A priceless Catholic education

With another school session upon us, you might be considering sending your child to Catholic school. Or, perhaps you’ve already thought of it, but dismissed it as out of your reach for financial reasons.
 
The students attending Catholic schools in the Bismarck Diocese, not only receive a good Catholic education, but are formed to be successful in all areas of life, according to Fr. Justin Waltz. He is the Pastor of St. Leo’s Church in Minot, school board member for Bishop Ryan Catholic Schools and delegate of the Bishop for Catholic Education.
 
Although Catholic education is priceless in terms of the rewards, sometimes the price tag is given as the reason parents don't send their kids. Yet, money should never be a reason, Fr. Waltz said. He explained that one of the first new laws established last year at the Bismarck Diocese Synod on Catholic Education is that no child can be denied a Catholic education based on financial circumstance.
 
Looking for funding sources is an ongoing issue, but Fr. Waltz said that every parish in the diocese supports furthering Catholic education including financially to keep tuition as low as possible. “The product we have in our Catholic schools is second to none,” he said. “We want to make sure that no child is unable to be in the system. It’s about furthering the Gospel.”
 
Making tuition feasible
 
Michael Weisbeck, Director of Finance and Operations at Light of Christ Catholic Schools in Bismarck, which includes one high school, three grade schools, and one middle school, explained that when all the Bismarck schools came together in 2012, one of the founding principles was that no student would be turned away due to space or finances.
 
When parents enroll, they can also apply for tuition assistance. Providing tax documents is part of the process, but numbers don’t tell the whole story. “We also take into account things like debt payments and medical issues or a death in the family, reduced hours at work, and number of family members,” Weisbeck said. He added that it’s often possible to work out an agreement with payments increasing over time as families gain a better financial footing if existing debt is a concern.
 
The process is confidential so that principals and teachers have no idea which students receive financial help. “Regardless of your financial situation, we will make it work,” Weisbeck said. “Our goals have to be the same, to educate and form the student in accord with their Catholic faith. It is a partnership between the school and the family, with sacrifices on both sides.”
 
Hand up not a hand out
 
In the recent past, $50,000 was written off as uncollectable in just one year for the high school compared to less than $24,000 deemed uncollectible for the whole system last year. “We’d much rather give financial aid than write off tuition,” Weisbeck said. “Families should feel good about being responsible and fulfilling their tuition commitment.”  
 
He pointed out that at times, circumstances change during the year either for the better or worse. “We’ve had families tell us, ‘our situation has changed so we are going to give some of it back,’” Weisbeck said. During difficult times, when a family’s situation causes tuition to be a problem, he said the school should be a source of stability for them.
 
“The hardest part for us,” he said, “is when parents don’t communicate if there is a problem with payment. When we call about tuition, we simply want to know what will work best for them.” 
 
This year, Light of Christ will give out over $400,000 in tuition assistance. “It’s not a hand out; it’s a hand up,” Weisbeck said. 
 
Tina Johnson, the business manager for Dickinson’s Trinity Catholic Schools (two grades schools, one junior high, one high school) shared the same philosophy, seeing parents in partnership for making Catholic education work.
 
“Our fear is people will not ask for help out of embarrassment,” she said. “We’ve always been able to give some kind of help to everyone who has applied.”
 
Johnson is an alumnus of Trinity, and has a third-grade son attending now. “Anyone unsure of the value of Catholic education should attend an elementary Mass,” she said. “It’s amazing how quiet they are and how they pay attention, it would be hard to say it’s not worth it. We will do everything we can to make it affordable.”
 
Personal testimony
 
One mother, who wished to remain anonymous, stayed home to care for her younger ones, but she and her husband wanted their children to attend Catholic school. They initially sat down with St. Anne’s principal, Cori Hilzendeger and then pastor, Fr. Ed Wehner (now deceased) who made them feel very welcomed. They were told, “You and your children will bring value to our school.”
 
When the system switched over to Light of Christ, they again felt welcomed. She said it is critical for Catholic schools to support big families in this way. “Families should not feel penalized because they have been open to God’s children, and then later find that Catholic Schools are out of their reach because of the number of children they have.”
 
This mother expressed “great gratitude for God’s provision” which allows their children “through the whole of their day, to be reminded of their purpose here on earth, to know, love, and serve God.”  
 
Their family tuition amount is sacrificial for them, but not unmanageable. “Just as it should be,” she said.

Her advice to other families who think Catholic education is out of their financial reach is to talk to the school’s financial advisors. “Promoting and supporting our Catholic Schools is a tangible and constructive way we can invest in forming good Christian citizens to influence the world around them,” she said.
 
Parents are advised to call the appropriate business manager to work out details and arrangements. Every dollar of tuition assistance given out needs to be raised, so public donations are always welcome.