The volume of interest from new families in St. Joseph School in Cockeysville added another extraordinary element to an unforgettable year.
“Since March, there was slow and steady interest,” said Maggie Dates, principal of the parish school. “Once we got into late August, there was a significant increase in inquiries and applications.
“It was surreal. We couldn’t keep up with the phone calls. Once the county (Baltimore) opened, we got more calls. We’re still getting queries. People are applying for a spot in the upcoming year (2021-22), and I have never seen that happen this early. Parents are searching for the best option in such an uncertain time.”
St. Joseph School had 285 students in 2019-20. As of Sept. 17, it had 324, a result of the coronavirus pandemic. While Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore opened their doors to students Aug. 31, local jurisdictions began the year offering remote learning only, leading some families to explore other options.
St. Joseph School is not alone in experiencing an enrollment increase.
“We’re never bored,” said Debbie Thomas, principal of St. Louis School in Clarksville.
Last year, it had 509 students. Now it is at capacity, at 530 children, with another 47 on a waiting list.
“That’s attributable to the fact that we opened the school,” Thomas said. “Parents are aware of the social and emotional impact on children since (remote learning began in) March. Parents are looking to get them back in that structured environment.”
Approximately 85 percent of St. Louis School students are in the classroom, with the others learning from home. The need for social distancing meant that the cafeteria and gymnasium have been converted into classroom space.
“We have two classes per grade,” Thomas said. “Now, those children might be distributed among three to four spots.”
St. John the Evangelist School in Hydes, which draws from both Baltimore and Harford counties, added 10 students, increasing its enrollment to 194.
“I would say that it’s definitely attributable to the fact that both of them (the two counties) decided to go remote,” said Eileen Phelps, advancement director for the school, who alluded to the positive word of mouth attached to the manner in which it and other Catholic schools segued into remote learning.
“We already had experience with that,” Phelps said, pointing to two former students now at Maryvale Preparatory School. “Their father’s work took them to Saudi Arabia, and they studied with us remotely.”
Its new students include Ella Deford, a third-grader whose sister, Dorothy, is among those on the kindergarten waiting list. Their mother, Kristen Grimmel Deford, teaches in the Harford County public schools system.
“I know two families (at St. John),” Deford said. “I heard about the small class sizes, and they spoke volumes about what a warm, welcoming place it is. Last March, they went to remote learning without missing a beat.
“Ella has already said, ‘It feels like family.’ When she tells us about her day, she’s talking about what she learned, rather who did what in class, and who was sent to the principal’s office.”
Since 2014, all three of those parish pre-K-8 schools have earned the National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award, the highest honor given by the U.S. Department of Education.
At the secondary level, Mercy High School went from 369 students in 2019-20 to 427, a 13.6 percent increase in enrollment, the majority of which can be traced to the closing of the Institute of Notre Dame. Thirty-four of IND’s former students transferred to their former rival on Northern Parkway, where the student body has steadily climbed since 2017.
Mary Beth Lennon, president of her alma mater, pointed to Mercy’s International Baccalaureate Program, an “outstanding” faculty and its embrace of the values instilled by the Sisters of Mercy, the religious order of women who founded the school.
The John Carroll School in Bel Air grew from 685 students to 720, as new applicants more than made up for a drop in its international program, which went from 50 students to 28. Its St. Joseph Dormitory Hall for international students remains open. Some remained with host families, and others are doing remote learning from their native countries.
“In China, our school day begins at 8 p.m.,” said Larry Hensley, dean of student services. “Students there sign out, and log back in the next morning to continue their studies.”
Email Paul McMullen at pmcmullen@CatholicReview.org
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