Catholic Foundation and state programs such as EdChoice, Catholic education is both obtainable and affordable for all who want it.
During the months of November and December, the Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund received nearly $2 million in contributions, all of which will be dedicated toward supporting students with need in our Catholic schools. By way of comparison, last year, the Diocese received financial aid requests totaling $15 million. Through the generosity of the Catholic Foundation and our internal fundraising, we were able to meet just under $1 million of that need. This year, thanks to the tremendous success of the SGO, we will be able to support many, many more families and expect to offer more than $3 million in direct aid.
I anticipate the increased growth of the Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund in the year ahead, to the point where it will radically transform the financial aid processes of our Diocese. The advocacy of the Catholic Conference of Ohio, assisted by our Legislative Action Network of school parents, hopefully will increase the tax credit threshold of the SGO law and make even more funding available to support parents who choose Catholic education. I sincerely thank everyone who has contributed to this fund. Donations are accepted at any time of year. More information can be found on our website, www.EmmausRoadScholarship.org.
The Office of Catholic Schools continues to implement the strategic plan that was introduced one year ago. This plan, Real Presence, Real Future: Our Catholic Schools, lays out an exciting vision for the next three to five years. Framed around three primary goals – Catholic Identity, Academic Excellence, and Sustainability – the plan outlines the actions steps that will develop our system of schools in each of these areas. Already this year, we have released the completely revised Religion Course of Study for schools, strengthened our work with Franciscan University’s Catechetical Institute, developed a Task Force to examine ways to further promote vocations in our schools, created another Task Force to focus on the recruitment and retention of dynamic, faith-filled educators into our Diocese, and developed plans for our Evangelization Day, an inspirational one-day conference in conjunction with Franciscan University for all of the educators in our Diocese scheduled for August. A lot is happening in our schools – we are growing in size and in quality as we strive to do all that we can to ensure that all of our students are given every opportunity to know, to love, and to serve Jesus Christ.
None of the success of our Catholic schools would be possible without the dedicated people who make it a reality every day. During this celebration of Catholic Schools Week, I would like to sincerely thank the administrators who tirelessly lead our schools, the teachers and staff who educate and care for our children every day, and all of the families that have made the choice to send their children to schools where they can learn in the fullness of our Catholic faith. We are truly blessed here in the Diocese of Columbus by so many who are motivated by their love of the Lord and desire to create excellent Catholic schools.
I ask that you keep our schools, our administrators and teachers, and our students in your prayers. And, of course, please encourage anyone with an interest in learning more about our schools for their children to contact their local Catholic school or visit www.education.columbuscatholic.org.
You can also stay informed on Our Catholic Schools by following us on social media and by listening to our new podcast, Becoming Saints: The Podcast for Our Catholic Schools, which is released twice a month and discusses various aspects of life in Catholic schools. It is available on our website and also on Spotify.
