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WHEELING — The Most Rev. Mark Brennan and the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston announced a $1.2 million investment in families enrolled in its 24 Catholic schools across the state.
This unprecedented investment will be given to families of currently enrolled students, as well as those who had to leave Catholic school in the last year due to the financial strains of the pandemic.
These qualifying families, regardless of religious affiliation, will receive $250 per child in grades PK-12 in the parochial school system to be used for tuition and fees during the 2021-22 school year.
Officials at the diocese said the grant is in addition to any tuition assistance for which families are eligible, including the Diocesan Tuition Assistance Program for Catholic families; and funds granted at the local parish and school level.
“We have seen a number of families,” Bishop Brennan said, “who were forced to leave our schools for financial reasons or because their parents lost employment because of the pandemic. We want to welcome them back, as well as say thank you to those families who sacrificed much to provide a Catholic education to their children during these trying times.”
The financial ramifications of the pandemic have strained budgets across the board, Superintendent Mary Ann Deschaine said. The grant not only acknowledges the faithful commitment of families and their value of Catholic education, but also offers them an incentive to remain in the schools.
“The past 12 months have been both unpredictable and challenging on our families, schools, parishes and communities,” Deschaine said. “While we have all had to make sacrifices, we have also defined priorities. Needless to say, ours was the academic, social, emotional, physical, spiritual and mental well-being of our students.”
According to a press release from the bishop’s office, Catholic schools in West Virginia went above and beyond with safety protocols based on the guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Centers for Disease Control, along with state and local health departments, to maintain a five day a week plan. When remote learning was mandated by the state, the daily plan did not waver.
Principals continued to have high expectations of their faculty, and in turn, teachers did not settle for bare minimum work or ease grading to a pass-fail curriculum, she said.
“Throughout this historic moment, we remain forward-thinking and loyal to providing our students with exceptional academics in a Christ-centered environment while nurturing responsibility, accountability and empathy,” she said.
For more information about the grant and to register for the 2021-22 school year, contact your local Catholic school. For a listing, go to wvcatholicschools.org.
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