St. Francis de Sales Regional Catholic School welcomed the community to an open house Wednesday night, hoping to get parents to enroll their children for the next school year.
And since the school relies on a combination of tuition, support from local parishes and fund raising for its budget, keeping enrollment up is part of what has allowed St. Francis to keep its doors open for 89 years, school officials said.
There are currently 80 students in K-6, but the school could accommodate over 120 and maintain small class sizes, said Sr. Rosalie Kelley, principal. The pre-K program, which has options for ages 2-4, does have an additional 52 kids enrolled, she added.
But officials would like to see higher enrollment in the future at the school, located on Henry Street in the village of Herkimer, and they feel the foundation is in place to reach the goal.
Staff and parents touted small class sizes, experienced teachers and a faith-based education as key elements that have drawn parents to St. Francis.
Yet possibly the most effective recruiting tool, according to several parents and educators, is a slightly less tangible benefit.
“I felt it was just such a family atmosphere,” said Kristin Pawlusik, whose two daughters are in the 2nd and 5th grades at St. Francis.
As treasurer with the school’s Parent School Association, Pawlusik feels the connection between parents, school and community is most on display during fund raising events throughout the year. “You’re so moved by people and their generosity,” she said.
The PSA raises $50,000 annually to help supplement the school’s budget, Sr. Kelley said. Strong fundraising along with alumni support and a familial spirit helped keep St. Francis open through difficult years, she added.
Other area Catholic schools gradually closed as a result of the hard-to-sustain economic model and population trends, however.
Over the past 50 years, the four local Catholic schools - St. Mary’s in both Frankfort and Little Falls, St. Joseph’s in Herkimer and Annunciation in Ilion - closed their doors, said Sr. Kelley.
Even St. Francis had to eliminate grades 7 and 8, keeping with trends among Catholic schools that began finding it hard to support grades 7-12. Bill Henkel, a St. Francis Advisory Board member, said the higher grades simply cost more to offer.
While the state does mandate local school districts provide free transportation to Catholic school students within a 15-mile radius, very little other aid is provided, Henkel said. The transportation mandate is integral, however, in allowing Catholic schools to continue to operate, he added.
The schools also receive state aid for standardized test and record keeping costs, Kelley said.
Parents sending their kids to Catholic schools do pay school taxes though, and “they have to sacrifice” to cover tuition, Henkel said.
St. Francis charges $3,680 for one child per year, with discounts for families sending multiple students. Two children cost $5,260 per year and three cost $5,525 annually. The school is open to all, and currently has a 20 percent non-Catholic enrollment, according to its Web site.
Pawlusik, who attends St. Peter and Paul Russian Orthodox Church, in East Herkimer, said her family pays close attention to its budgeting, including the tuition cost. “We choose this, we budget it,” she said, of the cost. “We thought about it and you really have to look at it as an investment.”
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St. Francis de Sales Regional Catholic School welcomed the community to an open house Wednesday night, hoping to get parents to enroll their children for the next school year.
And since the school relies on a combination of tuition, support from local parishes and fund raising for its budget, keeping enrollment up is part of what has allowed St. Francis to keep its doors open for 89 years, school officials said.
There are currently 80 students in K-6, but the school could accommodate over 120 and maintain small class sizes, said Sr. Rosalie Kelley, principal. The pre-K program, which has options for ages 2-4, does have an additional 52 kids enrolled, she added.
But officials would like to see higher enrollment in the future at the school, located on Henry Street in the village of Herkimer, and they feel the foundation is in place to reach the goal.
Staff and parents touted small class sizes, experienced teachers and a faith-based education as key elements that have drawn parents to St. Francis.
Yet possibly the most effective recruiting tool, according to several parents and educators, is a slightly less tangible benefit.
“I felt it was just such a family atmosphere,” said Kristin Pawlusik, whose two daughters are in the 2nd and 5th grades at St. Francis.
As treasurer with the school’s Parent School Association, Pawlusik feels the connection between parents, school and community is most on display during fund raising events throughout the year. “You’re so moved by people and their generosity,” she said.
The PSA raises $50,000 annually to help supplement the school’s budget, Sr. Kelley said. Strong fundraising along with alumni support and a familial spirit helped keep St. Francis open through difficult years, she added.
Other area Catholic schools gradually closed as a result of the hard-to-sustain economic model and population trends, however.
Over the past 50 years, the four local Catholic schools - St. Mary’s in both Frankfort and Little Falls, St. Joseph’s in Herkimer and Annunciation in Ilion - closed their doors, said Sr. Kelley.
Even St. Francis had to eliminate grades 7 and 8, keeping with trends among Catholic schools that began finding it hard to support grades 7-12. Bill Henkel, a St. Francis Advisory Board member, said the higher grades simply cost more to offer.
While the state does mandate local school districts provide free transportation to Catholic school students within a 15-mile radius, very little other aid is provided, Henkel said. The transportation mandate is integral, however, in allowing Catholic schools to continue to operate, he added.
The schools also receive state aid for standardized test and record keeping costs, Kelley said.
Parents sending their kids to Catholic schools do pay school taxes though, and “they have to sacrifice” to cover tuition, Henkel said.
St. Francis charges $3,680 for one child per year, with discounts for families sending multiple students. Two children cost $5,260 per year and three cost $5,525 annually. The school is open to all, and currently has a 20 percent non-Catholic enrollment, according to its Web site.
Pawlusik, who attends St. Peter and Paul Russian Orthodox Church, in East Herkimer, said her family pays close attention to its budgeting, including the tuition cost. “We choose this, we budget it,” she said, of the cost. “We thought about it and you really have to look at it as an investment.”
