Marianne Ong, a staff member at Our Lady of the Assumption School in Charlotte, sorts and sets out textbooks for students as she prepares her classroom for the new academic year. Preparations like this are going on at Catholic schools all around the Diocese of Charlotte as the first day of school approaches. (Troy Hull | Catholic News Herald)CHARLOTTE — Teachers are readying classrooms and families are stockpiling supplies as the first day of school approaches for the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic Schools, on pace for their third straight year of record enrollment.
The number of students enrolled in the diocese’s 20 schools across the western half of North Carolina has risen steadily in recent years, hitting a new high of 8,315 students enrolled as of July 30, according to the Catholic Schools Office. Of that, 5,700 students are enrolled in the nine Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools.
The total is up about 2% from this time last year and 18% over the past five years – a testament to the continued success of Catholic education in the diocese, according to Superintendent Dr. Greg Monroe.
“Our diocese continues to be a destination for Catholic education because we provide outstanding academics and instill Catholic values and character in our students,” Monroe said. “Our wonderful parents and families partner with our devoted educators to give students a wide range of opportunities – so that every child can succeed.”
Enrollment would have been even higher, Monroe noted, if families had been able to take advantage of the popular North Carolina Opportunity Scholarship program as many originally hoped.
The program, which helps families pay tuition at schools of their choice, was set to be expanded this year – prompting many families to sign their children up for a Catholic education. But a bill to provide additional funding stalled in the North Carolina Legislature, putting the expansion – and the plans of many families – on hold.
“We were very excited to hear that 74,000 people statewide had applied for the Opportunity Scholarship across the state and that the Legislature planned to fully fund the program so all families who applied could receive assistance,” Monroe said. “So of course we were disappointed when legislators were unable to come to a consensus on the state budget.”
While Monroe still hopes for a budget agreement, the Catholic Schools Office will continue planning for accommodating the continued growth through possible expansions at existing schools and new school construction.
The 2024-25 academic year also brings added learning opportunities for students, said Assistant Superintendent Crystal Koury.
Two of the diocese’s high schools – Christ the King in Huntersville and Bishop McGuinness in Kernersville – now have dual-enrollment arrangements with Belmont Abbey College, enabling students to take college-level classes while also completing their high school studies.
The diocese has also enhanced its support for students who need additional help in the classroom through the school’s learning support program, now called “Academic Achievement.” The program includes adding accommodations for students who need more time to complete tests and assignments, assisting with notetaking, and assigning a teacher or aide to assist a student one-on-one in the classroom or in an individualized setting.
“Every school can now offer a program that matches the quality and consistency of their sister schools, ensuring that all students in our programs receive the best possible support,” Koury said.
Catholic schools also offer a range of programs for students with different learning abilities beginning in pre-kindergarten all the way through high school and beyond. (See page 13.)
“We do everything we can to tailor the education we provide to what students and families want and need to succeed in life – academically, socially and spiritually,” Monroe said. “That starts with listening to parents and students, providing resources, and building out a range of opportunities so every child can thrive.”
— Christina Lee Knauss
