Back to School 2021

A S P EC I A L E D I T I O N O F T H E C AT H O L I C N E W S H E R A L D

WELCOME

GROWING

TUITION HELP

Details on applying New principals named Expansion projects for OLA, Sacred Heart, under way to make room for financial aid St. Ann and BMHS for rising enrollments

August 13, 2021

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catholicnewsherald.com | August 13, 2021 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD: BACK TO SCHOOL

Diocese of Charlotte Catholic Schools Mission Statement In communion with our families and parishes, and rooted in Scripture, Tradition and the defined teachings of the Catholic Church, we form students to be virtuous disciples of Jesus Christ, who pursue excellence of intellect, body, heart and soul with salvation as the ultimate goal.

5 essential marks of a Catholic school 1. Inspired by a supernatural vision 2. Founded on Christian anthropology 3. Animated by communion and community 4. Imbued with a Catholic worldview throughout its curriculum 5. Sustained by Gospel witness — From: “The Holy See’s Teaching On Catholic Schools,” Archbishop J. Michael Miller, C.S.B.

About the cover Students at Charlotte Catholic High School take selfies with Bishop Peter Jugis during his visit to the campus for Catholic Schools Week in February 2020 – just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Despite the pandemic, the 2020-’21 school year was a successful one, and this year all schools are open again for in-person learning.

SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK

Students at Sacred Heart School in Salisbury spent their mornings last May learning to read with the Super Kids Reading Program, a core literacy curriculum for kindergarten to second-grade classes.

Confidence in Catholic schools boosts enrollment this fall SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

CHARLOTTE — Enrollment at the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic schools is increasing, as more parents recognize the value of in-person learning for their children.

The diocese will welcome students back starting Aug. 18, when 17 of the 19 schools will open. Asheville Catholic School will open Aug. 23, and Immaculata School in Hendersonville will open Aug. 24.

Last year all 19 Catholic schools in western North Carolina adapted to challenges caused by the pandemic and were able to successfully conduct in-person instruction. The Catholic Schools Office’s COVID-19 task force closely monitored data and public health guidance, shifting students to hybrid or virtual learning when infections and quarantines reached certain levels. Schools were not a source of COVID-19 outbreaks even after health protocols were relaxed last spring, and summer camps involving hundreds of children saw no positive cases.

This fall, school leaders are taking what they learned last year and over the summer to continue providing a safe in-person learning environment that is as normal as possible.

“This past year allowed us to work together to reorient on our mission and be a light on the hill and leaders in education,” said Dr. Gregory Monroe, superintendent of schools. “We continue that momentum this year by providing a faithbased education that looks as normal as possible for the good of our students.”

This year face coverings will be optional for students and staff, and social distancing will be reduced to 3 feet or eliminated as appropriate.

Plexiglass barriers, one-way traffic patterns and reduced activities are a thing of the past.

However, a few keys to success last year will continue to be emphasized, including attentiveness to hygiene, cleaning protocols, symptom recognition and awareness, and adaptability to make adjustments and changes based on internal and worldwide health research and data.

Parents say they are happy with the results, and enrollment numbers show it.

As of press time, 7,570 students are enrolled for the fall – a 7.7 percent jump compared to last fall – and 185 more applications are in the pipeline.

Catherine and Joe Lordi have four children attending Asheville Catholic School this fall. The family enrolled their eldest child at ACS in 2017, and their youngest starts pre-kindergarten this month.

“We are firm believers in the power of Catholic education,” Catherine Lordi said. “I don’t think a school could have done a better job than ACS. The school had a plan and executed it with fidelity, and our teachers made sacrifices that you can’t quantify.”

“I was constantly reassured by the staff every day, and by what my children shared with me, when they came home from school, that they were safe and happy,” she added.

Steve DeRose and his wife Kim were among hundreds of parents who enrolled their children midway through last school year, after hearing about the Catholic schools. Nolan and Meghan

went into St. Patrick School in Charlotte last February, and both are back this fall.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better experience,” Steve DeRose told the Catholic News Herald.

The kids’ move in the middle of the school year was no problem, he said. “They didn’t skip a beat. It would not have been possible if not for the welcoming staff and teachers, as well as the families. They fit right in and quickly became part of the St. Pat’s family.”

DeRose said they chose Catholic schools based on two factors: “marked deficiencies” they noticed in their previous school’s curriculum when the kids were put on virtual instruction, and an increased emphasis on what they saw there as “politically progressive and divisive agendas.”

Shawn Flynn has two children who attend Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools and he serves as president of the MACS School Board.

He said he has been pleased with the growth in enrollment and the work of Catholic schools’ staffs in safeguarding students’ health and wellbeing during the pandemic.

“The real heroes are the teachers and the staff in our schools. Despite extraordinary circumstances, these heroes battled their own uncertainties and fears to show up and provide the absolute best educational experience possible for our children,” Flynn said.

“I hope all of the teachers know how much parents really appreciate them and all they do for our children,” he said.

“We now know our children really benefited from being in the classroom learning with their peers.”

August 13, 2021 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD: BACK TO SCHOOLI

‘The real heroes are the teachers and the staff in our schools.

Despite extraordinary circumstances, these heroes battled their own uncertainties and fears to show up and provide the absolute best educational experience possible for our children.’

Shawn Flynn

Catholic school parent and MACS School Board president

Leadership

Frequently Asked Questions n Will face coverings be required?

Most schools are following diocesan guidance to make face coverings optional for students, staff and visitors at school campuses and on buses.

However, this may be subject to change based on local pandemic conditions and guidance from the Catholic Schools Office’s COVID-19 task force.

Schools’ athletic activities will follow the guidelines on face coverings as set by their respective athletic association.

n What health measures are schools following this year to keep students and staff safe?

BUSES: Buses will continue to have increased cleaning measures, and there will be assigned seating with siblings paired together. Face coverings are optional for bus riders and drivers.

HANDWASHING: Handwashing opportunities for all students and staff will be provided throughout the school day.

QUARANTINE PROTOCOL: Anyone with a confirmed positive COVID-19 test will be required to quarantine for 10 days after onset of symptoms. Anyone not fully vaccinated who has a confirmed exposure will be required to quarantine 7-10 days following the identified exposure.

CONTACT TRACING: Where a positive case or exposure is identified, the local health department will be notified and, if needed, contact tracing will be conducted. Contact tracing will encompass siblings, carpool members and those identified as a direct contact (within 3 feet for 15 minutes or longer).

These and other health protocols are subject to change depending on changing pandemic conditions and guidance from the Catholic Schools Office’s COVID-19 task force.

n Are students and employees required to get the COVID-19 vaccine?

Students and staff are not required to get the COVID-19 vaccine, as the diocese recognizes this is a personal choice for each individual.

Federal and state public health officials recommend the vaccine for everyone aged 12 and older. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “COVID-19 vaccination can help protect your child from getting COVID-19. Although fewer children have been sick with COVID-19 compared to adults, children can be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, can get sick from COVID-19, and can spread the virus that causes COVID-19 to others. Getting your child vaccinated helps to protect your child and your family. Vaccination is now recommended for everyone 12 years and older. Currently, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is the only one available to children 12 years and older.”

n What happens if a COVID-19 outbreak or quarantine forces a school to close?

Schools will be ready to temporarily shift to hybrid or virtual instruction based on the COVID-19 metrics determined by the task force.

Sustained virtual learning options for individual families may be available at some schools.

The diocesan school system is overseen

by Vicar of Education for Catholic Schools Father Timothy Reid and led by Dr. Gregory Monroe, superintendent of schools.

Lay leadership is provided by an appointed diocesan school board comprised of parents, teachers and principals. MACS also has its own appointed school board.

Learn more online at www. charlottediocese.org/schools-office.

Reid

Monroe

Accreditation All of the diocese’s 19 schools are fully accredited by Cognia (formerly known as AdvancED), the largest community of preK-12 education professionals in the world, serving more than 36,000 public and private schools and districts across the United States and in more than 85 countries that educate more than 25 million students. Cognia provides accreditation and continuous improvement resources to preK-12 institutions, and conducts rigorous, on-site external reviews of preK-12 institutions to ensure continuous improvement.

At Asheville Catholic School,

Leaders Light the Way into a brand-new est. 1956 school building and school year!

We want to thank all who have supported our new south wing with six new classrooms!

Questions about enrollment?

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Karen Westmoreland, Director of Enrollment and Development kwestmoreland@ashevillecatholic.org

Asheville Catholic School 12 Culvern St. Asheville, NC 28804 (828)252-7896

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catholicnewsherald.com | August 13, 2021 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD: BACK TO SCHOOL

Construction projects under way to expand, improve Catholic schools facilities SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte Properties and Risk Management Office is working hard to keep pace with multiple Catholic schools’ expansion projects under way to accommodate growing enrollment and investments in state-of-the-art educational facilities.

Two projects are winding down – at Asheville Catholic School and St. Gabriel School in Charlotte – where work is expected to be completed when school starts this month.

Construction on the long-awaited MACS Fine Arts Center adjacent to Charlotte Catholic High School is in full swing.

The diocesan Properties Office has two more extensive construction projects lined up this coming year: an athletic complex at Christ the King High School in Huntersville and, at Immaculata School in Hendersonville, a STEM Lab and relocation of the main entrance to create a secure vestibule and new administrative offices.

More details on current and upcoming Catholic schools’ construction projects are:

The MACS Fine Arts Center is taking shape on the campus of Charlotte Catholic High School. The $21 million center is expected to open at the beginning of the 2022-’23 school year.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CHOATE CONSTRUCTION, ASHEVILLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL, SHIEL SEXTON AND THE DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE PROPERTIES AND RISK MANAGEMENT OFFICE

Asheville Catholic School A 12,000-square-foot addition at Asheville Catholic School – the first for the school in nearly four decades – is complete.

It includes six classrooms, a dedicated art room, common areas and more.

Every aspect of the project incorporates environmentally-friendly design elements, from energy-efficient LED lighting to pervious surface parking to collect stormwater runoff. The most exciting and visible aspect is the addition of over 200 solar panels to the roof (beginning in September) that will help power the school.

The $3.9 million project was funded in part by a $3 million school capital campaign, a $390,000 St. Eugene Parish “Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love” campaign rebate and a $475,000 “Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love” grant.

The school will celebrate the project’s completion with a ribbon-cutting event with Bishop Peter Jugis Aug. 26.

A new parking lot will also be constructed on the gym’s north side.

Construction is expected to start this winter and take 10 months to a year to complete. The $6.6 million project is being funded by $3.96 million in pledged donations from the Christ the King High School community and $2.7 million from Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools.

St. Gabriel School Asheville Catholic School has six new classrooms, a dedicated art room, common areas and more.

Christ the King High School in Huntersville will start construction on a new Athletic & Activity Complex this winter.

MACS Fine Arts Center The MACS Fine Arts Center, a 47,700-square-foot facility located on the Charlotte Catholic High School campus, is taking shape. Diocesan properties officials confirm the building exterior structure is up and roofing work and some exterior glass work is set to start around the time school begins this month. Inside the new structure, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work is under way in preparation for pouring the building’s first-floor concrete slab.

When completed, the $21 million center will house a 600-seat auditorium and a high-quality performance and exhibit space for MACS students.

It will also house an art room, a band room, choral room, ceramics studio, dance studio, digital lab, stage and theater.

Charlotte Catholic’s visual and performing arts classes will move to the new center, freeing up space inside the high school for other classroom use as well as space for a weight room, wrestling room and more.

Construction is expected to continue through the end of the 2021-’22 year, with

With a growing student population, St. Gabriel School in Charlotte has reconfigured 5,829 square feet on the building’s main level – part of which was used as office space and part of the media center –to add two new classrooms to accommodate additional kindergarten and first-grade classes. An art space was also created within the media center. The $659,000 project was funded by Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools and St. Gabriel Parish.

Immaculata School

St. Gabriel School in Charlotte has a new art room and two new classrooms to accommodate a growing number of students.

Immaculata School in Hendersonville will relocate its main entrance and build a STEM Lab.

completion anticipated before the start of the 2022-’23 school year.

foot addition, which will include a new gymnasium with bleacher seating for 728 people and cross-court play. It will also have home and visitor locker rooms.

The existing 7,500-square-foot gym will be converted into a stage, storage rooms, offices for a coach and trainer, and an awards gallery. The stage will be used for band, musical and theater performances as well as school assemblies and school-wide Masses.

Christ the King High School Christ the King High School in Huntersville is poised to begin construction this winter on the Fulford Athletic & Activity Complex.

The project features a 14,226-square-

Thanks to financial support from Shea Homes, Immaculata School will begin construction this fall on a new 1,700-square-foot STEM Lab and relocation of its main entrance to create a controlled security vestibule and new administrative offices.

The school will heighten its presence in downtown Hendersonville by capping its new 500-square-foot entrance lobby with a tower element designed to complement the architecture of Immaculate Conception Church across the street. Construction is expected to start this fall and continue through the end of the school year. The school intends to hire a new teacher to lead the school’s new STEM program next fall when the new STEM Lab is complete.

The $2 million project is being funded by a $1.9 million grant from Shea Homes and $100,000 donated from the school community.

August 13, 2021 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD: BACK TO SCHOOLI

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Diocese schools welcome four new leaders this fall CHARLOTTE — Four of the diocese’s Catholic schools are welcoming new leaders this school year: Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Ann schools in Charlotte, Sacred Heart School in Salisbury and Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville.

ERIN BRINKLEY Sacred Heart School, Salisbury Brinkley, herself a 1996 graduate of Sacred Heart School, is a veteran teacher and administrator with over 17 years of experience. A member of Sacred Heart Church, she holds a bachelor’s Brinkley degree from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Arizona State University.

Her tenure includes 10 years in the Kannapolis City Schools, a stint as faith formation director for Sacred Heart Parish, and five years at Sacred Heart School, where she has taught kindergarten, third and fifth grades, and served as dean of students.

Besides teaching, she served on the school’s leadership team, where she facilitated school-wide initiatives such as the dedicated STEM Maker Space, “Cranium Cove,” and projectbased learning opportunities in the

school’s sensory garden and outdoor learning space. She was instrumental in integrating extra enrichment time into the middle school schedule through an innovative Flex Time program that allowed students to discover a passion in unique classes.

She and her husband Damon have three children, all of whom attend Sacred Heart School.

MICHELLE KUHN St. Ann School, Charlotte A member of St. Matthew Church, Kuhn holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Belmont Abbey College and a master’s degree in educational Kuhn administration from the University of Notre Dame. During her time there, she was a member of the 12th cohort of the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program for future Catholic school principals.

She has more than 15 years of experience as a teacher and administrator in the Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools system, most recently serving as an assistant principal at St. Mark School in Huntersville. She is a graduate of the diocesan school system, and she is married to fellow Charlotte Catholic High School grad Jeremy Kuhn.

Two of the Kuhns’ four children are Charlotte Catholic graduates, and their

daughter is in 10th grade there. Their son is in seventh grade at Holy Trinity Middle School.

TYLER KULP Our Lady of the Assumption School, Charlotte Kulp brings more than 16 years of experience as a teacher, department chair and administrator.

He began his school leadership career in the diocese in 2015, when he began serving as principal Kulp at Sacred Heart School. Prior to that, he worked in the Rowan-Salisbury School System.

He holds a Master of Science in school administration from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in school administration and middle grades math from Catawba College in Salisbury. He is pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership. A certified master catechist, he is also an Apple Teacher and a member of the Alliance for Catholic Education, National Catholic Educational Association and Institute for Catholic Liberal Education.

He and his wife Jessica have two children.

DR. JARED RASHFORD Bishop McGuinness High School, Kernersville

Head of School Rashford is a veteran educator with more than 20 years of experience as a teacher, department chair, administrator and independent education scholar.

He holds a Rashford doctorate in teaching and learning from Georgia State University, bachelor’s degrees in biology and Spanish from Duke University, and a master’s degree in education from Wake Forest University.

Rashford’s education career began in the Triad. While pursuing his master’s degree in education at Wake Forest University, he completed his student teaching at Mt. Tabor High School in Winston-Salem.

He has most recently served as associate headmaster at St. Louis Priory School in St. Louis, where he oversaw the school’s program of study as well as the offices of admissions, athletics, college counseling, communications and technology. He also has worked as a consultant in educational design, management and curriculum. Previously, he was a department chair and faculty member at an independent school in Pittsburgh, and he also worked as a public school teacher in Georgia.

Rashford his wife Amanda are returning to the Triad, where they began their family life together 22 years ago.

The couple has five children.

With roots in the Triad, incoming

— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter

Other principals Margaret Beale Immaculata School Gary Callus St. Leo School Christopher Kloesz St. Pius X School Michael Miller Asheville Catholic School Kevin O’Herron St. Matthew School Kevin Parks Holy Trinity Middle School Sister Geri Rogers, S.S.J. Our Lady of Mercy School Catherine Rusch Our Lady of Grace School Ryan Schnaith-Ivan Immaculate Heart of Mary School Dr. Carl Semmler Christ the King High School Michele Snoke St. Gabriel School Kurt Telford Charlotte Catholic High School Julie Thornley St. Mark School Amy Tobergte St. Patrick School Michelle Vollman St. Michael School

Now Enrolling!

Join the

Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools Family

PreK-8th Grade Special Education Programs

Immediate openings for teachers, teacher assistants, and substitute teachers in our 9 Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools. o

Charlotte Catholic High School 704.543.1127

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Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School 704.527.7822

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St. Ann Catholic School 704.525.4938

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St. Matthew Catholic School 704.544.2070

o

Christ the King High School 704.799.4400

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Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School 704.531.0067

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St. Gabriel Catholic School 704.366.2409

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St. Mark Catholic School 704.766.5000 St. Patrick Catholic School 704.333.3174

Contact the school directly for additional information and visit the employment opportunity website at: www.charlottediocese.org/schools-office/employment-opportunities

The Journey Matters!

Start with a tour, stay for the experience.

To schedule a tour, call our Admissions Office at (336) 275-1522 or visit our website www.olgsch.org.

Affordability Enrichment Classes Homework Support Before/After School Care Summer Camps Daily Hot Lunch

55+ 50-60%

10:1

of 7th grade

activities

students qualify

including

Student

for the Duke TIP

grades Pre-K - 8th

100%

20+ Clubs &

Teacher to

Ratio in

3

Fieldtrips in

Special Education

Over the past 3 years acceptance to

grades PreK-8,

and Learning

Athletics.

including Historic

Support Programs

programs,

program,

Chess, Choir,

Sites, Museums,

for students with

including IB programs,

performing

Cooking, Art,

Outdoor

Autism and

Bishop McGuinness

in the top 5% in

Science-based

Education,

Learning

the nation

clubs and more

Retreats and more

Disabilities

competitive high school

Catholic High School, Weaver Academy, and UNC School of the Arts

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catholicnewsherald.com | August 13, 2021 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD: BACK TO SCHOOL

Our Catholic schools at a glance PAGES 6-9: Basic facts to help you in considering a Catholic education for your children KATHERINE MCCARTHY INTERN

By the numbers 99 percent of graduates of Bishop McGuinness, Charlotte Catholic and Christ the King high schools continue on to higher education.

Scholarships awarded last year: Bishop McGuinness: $5,000,000 Charlotte Catholic: $20,233,419 Christ the King: $9,782,986

Did you know?

The Diocese of Charlotte Schools welcome students of all backgrounds, even as most of their students are Catholic and the school system strives to inculcate the beliefs and values of the Catholic Church.

Catholic: 87% Non-Catholic / Community: 13% Boys: 51.2% Girls: 48.8% Hispanic: 8.9% Non-Hispanic: 91.2% Asian: 4% Black: 2.8% Caucasian: 87% Hawaiian-Pacific Islander: 0.2% Multi-race: 3.8% Native American: 1.2% Unknown: 1%

How do I apply?

Navigating the application process for the diocese’s parish-based schools and for the Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools system (MACS) is a straightforward online process.

The admissions process begins in November and general admissions begin in March, continuing as space is available. All schools work on a rolling admissions basis until all spots are full.

Students entering pre-kindergarten must be 4 years old on or before Aug. 31. TK students must be 5 on or before Oct. 15. Kindergarten students must be 5 years old on or before Aug. 31.

Details for MACS – including required documents and placement testing information – can be found online at www.www.discovermacs.org/apply. Details for each parish-based school can be found on their respective website.

Questions? Call the individual school or the MACS Office any time in the application process at 704-370-3273.

Step 1:

Take a Tour

P

arents invest a great deal in providing their children with an education.

From driving back and forth, to packing lunches and helping with math homework that seems much more challenging than it should be, at times it may feel as if parents themselves are back in school.

Add in the cost of tuition and miscellaneous fees, and the goal of providing your child with a Catholic education suddenly appears difficult to achieve. However, there is so much more than simply math homework and book reports tied into the value of a Catholic education.

In fact, former St. Mark School parent Theresa Lister says the cost of a Catholic education is “well worth it” for the contribution it makes in grounding children in their Catholic faith. She adds that a Catholic education is “the best of all worlds – combining faith, community and education.”

When you send your child to any of the nine Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools (MACS) or any of the 10 parish-based schools in western North Carolina, you provide your child with a well-rounded Catholic education that works to cultivate their faith, volunteerism and creativity.

What sets a Catholic education apart from anything else? Along with the other 18 principals in the diocesan school system, Tyler Kulp, principal of Our Lady of the Assumption School in Charlotte, emphasizes that it is Tyler Kulp prayer and incorporating the Principal, Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic faith into everything School in Charlotte done as a school community.

“It is so important that we encompass it with everything. We pray every day – it’s the first thing we do every morning. As a school, we start the day with a daily reading and continue this prayer throughout the day. It is so important to include prayer in everything we do,” Kulp notes.

Along with prayer, students work to serve their communities, living beyond themselves by giving to others and connecting with people who may have lives very different from their own.

As Kulp puts it, “It’s so important for our kids to go out and serve our community. They come back on fire from seeing that they were doing something good.”

When you provide your child with a Catholic education, you start them on the right path to being active members in their community.

In a world deprived of compassion, our Catholic schools cultivate talented, compassionate and successful members of society.

Kulp adds, “What we strive for is getting kids on the path of salvation.”

All three of the diocese’s high schools have a college counseling department and counselors who guide students through the college search, application and financial aid processes. Last year, graduates from the three high schools received a combined $35 million in college scholarships and grants.

Students have committed to play a variety of collegiate sports, including football, swimming, tennis and soccer, at different universities across the country.

Connor Malloy, a 2017 Christ the King graduate, notes, “My Catholic education gave me the tools to tackle a college education through a good building of character, a great work ethic, and a desire to do more than just the bare minimum.”

Malloy adds, “If approaching a Catholic education the right way, you will benefit in not just academics but more than you can imagine.”

‘What we strive for is getting kids on the path of salvation.’

Step 2:

Complete Application Online

Step 3:

Pay Application Fee

Step 4: Complete Checklist Items

• It is recommended to call the school directly to schedule a tour before applying.

• Tours are typically done by the school's principal.

• It is a great way to ask specific questions about curriculum and what is offered to fit your child’s needs.

• The online system for applying allows you to start at either a specific school’s website or at discoverMACS.org.

• Just click the big green button, labeled “Apply Now.” • Applicants are encouraged to call the Admissions Office anytime throughout the application process.

• Pay by credit card, bank draft or check.

Details are online.

• Along with the application, applicants must submit a birth certificate and proof of a physical exam and immunization records.

• Additionally, families that wish to qualify for participating Catholic tuition rates must submit a baptismal certificate and completed parish participation voucher.

• Some schools may ask for the student’s most recent years of grades and standardized test scores.

• MACS high schools require principal and teacher recommendations and transcripts.

August 13, 2021 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD: BACK TO SCHOOLI

What is the cost of a Catholic education?

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. MARK SCHOOL ST. MATTHEW SCHOOL ST. PATRICK SCHOOL

What about financial aid and tuition discounts?

TUITION FOR MECKLENBURG AREA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS GRADES

PARTICIPATING CATHOLICS

NON-PARTICIPATING CATHOLICS/COMMUNITY

Pre-Kindergarten TK, K and Grades 1-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12

$4,613 / $7,211 $7,545 $8,475 $12,087

$4,941 / $7,723 $12,167 $13,131 $17,288

NOTE: Tuition rates for MAP, PACE and Matthew Morgan programs vary. Excludes 6th/7th Grade Activity Fee, 8th Grade Graduation Fee, 12th Grade Graduation Fee, and a MACS annual capital fee of $1,473 per family. A multiple-child tuition discount is available for participating Catholic families: 10% for the second child, 25% for the third child, 50% for the fourth child and free for the fifth child and beyond. Go to www.discovermacs.org/tuition for details.

TUITION FOR PARISH-BASED CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

PARTICIPATING CATHOLICS

NON-PARTICIPATING CATHOLICS/COMMUNITY

$10,105 $8,445 $4,750 $6,504 $6,355 $6,990 $6,997 $7,400 $6,216 $7,128

$13,777 $10,245 $7,875 $9,204 $9,230 $11,014 $8,299 $12,150 $8,276 $10,380

BISHOP MCGUINNESS HIGH SCHOOL ASHEVILLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL IMMACULATA SCHOOL IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY SCHOOL OUR LADY OF GRACE SCHOOL OUR LADY OF MERCY SCHOOL SACRED HEART SCHOOL ST. LEO SCHOOL ST. MICHAEL SCHOOL ST. PIUS X SCHOOL

CAPITAL FEE

GRADUATION FEE

TECHNOLOGY FEE

IMPROVEMENT FEE

BISHOP MCGUINNESS HIGH SCHOOL √ √ √ ASHEVILLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL √ √ √ IMMACULATA SCHOOL √ √ √ IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY SCHOOL OUR LADY OF GRACE SCHOOL √ OUR LADY OF MERCY SCHOOL SACRED HEART SCHOOL √ ST. LEO SCHOOL ST. MICHAEL SCHOOL √ √ ST. PIUS X SCHOOL √

√ √ √

Other financial aid options include the N.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, Disabilities Grant Program, and Education Savings Accounts.

These programs can cover tuition and required fees at a participating non-public school. In addition, the Disabilities Grant and Education Savings Account can cover certain other expenses related to educating a child with a disability.

√

LUNCH PROGRAMS

The national average cost of uniforms at Catholic schools in the United States is $249.

Each school provides specific information about their uniforms on their websites. Most options can be purchased through Lands’ End, but some may provide used-uniform sales or swaps throughout the school year.

Additionally, check your local consignment shop for discounted uniform items such as pants and skirts.

Fees vary by school and by order. Information is provided on the school’s website and at each school office.

MACS TRANSPORTATION FEES REGISTRATION FEE

$75

ONE-WAY RIDER TWO-WAY RIDER $1,212

$1,791

Did you know?

Other financial aid

UNIFORMS

MACS offers bus and shuttle transportation with routes in Charlotte, Huntersville and Mooresville. Details are on the MACS website under Programs. Note: Some bus routes are already full, so contact MACS Transportation at 704-370-3263 to be placed on a waitlist.

Transportation fees for parish-based schools range from $95 to $165 per month, but check with your specific school to confirm. Some schools do not provide a transportation system, but may provide parents with a car-pool list.

All of the diocese’s schools offer some sort of tuition discount or subsidy for registered participating Catholic families, up to 30 percent in some cases. Generally speaking, tuition amounts range from approximately $6,000 to $12,000 for registered Catholics, with non-participating Catholics and non-Catholics paying higher amounts. Multiple child discounts are available – see the information at left.

Tuition assistance is also available to qualified families. A family does not have to be registered as a participating Catholic to receive aid. Aid is needbased and can only assist with the cost of tuition.

As soon the application process is complete, families are eligible to receive an award.

For details about the MACS tuition assistance program, call 704-370-3265 or go online to www. discovermacs.org/financialaid.

The diocese’s nine parish-based schools and Bishop McGuinness High School offer similar needbased tuition assistance to qualified students.

Details can be found on each school’s website.

All financial aid requests are processed through a third-party processor, FACTS. Most diocesan parish-based schools provide financial aid through the FACTS processor as well. Receiving financial aid requires an ample amount of documentation, which is verified through the FACTS processor using the information provided by the family.

Families are required to apply every year if they wish to continue receiving financial aid. However, applying for financial aid does not guarantee a family will receive aid.

$4.2 million in financial aid was provided to students in the Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools system in 2019-’20 (the latest data available), with 90 percent of families who applied being awarded financial aid.

What about miscellaneous costs?

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS Most parish-based schools provide after school services ranging from $180 to $260 a month with other daily price options. Check with your specific school for details.

TRANSPORTATION

7

MACS AFTER SCHOOL FEES

FULL-TIME

PART-TIME

One child:

$225 per month

$23 daily

Each additional child:

$155 per month

$13 daily

Note: Registration for the MACS After School program is $60 per family.

OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM The Opportunity Scholarship Program expands school choice in North Carolina through scholarship grants for eligible children in kindergarten through 12th grade. This program provides funding of up to $4,200 per year for eligible children who choose to attend a participating non-public school.

DISABILITIES GRANT PROGRAM The Disabilities Grant Program is a program for eligible students with disabilities in kindergarten through 12th grade to provide an option for parents to pay tuition, fees and some other expenses at a participating school. This program provides funding of up to $8,000 per year for eligible children who choose to attend a participating non-public school.

EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT An Education Savings Account expands school choice for eligible students with disabilities in Kindergarten through 12th grade. An Education Savings Account is for students attending a registered non-public school and can be applied to tuition and required fees and certain other expenses related to educating a child with a disability. Additionally, it allows parents quarterly access to funds on a debit card. This program currently provides funding of up to $9,000 per year for eligible children who choose to attend a participating non-public school. Each program has specific additional requirements for eligibility.

For details, go to the N.C. State Education Assistance Authority’s website at www.ncseaa.edu/k12.

8

catholicnewsherald.com | August 13, 2021 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD: BACK TO SCHOOL

Our Catholic Schools The Diocese of Charlotte School System is comprised of 19 schools operating in three separate formats: Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools (MACS), parish-based schools and a diocesan-based high school.

Diocesan High School Parish-based Schools This includes 9 schools serving kindergarten through eighth grade and, in some instances, preschool. While each school is part of the diocese’s Catholic Schools system, they are directly administered by a corresponding parish. For admissions details, contact the individual school.

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School 1730 Link Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27103; 336-722-7204 www.ourladyofmercyschool.org Sister Geri Rogers, SSJ, principal Grades: PK-8 Enrollment: 172 Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 for PK, 15:1 for K-8

St. Leo Catholic School 333 Springdale Ave., Winston-Salem, NC 27104; 336-748-8252 www.stleocatholic.com Gary Callus, principal Grades: PK-8 Enrollment: 200 Student-teacher ratio: 14:1

Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville serves the Triad area.

KERNERSVILLE

WINSTON-SALEM HIGH POINT

Asheville Catholic School 12 Culvern St., Asheville, NC 28804; 828-252-7896 www.ashevillecatholic.org Michael Miller, principal Grades: PK-8 Enrollment: 198 Student-teacher ratio: 19:1

ASHEVILLE

HENDERSONVILLE Immaculata Catholic School 711 N. Buncombe St., Hendersonville, NC 28791; 828693-3277 www.immac.org Margaret Beale, principal Grades: PK (ages 3-4), K-8 Enrollment: 149 Student-teacher ratio: 10:1

Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School 4145 Johnson St., High Point, NC 27265; 336-887-2613 www.ihm-school.com Ryan Schnaith-Ivan, principal Grades: PK-8 Enrollment: 248 Student-teacher ratio: 8:1 for PK, 14:1 for K-5, 10:1 for 6-8

SALISBURY Sacred Heart Catholic School 385 Lumen Christi Lane, Salisbury, NC 28147; 704-6332841 www.salisburycatholicschool.org Erin Brinkley, principal Grades: K-8 Enrollment: 153 Student-teacher ratio: 10:1

GASTONIA St. Michael Catholic School 704 St. Michael’s Lane, Gastonia, NC 28052; 704-865-4382 www.stmichaelcs.com Michelle Vollman, principal Grades: PK-8 Enrollment: 117 Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 for K-5, 18:1 for 6-8

CHARLOTTE

GREENSBORO St. Pius X Catholic School 2200 North Elm St., Greensboro, NC 27408; 336-273-9865 www.spxschool.com Christopher Kloesz, principal Grades: PK-8 Enrollment: 416 Student-teacher ratio: 15:1

Bishop McGuinness High School 1725 N.C. Hwy. 66 South, Kernersville, NC 27284; 336564-1010 www.bmhs.us Dr. Jared Rashford, head of school Grades: 9-12 Enrollment: 422 Student-teacher ratio: 8:1

Our Lady of Grace Catholic School 201 South Chapman St., Greensboro, NC 27403; 336-275-1522 www.olgsch.org Catherine Rusch, principal Grades: PK3-8 Enrollment: 230 Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 for PK, 11:1 for K-8

Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools (MACS) A centralized, regional system of schools in the Charlotte area that includes 9 schools (2 high schools, a middle school, 4 elementary schools, some with PK and TK, and 2 K-8 schools). Tuition for participating Catholics ranges from $4,147 for half-day PK to $11,352 for high school. For details, go online to www.discovermacs.org.

Christ the King Catholic High School 2011 Crusader Way, Huntersville, NC 28078; 704-799-4400 www.ctkchs.org Dr. Carl Semmler, principal Grades: 9-12 Enrollment: 333 Student-teacher ratio: 8:1

Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School 4225 Shamrock Dr., Charlotte, NC 28215; 704-531-0067 www.olacatholic.org Tyler Kulp, principal Grades: PK-8 Enrollment: 149 Student-teacher ratio: 10:1

Charlotte Catholic High School 7702 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte, NC 28226; 704-543-1127 www.gocchs.com Kurt Telford, principal Grades: 9-12 Enrollment: 1,149 Student-teacher ratio: 15:1

St. Ann Catholic School 600 Hillside Ave., Charlotte, NC 28209; 704-525-4938 www.stanncatholic.org Michelle Kuhn, principal Grades: PK, TK and K-5 Enrollment: 247 Student-teacher ratio: 18:1

Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School 3100 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28209; 704-527-7822 www.htcms.org Kevin Parks, principal Grades: 6-8 Enrollment: 866 Student-teacher ratio: 13:1

St. Gabriel Catholic School 3028 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28211; 704-366-2409 www.stgabrielcatholicschool.org Michele Snoke, principal Grades: K-5 Enrollment: 571

St. Mark Catholic School 14750 Stumptown Road, Huntersville, NC 28078; 704-766-­5000 www.stmarkcatholicschool.net Julie Thornley, principal Grades: K-8 Enrollment: 620 Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 St. Matthew Catholic School 11525 Elm Lane, Charlotte, NC 28277; 704-544-2070 www.stmattwildcats.com Kevin O’Herron, principal Grades: TK-5 Enrollment: 616 Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 St. Patrick Catholic School 1125 Buchanan St., Charlotte, NC 28203; 704-333-3174 www.saintpatrickschool.org Amy Tobergte, principal Grades: K-5 Enrollment: 208 Student-teacher ratio: 10:1

NOTE: ENROLLMENT NUMBERS ARE FOR THE PRIOR ACADEMIC YEAR OR AS REPORTED BY THE SCHOOL. SOURCES INCLUDE THE EDUCATION VICARIATE’S WEBSITE AT WWW.CHARLOTTEDIOCESE. ORG, DIOCESAN SCHOOLS STAFF, AND THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL WEBSITES. PHOTOS PROVIDED

August 13, 2021 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD: BACK TO SCHOOLI

New Options Program helps special-needs students SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

CHARLOTTE — A new program will enable children with special needs to remain enrolled in the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic schools from kindergarten all the way through high school.

The Options Program, which launches in August for the 2021-’22 academic year, creates a path for kindergarten-fifth grade students enrolled in the Matthew Morgan program at St. Patrick School and the MAP program at St. Ann School who continue at Holy Trinity Middle School in Charlotte to go on to Charlotte Catholic High School. Students in the PACE program at Our Lady of the Assumption School can go on to Charlotte Catholic as well.

In elementary school, the Matthew Morgan program at St. Patrick School serves students with Down Syndrome.

The MAP program at St. Ann School and the PACE program at Our Lady of

the Assumption School are designed for students with special needs who require a modified academic curriculum. All three of these programs matriculate to Holy Trinity’s MAP (Modified Academic Program) for students in sixth to eighth grades.

The diocese’s Catholic schools have served students with special learning needs for many years, but this additional effort will open the door to a high school education and opportunities for higher education.

“What makes this new is a curriculum specifically developed to bring these two programs together and creates a ‘certificate’ path that will allow these students to explore options on college/ university campuses beyond high school,” said Amy Tobergte, principal of St. Patrick School and among those spearheading the Options Program.

“We call it the Options Program because it gives options for all students, so they all have the opportunity to learn in a Catholic environment,” said Angela Montague,

Now Enrolling for 2021-2022

Sacred Heart Catholic School We are Learners to Leaders!

Sacred Heart is known for its small class sizes, leadership development, and beautiful 100-acre campus.

We love learning outdoors! Many classes have no waiting list!

385 Lumen Christi Lane Salisbury, NC 28147

704-633-2841 salisburycatholicschool.org

former principal of St. Patrick School when the Matthew Morgan Program began about 18 years ago and now assistant principal at Charlotte Catholic High School.

“It’s been really exciting” to be a part of developing the program, said Stephen Dey, parent of a special-needs daughter who just graduated from Holy Trinity Middle School. Avery Dey will be among the first students to participate in the Options Program this fall at Charlotte Catholic.

Dey himself is a 1985 graduate of Charlotte Catholic, and a member of the diocesan school board serving as a parent advisor on the Catholic Schools Office’s Special Needs committee.

Dey noted that the Options Program is still in the initial stages, but he encouraged parents of special-needs students to “have the endgame in mind,” by supporting their child with developing their social skills and looking ahead to what they may want to do beyond high school.

Did you know?

At the Diocese of Charlotte Catholic Schools, every child is given equal opportunity to excel. All 19 schools in our system provide learning support initiatives to meet the educational needs of all students. Four special learning programs are offered: n Matthew Morgan Program (MMP) tailored for students with Down Syndrome n Modified Academic Program (MAP) n Providing Academically Appropriate Catholic Education (PACE) n Quest program (availability varies between schools) tailored for students with autism

For more information Learn more about the Options Program at Charlotte Catholic High School and other educational programs for students with enhanced educational needs online at www.charlottediocese.org/macs/speciallearning-programs or contact Sissie Kilby, admissions coordinator, at 704-370-3273 or email slkilby@charlottediocese.org.

Employment Opportunities

Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools are hiring After School Assistants for the 2021-22 school year at these locations.

St. Mark Catholic School St. Patrick Catholic School St. Ann Catholic School Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School St. Matthew Catholic School Holy Trinity Middle School St. Gabriel Catholic School Start Date: August 18th Hours: 2:30 - 6:00 pm | Mondays - Fridays We also have openings for a Cafeteria Manager and a Cafeteria Assistant at St. Gabriel Catholic School If interested contact: Ellen Buening eabuening@rcdoc.org or 704-370-3268.

9

10

catholicnewsherald.com | August 13, 2021 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD: BACK TO SCHOOL

Endowment funds benefit our schools and make Catholic education more accessible CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte Foundation manages 75 endowments with a total market value of approximately $15 million that directly aid the diocese’s 19 schools and their students: n American Schlafhorst Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students at Charlotte Catholic High School. n Asheville Catholic School Foundation Endowment Fund: Financial support to enable the school to retain quality teachers, offer scholarship assistance, provide continuing education for teachers, and enhance the school’s curriculum. n Joseph and Margaret Baldi Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for children of St. Leo Parish families to attend St. Leo School in WinstonSalem. n Bishop McGuinness High School Endowment Fund: Financial support for the education of students at this school in Kernersville. n Joan W. Books Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for children of Immaculate Conception Parish to attend Immaculata School in Hendersonville.

to attend St. Michael School in Gastonia. n Cornelius Alexander Davis Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Leo School in Winston-Salem. n Digger Dawson Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students from Immaculate Conception Church attending Immaculata School in Hendersonville. n Derhofer Endowment Fund: For drama department productions, capital needs related to the drama department, and tuition assistance for students at Bishop McGuinness High School. n Deussen Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarships for Catholic high school education in the greater Charlotte area. n Stephen and Jessica Dey Options Endowment Fund: Benefits the “Options” programs at the diocese’s schools. n Faucette Endowment Fund: Financial assistance for the educational ministry of the diocese’s schools. n ‘Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love’ campaign endowment: Tuition assistance n Gayden and Janell Gauthier Fund: Tuition scholarship assistance for students at Immaculata School in Hendersonville.

n Elizabeth Allen Brown Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Asheville Catholic School.

n O’Brien and William Edwards Gibbs Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Asheville Catholic School.

n Molly Cassidy Scholarship Fund: Tuition assistance for Triad area Catholic school students.

n Gismondi Family Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for children of St. Mark Church parishioners to attend Christ the King High School in Huntersville.

n Catholic Education Endowment Fund: Scholarships for students attending Catholic elementary schools in the diocese. n Charlotte Catholic High School Alumni Association Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarships for graduating seniors to attend a college of their choice. n Charlotte Catholic High School Alumni Association Board Discretionary Endowment Fund: Financial assistance, at the board’s discretion, to Charlotte Catholic High School students. n Charlotte Catholic High School Endowment Fund: Benefits Charlotte Catholic High School. n James P. and Eunice S. Cherry Scholarship Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students

n Megan Healy Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students at St. Patrick School in Charlotte. n Edith and George Hilbert Endowment Fund for Asheville Catholic School: Financial support for the education of students at Asheville Catholic School. n Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School Endowment Fund: Supports the general needs of Holy Trinity Middle School.

Endowments aid students, schools

the general needs of the school.

$4,041,854 has been distributed from 75 endowments managed by the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation that directly benefited students and schools

n Sisters of Mercy Scholarship Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Michael School in Gastonia.

Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point. n Roger Kavanagh Tuition Assistance Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Pius X School in Greensboro. n Leeolou Family Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools families. n LeFeber Endowment: This fund provides tuition assistance to students at Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville. n LoBianco Family Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Therese of Lisieux Church in Mooresville and St. Mark Church in Huntersville to attend Christ the King High School. n Manley Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students of families at St. Eugene Church to attend Catholic elementary school. n Sister Terry Martin Scholarship Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students matriculating in higher education from Clay and Cherokee counties.

n Sheridan-Mangan Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Asheville Catholic School.

n Victoria Sleeman Endowment Fund: Scholarships for students of Immaculate Conception Church to attend Immaculata School in Hendersonville. n Frank Spinks Endowment Fund: For professional development activities for the staff at Immaculata School in Hendersonville. n Mary Spinks Endowment Fund: For scholarship assistance to minority students at Immaculata School in Hendersonville. n Michael Sullivan Endowment Fund: Scholarships for graduates of Charlotte Catholic High School. n St. Ann School Endowment Fund: For the general needs of the school. n St. Gabriel School Endowment Fund: For the general needs of the school. n St. Mary Church Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for children of St. Mary’s parishioners attending Our Lady of Grace and St. Pius X schools in Greensboro and Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville. n St. Joseph Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students at Asheville Catholic School.

n Catherine McAuley Endowment Fund: Scholarships to Catholic students attending Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools.

n St. Leo the Great School Endowment Fund: Financial assistance for the general needs of the school.

n Francis J. McGrail Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance to students of Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point.

n St. Mark Catholic School Endowment Fund: For the general needs of the school.

n Lee McGuiness Endowment: Benefits the Charlotte Catholic High School Alumni Association.

n St. Matthew Catholic School Endowment Fund: For the general needs of the school. n St. Michael School Endowment Fund: For the general needs of the school.

n Immaculata School Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students at Immaculata School in Hendersonville.

n Sandy McMonagle Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Our Lady of Mercy School in Winston-Salem.

n Immaculate Heart of Mary School Endowment

n Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools Education Development Council: Assistance to the nine MACS schools in the Charlotte area.

n Theresa Lasecki Talbert Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville.

n Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools (MACS) Special Needs Endowment Fund: For Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools’ students with special needs.

n Remo and Carolyn Termini Endowment Fund: Scholarships for students attending Asheville Catholic School.

n Katelyn Mitchell Student Athlete Scholarship Endowment Fund: TFor the benefit of a studentathlete in 6th, 7th or 8th grade at St. Pius X School in Greensboro.

n John Michael Thompson Endowment Fund: For the benefit of Sacred Heart School in Salisbury.

Immediate openings for teachers, teacher assistants, and substitute teachers at all schools.

Please contact any Diocese of Charlotte Catholic School directly for additional information at: www.charlottediocese.org/schools/ To apply visit the employment opportunity website at: www.charlottediocese.org/schools-office/ employment-opportunities

n Monsignor Lawrence C. Newman Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Our Lady of Mercy School in Winston-Salem. n Vic Nussbaum Jr. Memorial Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Pius X School in Greensboro. n Onulak Endowment: Tuition assistance to students at Asheville Catholic School. n Our Lady of Grace School Endowment Fund: For the general needs of the school. n Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School: For the general needs of Our Lady of the school. n Poutre Family Endowment Fund: For the general needs of Immaculata School in Hendersonville. n Quinn Family Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Immaculata School in Hendersonville. n Clark G. Ross Scholarship Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for Catholic students from Catholic parishes in Mecklenburg and Iredell counties to attend Catholic high schools in these counties, Davidson College or Queens University. n Sacred Heart School Endowment Fund: For

n St. Pius X School Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at the school.

n F. Joseph Treacy Endowment Fund: For scholarship assistance for students in all nine MACS schools. n Triad Educational Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance to students attending a Catholic elementary or high school in the Triad area. n Villalon Family Endowment Fund: Financial assistance for students at Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville. n Sabrinia Watt Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Immaculata School in Hendersonville. n Sister Paulette Williams Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarships for graduating seniors from Charlotte Catholic High School to attend a college of their choice. n Woelfel Family Endowment Fund: Financial assistance at Our Lady of Grace School for student educational purposes, such as purchasing textbooks or technology needs. n Wos-Dejoy Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Pius X School in Greensboro. n Sister Emma Yondura Endowment: For the benefit of St. Leo School in Winston-Salem.

August 13, 2021 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD: BACK TO SCHOOLI

‘Education in Virtue’ program adopted by more diocesan schools SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

CHARLOTTE — Two more Catholic schools in the Diocese of Charlotte will begin using the “Disciple of Christ, Education in Virtue” program this fall.

St. Ann School in Charlotte and St. Pius X School in Greensboro will launch the Christian values curriculum starting this fall, joining existing users Sacred Heart School in Salisbury and St. Michael School in Gastonia.

The “Disciple of Christ, Education in Virtue” program is structured on the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas and was developed by the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor, Mich.

It is designed to provide a consistent structure and systematic instruction for students to learn about the seven virtues so that they can form the habits necessary to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Crystal Koury, assistant superintendent of diocesan schools, said the two additional schools will take advantage of additional resources from the Dominican sisters to launch the program and prepare teachers who will be implementing the program.

The additional training and onboarding resources are a new component, Koury said, emphasizing the value of virtue and building it up

not only in students and teachers, but also in families. The Dominican sisters recently provided training sessions for staff, teachers and administrators who will be using the new program this fall, she said.

Koury explained the effort is about “creating a common language and a common approach to everyday life. We don’t want to just learn about virtue.

We want to focus on a program that reinforces how to live virtue.”

“The goal is to continue to focus on instilling virtue in our students,” she said, “because if we are instilling virtue, we are working towards our mission to equip students to be disciples of Christ and approach the world with a Catholic view.”

An eight-member Virtue Development Committee in the Catholic Schools Office vetted the program, procured resources and planned professional development opportunities to get the program off the ground. The committee represents a variety of stakeholders including parents, teachers, administrators, priests and Catholic Schools Office employees. Steering the committee is Katie Matlak, coordinator of certification and curriculum and program assistant with the Education Vicariate.

Beyond this project, the Virtue Development Committee has a wider focus, looking at ways to cultivate

virtue and leadership at all of the diocese’s 19 schools.

Committee member and St. Pius X’s Assistant Principal Antonette Aguilera said the “Disciple of Christ, Education in Virtue” program stood out “because of the way in which it is designed to permeate school culture.”

Rather than being another curriculum simply to add on to other programs, she said, it is “an approach to living, to learning and to teaching. We look forward to creating a shared dialogue and a community-wide understanding of living in virtue.”

Kathy McKinney, who just retired as principal, said St. Ann School and its new principal Michelle Kuhn look forward to sharing information with parents this fall after teachers have received resources and training.

Echoing Aguilera, McKinney noted, “We liked that this is not simply a program or one more thing that we have to do, but rather a school-wide approach to common language that will help all understand virtues, think about virtues when making decision for ourselves and others, as well as guiding all of us to be consistent with our approach to day to day situations.

This will provide us with a consistent framework for promoting our Catholic identity and being Christlike to others in what we say and do, as well as how we choose to live our lives.”

— www.sistersofmary.org contributed.

11

Faith is the foundation of our community. The Diocese of Charlotte Schools are committed to educating all of God’s children and embrace students with respect and compassion. As a member of the school community, children will gain spiritual, academic, and personal guidance in every stage of their educational journey.

Did you know?

Students from all different backgrounds and faiths are welcomed at our schools. It is our mission to bring up Disciples of Christ and to serve all of God’s children.

Believe. Think. Serve.

Celebrating

More than our motto, it’s the foundation of everything we do to help our students become confident, faith-filled individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed. Students who make their home at Christ The King will build, create, lead, experiment, perform, compete and become true Crusaders.

Our rigorous and challenging curriculum is taught by top-notch faculty who use cutting-edge technology to ensure students are prepared to meet a competitive future. Our students graduate with a strong work ethic, a desire to achieve excellence, and a faith-filled heart to serve.

10 years

The Kulp family wants to say thank you to the OLA community for welcoming us.

We appreciate all of you!

Discover CTK. Imagine what you can become.

—Tyler Kulp, Principal

We are not just a school, We are a family.

C hrist

the

K ing C atholiC h igh s Chool

2011 Crusader Way, Huntersville, NC 28078

4225 Shamrock Drive – Charlotte, NC 28215 704.531.0067 Olacatholic.org

704-799-4400 • ctkchs.org Limited openings for the 2021-2022 School Year

12

catholicnewsherald.com | August 13, 2021 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD: BACK TO SCHOOL

Catholic college, ministries keep faith at the center of learning beyond high school Belmont Abbey College enrollment, degree programs continue to grow BELMONT — Home to more than 1,500 students, Belmont Abbey College is a Benedictine liberal arts college that believes in the development of the whole person – mind, body and spirit – so that “in all things God may be glorified.”

Its mission is to provide an education that will enable students to lead lives of integrity, succeed professionally, become responsible citizens and be a blessing to themselves and others.

Belmont Abbey College is the only Catholic college between northern Virginia and Florida, and with its intimate, historic setting and low student/teacher ratio, enrollment continues to grow.

Incoming enrollment this fall in all the college’s various degree programs is expected to be more than 500 students – a record for the college.

In an Aug. 6 video update, Belmont Abbey College’s president Dr. William Thierfelder credited the college’s Catholic mission and Benedictine values for the college thriving despite the challenges posed by the pandemic over the past year and a half.

Founded in 1876, the college began as a small monastery and school that has grown to become the pride of the local Catholic community for its commitment to high academic standards and its Benedictine heritage.

The monks of Belmont Abbey are a constant presence on the beautiful campus, located only about 10 minutes from Charlotte, and it is this unique combination of liberal arts education coupled with a monastic connection that is so appealing to Catholic students in the region, across the nation and around the world.

Though it is founded on Benedictine traditions, the college welcomes a diverse body of students regardless of religious affiliation.

Besides its traditional undergraduate and graduate degree programs of study, the college recently

Campus Ministry: ‘College is 4 years; your Catholic faith is 4ever’

announced a vibrant Abbey Online program which is a major draw for those wishing to change careers or continue their education.

With courses designed for flexibility while retaining the college’s Catholic identity, Abbey Online offers majors such as interdisciplinary studies, accounting, and business management. These degree programs – already leading programs for residential and commuter students – are completely accessible online.

Two eight-week sessions are offered each semester and one during the summer. Students are able to start in the summer, fall or spring. Applications may be submitted anytime. Classes are available on five start dates, with the first approximate start date this fall set for Aug. 17.

The Abbey Online degree programs are significantly less than in-person instruction at $349 per credit hour, and the online aspect gives those students the ability to manage their degree and their studies as they wish. For details, go online to www.bac.edu/abbeyonline.

In 2020, the college launched a partnership with CaroMont Health Inc. to build a hospital adjacent to campus.

CaroMont Regional Medical Center-Belmont will complement the college’s new healthcare degree programs, in which students pursuing degrees in nursing will have an opportunity to do their practicals.

CaroMont partnered with the college to help design degrees in Health Information Management and Analytics, and the college’s first master’s level program, the Master in Health Administration, which launches this fall.

The hospital construction is underway with an estimated completion in the summer of 2023.

— Catholic News Herald

Off to college? Want to meet new lifetime friends? Look for Catholic Campus Ministry on your campus. They may have tables outside church and at campus club/organization fairs. Or they may be helping first-year students settle in their rooms or participating in the Week of Welcome (WOW) on your campus. Wherever they are and whatever year you are, you are welcome to join them. Go to www. catholiconcampus.com and click on the college or university down the left column to learn more and contact your campus minister.

Campus Ministry serves college students throughout western North Carolina, enabling them to continue their faith journey in their new-found independence. Students are encouraged to develop a closer relationship with God and continue forming their conscience within the teachings of our faith. They have opportunities for Mass and the sacraments, retreats, Bible study and more, putting their faith into action and making lifelong friends. Through social events, weekly dinners, and sharing in a safe, accepting environment, they build a caring, supportive community.

All Catholic students attending university or college in the diocese are welcome in the Campus Ministry community at: n Appalachian State University (with outreach to Lenoir-Rhyne University, LeesMcRae College) n Bennett College and North Carolina A&T (Thea House) n Davidson College n UNC-Asheville (with outreach to Warren Wilson College, AB Tech Community College, Mars Hill University) n UNC-Charlotte (with outreach to Queens University, Johnson C. Smith University, Wingate University, Central Piedmont Community College, Johnson & Wales University) n UNC-Greensboro (with outreach to Greensboro College, Guilford College) n High Point University n Wake Forest University (with outreach to Salem College, N.C. School of the Arts) n Western Carolina University

Learn more online

Online

At www.catholiconcampus.com: Get more information about Catholic Campus Ministry in the Diocese of Charlotte

At www.bac.edu: Learn more about Belmont Abbey College

School Supply Donations Catholic Charities wishes to provide school supplies to children in need this year.

Whether learning happens remotely or in-person, having proper supplies will enhance students’ learning.

• Charlotte Regional Office:

Donations can be dropped off at any Catholic Charities Regional Office.

• Piedmont Triad Regional Office:

1123 S. Church Street, Charlotte, NC 28203

• Western Regional Office:

1612 East 14th Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27105

50 Orange Street, Asheville, NC 28801

Suggested supplies are listed below • Headphones • Package of Pre Sharpened #2 Pencils • Plastic Pencil Box • Box of 24 Crayons • Glue Sticks • Pair of Scissors • Personal Pencil Sharpener • Wide Ruled Composition Notebook (Red, Yellow, Black)

• • • • •

Individual Dry Erase Board Dry Erase Markers (4 count) Spiral Notebooks Colored Pencils (12 Count) 3x3 Post It Notes, assorted colors • Pack of Notebook Paper • 12 inch Ruler • Pack- Grid Paper

Items needed when returning to in-class learning • Disinfecting Wipes • Personal Hand Sanitizer • Individual Pack of Kleenex Facial Tissue • Backpack • Extra masks

Collection containers will be placed at the entrance for safe and easy drop off.

ccdoc.org