Patricia Vesely, Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the diocese, sees the enrollment numbers as positive, given that many schools have had to raise tuition and economic recovery in the region remains slow.
“The fact that people are still willing to make those sacrifices is a good sign,” Vesely said.
Aquinas Principal Chris Barrows said he thinks there is an increased recognition that a Catholic education better prepares students for their future in higher education and beyond.
“Anything [parents] can do to boost their child’s chances they’re going to do,” he said.
Since enrollment and financial problems nearly forced the closure of Aquinas four years ago, the San Bernardino school has rebounded sharply with an aggressive marketing campaign that includes busing students in from the West End of San Bernardino County.
“We’ve spent a lot of time and a lot of resources getting our name out there,” Barrows said, adding that another 8-10 families have called him this month to inquire about transferring their child to Aquinas for the upcoming semester.
At the elementary school level, Sacred Heart Academy, Redlands and St. George, Ontario both saw their enrollment jump by 28 students over last year. While Sacred Heart Academy has received positive coverage in local media and improved its online presence, word-of-mouth advertising remains a key to boosting enrollment, Principal Angela Williams said.
“Our school families are our best ambassadors,” Williams said. “They share the wonderful experience of Sacred Heart Academy in their different social circles and that has brought more people to our door.”
Catholic school enrollment remains strongest in the West End of the diocese where three of the five schools there have more than 300 students enrolled. Sacred Heart School in Palm Desert has the highest enrollment of any Catholic school in the diocese with 621 students.