LaSalle Catholic has been witnessing a significant increase in enrollment (16% from last school year to this school year), and with continued growth in the number of prospective families, it is necessary that we ensure our enrollment policies articulate the most prudent and just line of thinking possible. LaSalle Catholic and the other Xavier Catholic schools have created some adjustments (relatively minor) to ensure
this is the case.
The new policy, while too much information to include in this short article, reflects a prioritization of current students, children of XCS staff, parishioners, and Catholic students in our parishes. It also reflects an increased sense of unity amongst the Xavier Catholic schools. While the specific updates are not likely to impact more than a few families this year, the fact that we need to update our policy is indicative of incredible progress.
Further evidence of this progress is seen in the waitlists that are starting and in some cases even growing. For example, LaSalle Catholic Elementary School is currently full in kindergarten, first grade and fourth grade. This means that all new families seeking to enroll in first grade, second grade, or fifth grade will likely be on a waiting list until space becomes available. Additionally, families have begun to shift from their current childcare or preschool to enroll at LaSalle Catholic in order to secure their space in our kindergarten.
To be clear, we do not want to turn away students from school any more than a pastor wants to turn away someone who seeks to come to church. What we provide here is a ministry, and we want everyone to find Jesus here! As such, we are actively discerning strategies that will allow us to enroll all students. In order to minimize turning families away, the Xavier Catholic schools are in constant communication with one another to ensure that we can find open spaces for children, so if they cannot enroll at their first choice, they can still enroll in another Catholic school. We also anticipate more room available for students once the middle schools consolidate. Until then, though, we are exploring options to enroll as many students as we can serve well. We thank you for your ongoing support and prayers as God blesses us with continued growth!