What exactly is the point of a Catholic high school in which the majority of students aren't Catholic?

What Catholic religious order would support a high school that is "Catholic" in name only? What religious order sees as its mission the providing of non-Catholic parents with an alternative to the public schools that is a lower cost option than secular private schools?

I can see why the Church has endeavored to keep Catholic schools open in economically distressed areas even after the great majority of Catholic families have moved away. That seems like part of the Church's mission.

Anonymous wrote:Carroll

Quoting myself here!

OP asked “why isn’t there . . . “ when exactly what they asked about exists, and yet naming it got no response.

Interesting

Anonymous wrote:IMO (preK to 5th diocesan > Jesuit MS and HS) - academic quality and standards are much better at the independent Catholic schools. Diocesan schools are cheaper but standards not as high as the independents which are not under the thumb of the Archdiocese. You get what you pay for - private school tuition and strength of your public schools supported by property taxes.

I don’t think there are any Jesuit MS’s, or Jesuit options for girls in the ADW, except for Holy Trinity which is also diocesan.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone who is full-pay at SJC, GC, etc. is heavily subsidizing athletes. Big time.

Certain athletes don’t pay a dime.

Both schools have a history of importing athletes who live with local families who also get free or heavily subsidized tuition to house the athletes.

Moreover, the schools are starting to be primarily non-catholic in terms of demographics. One might ask why. Why are sports so dominant? And why are non-Catholics getting seats instead of Catholics?

It’s interesting.

I find it a little disappointing, actually. Are schools here to educate kids or produce athletes? I'd argue the former is the priority. However, I'd guess most privates in the area do some version of this, so I'm not surprised.

Why are you surprised?

These schools have always lacked academically behind publics.

And their goal is to teach the Catholic religion. Enrollment is not up from non catholics that is absurd.

I’m a Catholic high school teacher who used to teach in public schools. The post above is laughably incorrect.

English instruction is very strong in Catholic schools; students still study grammar and composition. Science/Math is comparable, with schools offering many courses at the AP level. Students are successful in them, too. Study skills are emphasized, as is the ability to do work without a computer. I send my own children to Catholic schools now and have been very satisfied.

Don't forget fewer behavior issues and that students are held accountable.

IMO (preK to 5th diocesan > Jesuit MS and HS) - academic quality and standards are much better at the independent Catholic schools. Diocesan schools are cheaper but standards not as high as the independents which are not under the thumb of the Archdiocese. You get what you pay for - private school tuition and strength of your public schools supported by property taxes.

The parishes support the k-schools and tuition at those schools is honestly too low. The costs associated with running a high school are higher. I would love for catholic school to be more available, but the money just isn't there.

Carroll

Anonymous wrote:I have always wondered this too. Why is there no archdiocesan school like Arlington? Bishop ireton, Paul VI are all around 20k, which is way more reasonable than all the Catholic HSs in MD.

Those are with the baptized catholic rates to be fair.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone who is full-pay at SJC, GC, etc. is heavily subsidizing athletes. Big time.

Certain athletes don’t pay a dime.

Both schools have a history of importing athletes who live with local families who also get free or heavily subsidized tuition to house the athletes.

Moreover, the schools are starting to be primarily non-catholic in terms of demographics. One might ask why. Why are sports so dominant? And why are non-Catholics getting seats instead of Catholics?

It’s interesting.

I find it a little disappointing, actually. Are schools here to educate kids or produce athletes? I'd argue the former is the priority. However, I'd guess most privates in the area do some version of this, so I'm not surprised.

Why are you surprised?

These schools have always lacked academically behind publics.

And their goal is to teach the Catholic religion. Enrollment is not up from non catholics that is absurd.

I’m a Catholic high school teacher who used to teach in public schools. The post above is laughably incorrect.

English instruction is very strong in Catholic schools; students still study grammar and composition. Science/Math is comparable, with schools offering many courses at the AP level. Students are successful in them, too. Study skills are emphasized, as is the ability to do work without a computer. I send my own children to Catholic schools now and have been very satisfied.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone who is full-pay at SJC, GC, etc. is heavily subsidizing athletes. Big time.

Certain athletes don’t pay a dime.

Both schools have a history of importing athletes who live with local families who also get free or heavily subsidized tuition to house the athletes.

Moreover, the schools are starting to be primarily non-catholic in terms of demographics. One might ask why. Why are sports so dominant? And why are non-Catholics getting seats instead of Catholics?

It’s interesting.

I find it a little disappointing, actually. Are schools here to educate kids or produce athletes? I'd argue the former is the priority. However, I'd guess most privates in the area do some version of this, so I'm not surprised.

Why are you surprised?

These schools have always lacked academically behind publics.

And their goal is to teach the Catholic religion. Enrollment is not up from non catholics that is absurd.

Anonymous wrote:Everyone who is full-pay at SJC, GC, etc. is heavily subsidizing athletes. Big time.

Certain athletes don’t pay a dime.

Both schools have a history of importing athletes who live with local families who also get free or heavily subsidized tuition to house the athletes.

Moreover, the schools are starting to be primarily non-catholic in terms of demographics. One might ask why. Why are sports so dominant? And why are non-Catholics getting seats instead of Catholics?

It’s interesting.

I find it a little disappointing, actually. Are schools here to educate kids or produce athletes? I'd argue the former is the priority. However, I'd guess most privates in the area do some version of this, so I'm not surprised.

Anonymous wrote:What did you hear?

Non-Catholic parent at tour/open house/BTSN religion class: “My kid isn’t Catholic. Will they struggle to catch up? Anything they should know ahead of time? Will they fit in? Any preference with admissions? Etc.”

Admissions staff/tour guide/religion teacher: “This isn’t an issue at all. In fact, the demographics have really shifted dramatically in recent years. The trend will result in more non-catholic students than catholic students in the near future.”

I heard it multiple times at both schools.

What did you hear?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: OP has triggered that anti SJC poster. So predictable.

To answer OP's original question though -- ADW wasn't established until 1939. By then many of the independent Catholic schools had been around for 100+ years. The history is actually quite fascinating.

There is a ton of choice at all price points in our area which isn't the case in the rest of the country.

Fwiw I hope you don’t think I’m anti-SJC just because I’m sharing facts about how student athletes are imported and housed by other SJC families…and all the full pay families collectively subsidize such things.

How would I know this if I didn’t have kids affiliated with the school?

Not a hater. Just a catholic mom who finds some of the choices made by SJC, GC, and other catholic schools interesting. Prioritizing athletes and non-Catholics for the limited seats in area catholic high schools is an interesting decision imho. YMMV

“Primarily non-Catholic in terms of demographics” is not correct.

It’s heading in that direction and soon will be majority non-catholic. GC will be majority non-catholic first, but SJC isn’t far behind.

So your original statement is wrong.

And the rest is your opinion.

I mean, this is what I heard at tours and BTSN from religion teachers and admissions staff when non-catholic parents asked specifically about demographics. Shrug.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: OP has triggered that anti SJC poster. So predictable.

To answer OP's original question though -- ADW wasn't established until 1939. By then many of the independent Catholic schools had been around for 100+ years. The history is actually quite fascinating.

There is a ton of choice at all price points in our area which isn't the case in the rest of the country.

Fwiw I hope you don’t think I’m anti-SJC just because I’m sharing facts about how student athletes are imported and housed by other SJC families…and all the full pay families collectively subsidize such things.

How would I know this if I didn’t have kids affiliated with the school?

Not a hater. Just a catholic mom who finds some of the choices made by SJC, GC, and other catholic schools interesting. Prioritizing athletes and non-Catholics for the limited seats in area catholic high schools is an interesting decision imho. YMMV

“Primarily non-Catholic in terms of demographics” is not correct.

It’s heading in that direction and soon will be majority non-catholic. GC will be majority non-catholic first, but SJC isn’t far behind.

So your original statement is wrong.

And the rest is your opinion.