While enrollment for the 44 schools of the Diocese of Peoria is down by 490 students from last year, there is a glimmer of hope in the statistics for the 2012-2013 school year.

Total enrollment stands at 10,983, with 8,497 students in Catholic elementary schools and 2,486 in Catholic secondary schools around central Illinois. Among the students attending elementary schools are 1,288 children in pre-kindergarten programs — an increase of 37 students from last year.

“We’re encouraging our schools to get involved in early childhood education, which would be the preschool — 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds. That feeds directly into our kindergarten program,” said Dr. Sharon Weiss, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Peoria.

The goal is not only to increase enrollment, but to get the children started on a faith-based, academically rich education as soon as possible and to make their families feel welcome, she told The Catholic Post.

“It’s all part of an effort to get them into the school and be part of a community, because our church is built around a community, communio,” according to Dr. Weiss, who has been dividing her time between the Office of Catholic Schools and the principal’s office at St. Patrick’s School in Washington. She will assume full-time duties as superintendent in January.

She said one of the quickest criticisms principals hear is that parents don’t feel like they’re part of the school.

“Many times the preschool is in a different building or it’s in a different area of the school so families don’t feel connected,” she explained. “So we’re always encouraging our schools to plug that gap so parents are part of a school family from the moment their child comes into the 3-year-old program.”

Some schools match new school families with mentor families who have been around awhile and can answer questions or invite them to school events. Others start communicating with parents as soon as their child is baptized, sending notes and birthday cards.

“At St. Pat’s we have a parent who coordinated an effort to give the babies a onesie with a St. Patrick’s logo on it,” Dr. Weiss said. “They feel part of things right from the beginning.”

DECLINE OF 4.2 PERCENT
The Office of Catholic Schools noted that enrollment had declined from 11,283 in 2011-2012 — about 4.2 percent. Much of that came in the elementary schools, where there are 435 fewer students this year.

Dr. Weiss cited a decrease in general population and an increase in the cost to educate a child as factors in the lower enrollment. She added that principals around the diocese have told her that retaining students in the junior high grades can be an issue if the neighboring public school has a strong athletic program that provides opportunities to play in high school and receive scholarships.

She encouraged families who have financial considerations to talk with their pastors about financial aid and pointed to the John Lancaster Spalding Scholarship Fund.

Made possible by the Rooted in Faith capital campaign, the Spalding scholarship fund awarded $476,079 in grants to 563 students from 66 parishes for the current school year. Since the fund was established, $3.2 million in tuition assistance has been given.

Dr. Weiss quoted her predecessor, Brother William Dygert, CSC, who said that money follows values. When it comes to Catholic schools in the Diocese of Peoria, the value is there, she told The Post.

“I think we have exceptional schools. I am so proud of what our schools do with the amount of resources they have,” Dr. Weiss said. “It’s inspiring and it’s incredible.”