CHARLOTTE — Most of the Diocese of Charlotte’s 19 Catholic schools are seeing some growth in enrollment this year: The total number of students has increased almost 2 percent over last year, from 6,896 to 7,024 students, according to data recently released by the Catholic Schools Office.
Of that total enrollment, about 73 percent are enrolled in kindergarten to the eighth grade, and the other 27 percent are enrolled in ninth through 12th grades.
Applications are still being accepted for the 2020-’21 school year. While schools are welcoming more students where space is available, they also are monitoring enrollments carefully in order to maintain social distancing and provide a safe learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools make up the largest share of this year’s student population, about 4,800, and has seen approximately 3 percent growth this fall compared to last year. MACS is comprised of nine schools in the Charlotte area: Charlotte Catholic High School, Christ the King High School, Holy Trinity Middle School, Our Lady of the Assumption School, St. Ann School, St. Gabriel School, St. Matthew School, St. Mark School and St. Patrick School.
Enrollment at the seven Piedmont Area Catholic Schools is 1,841 students. PACS schools include: Bishop McGuinness School in Kernersville; Sacred Heart School in Salisbury; Our Lady of Grace School in Greensboro; Our Lady of Mercy School in Winston-Salem; Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point; St. Leo School in Winston-Salem; and St. Pius X School in Greensboro.
Enrollment in the diocese’s three other parish-based schools – St. Michael School in Gastonia; Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville; and Asheville Catholic School – totals 426 students.
Principal Kevin O’Herron of St. Matthew School in Charlotte said he has seen an increase in enrollment across all grades at his prekindergarten-fifth grade school and attributes some of that growth to the realities parents are facing during the pandemic.
“The primary reason for the increase in our enrollment is due to the public schools starting the school year with remote instruction. For some, parents were not able to make arrangements to be home with their children and provide the support required with remote instruction. For others, their children really struggled academically and truly needed a face-to-face learning environment,” O’Herron said.
“Our typical new family has been a St. Matthew parishioner for years who has considered our school in the past, but never made the switch. The effects of the pandemic have given them that push,” he said. Those “new families have been happy with our school culture, wrapped around our faith, and strong academics. Although we don’t know what the future holds, I do believe that most of our new families have found a new home for their children at St. Matthew Catholic School.”
The diocese’s schools opened in late August or early September to in-person instruction, relying on extensive guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, American Academy of Pediatrics and N.C. Department of Health and Human Services to ensure the safest possible learning environment – including health screenings, frequent cleaning and handwashing, face coverings, social distancing, protective barriers and other measures to keep students and staff healthy and safe. All schools are also providing remote learning for students who opt to stay at home due to health concerns.
Bishop McGuinness High School’s Interim Principal George Boschini said steady increases in enrollment over the past three years there is directly related to four main factors.
“We offer students a complete high school experience that includes academic rigor, athletics, arts and leadership in a faith-centered environment. Strong relationships between staff, students and families add to the experience. Students are visible in the community, as evidenced by almost 12,000 service hours completed last year. Lastly, we have students on campus and in school this year,” Boschini said.
“All these factors make Bishop McGuinness a great place to be.”
Diocesan Superintendent Dr. Greg Monroe agrees that more families are drawn to the unique mission of the diocese’s Catholic schools.
“Our holistic educational approach – which is focused on body, mind and soul – is attractive to many families,” Monroe said. “We truly are a school community for all people regardless of their background, faith, ethnicity or socio-economic status.”
“We’ve welcomed many new families this year who were seeking an environment that creates as normal a learning experience as possible for our students while prioritizing the health and safety of our school communities,” he said. “The greatness of our schools stems from the richness and diversity of our families, and we will continue to encourage all parents who aren’t in our system to explore if our schools are a good fit for their children.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
More online
At www.charlottediocese.org/schools-office: Learn more about the Diocese of Charlotte’s 19 Catholic schools, their mission and their leadership
Pictured: Senora Angiolino, a Spanish teacher at Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville, is shown teaching her Spanish III class of sophomores and juniors. Students and faculty have adjusted well to the use of masks in classrooms and hallways. (Photo provided by Catholic Schools Office)