Several Catholic high schools, recognizing the financial stress the coronavirus shutdown has had on families, are offering tuition assistance to ensure that no student has to withdraw from their school.
Salesianum School was the first to announce its fund at the end of March. According to school president Brendan Kennealey, Salesianum’s financial position allowed it to ensure that incoming students could afford to attend the all-boys school.
Sallies began a fundraising campaign with a goal of $1 million, and that received a big boost with a commitment of $160,000 from Bill Schieffer, Class of 1979, and his wife, Dawn. The first $500,000 came from the school’s reserves.
“We’re just kind of beginning the process of solicitation beyond that,” Kennealey said April 17. “I think we’ve had maybe 200 gifts, which is awesome. I think it shows people care.”
Kennealey said the school heard from families before the assistance fund was established, a number that has since risen to 30 to 40.
“The restaurant industry, the hotel industry, they got hit immediately. We knew we had to do something. So many of our families were affected,” he said.
In addition to the tuition assistance, the school pledged another $500,000 to support the families of employees by assisting with medical bills or lost wages as a result of the virus. Salesianum has committed to keeping all of its employees on the payroll regardless of whether they are in the building and intends to keep doing so, Kennealey said. The employee assistance is for those whose spouses may have been laid off, or who may have COVID-19-related expenses.
Ursuline Academy also said it is doing everything it can to ensuring that any student will be able to remain there. That support extends to students who are entering this fall as well.
“I am wholly committed to ensuring every child in our care as an Ursuline student will remain an Ursuline student. That support extends to those who will be joining our community in the fall. We are a family — a family that supports each other through every peak and every valley, and this time of global pandemic is no different,” Ursuline president Trisha Medeiros said.
The school has created at COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund. According to school officials, Ursuline’s financial position is strong, and donors have been generous. The director of finance is also monitoring federal funding opportunities that could aid the school.
According to the school, many current and incoming families have expressed an increased need for assistance. That number is expected to grow in the coming months. Ursuline continues to raise funds for the emergency fund as well as its regular tuition-assistance fund.
According to Archmere Academy, it is committed to helping its students and their families, as well as those of faculty and staff, “through this uncertain time educationally, emotionally and financially.”
In a statement, headmaster Michael Marinelli said, “Making this statement was not a difficult decision because our decisions will continue to be rooted in our mission as a Catholic, Norbertine school. We continue to be grateful for the widespread support of the alumni, parents of alumni, current families and students, faculty, staff and friends of the academy who are committed to the continued success of a valued educational tradition begun in 1932.”
Archmere will help families whose household incomes have been affected by COVID-19, with the goal that no student will have to leave the school because of finances. According to director of marketing and communications Stephanie Silverman, the school has received some notifications of changes in financial status and expects to have more conversations in the coming weeks.
“It is difficult at this time to anticipate the number and acuteness of requests from families, but it is our optimistic hope to be able to work together with each unique situation,” Silverman said.
Officials at Padua Academy also are reassuring families that they are committed to retaining their daughters’ enrollment status. It is providing financial assistance when necessary. School spokeswoman Jen Bell said Padua was “all-in” from the outset.
“For us, losing even one student due to the loss of wages or a job in a household was not even an option,” she said. “We immediately communicated to our families that if their employment status or wages change in any way, thus impacting their ability to fulfill tuition obligations, we will assist them.”
Bell said no parent wants to have to choose between the basic necessities of life and their child’s education. Padua did not want their families to have to make that decision.
St. Elizabeth School does not have a formal program in place, but for those families who have contacted the school, “we are working with them through their struggles,” president Joe Papili said.
“We have care and compassion toward our families and their situations,” he said. Tuition and finance arrangements are among the many issues St. Elizabeth officials are addressing during the shutdown.
