Queens Catholic schools see enrollment increase during COVID pandemic
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St. Helen Catholic Academy in Howard Beach has seen an enrollment increase during the COVID-19 pandemic.Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Diocese
By Megan McGibney
After years of closures and declining revenues, more than a third of Queens’ Catholic schools have seen an increase in enrollment since the start of the COVID pandemic, according to the diocese that oversees the borough’s institutions.
The Diocese of Brooklyn says that overall, 39 percent of its elementary and middle schools across Queens and Brooklyn have seen a spike in enrollment — including 16 of its 44 schools in Queens.
“Some schools have seen an increase of people interested in Catholic education,” said Brooklyn Diocese Marketing and Enrollment Director Ted Havelka, “Across our entire network, the phone’s been ringing a little bit and people are interested in the in-person class.”
St. Helen’s Catholic Academy in Howard Beach, and St. Kevin’s in Flushing are among the schools seeing more students. Nevertheless, social distancing rules and COVID capacity limits can make the seemingly welcome increase a challenge, he said. “Some schools are really at-capacity, especially with the social distancing. So, some schools don’t have a lot of room left at this point,” he said.
The Diocese schools have held in-person class five days a week, compared to the remote learning of some charter schools and, until earlier this month, the hybrid option for public school families.
Soon after the shutdown in March, each Brooklyn Diocese school focused on the upcoming school year and considered how to reopen safely with the same caliber of education, Havelka said.
More families than before the pandemic have been attending virtual open houses, typically held via Zoom, he said. Yet, many Catholic school families have struggled to keep up with tuition payments that average $4,000 per year during the pandemic. The strain has led some families to turn to the nonprofit Futures in Education to help pay for their children’s education.
Futures in Education Executive Director John Notaro founded the organization in 1989 as an affiliate of the Diocese in order to provide scholarships and tuition assistance to families in Brooklyn and Queens Catholic academies. Notaro said more families have sought aid during the pandemic.
“Even though we’re seeing a renewed demand for our schools, we’re also seeing a tremendous amount of increased need,” he said. “I firmly believe if we had the space, and tuition was not a barrier, we’d be overflowing right now. We would really have a lot more folks knocking at the door.”
Back in April, the organization created an emergency fund to help families get through the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Notaro said they raised about $900,000 to assist about 2,000 families.
But there is still a demand for help, and the process of raising money has been difficult for each school, he said. In the past, schools would hold fundraising events like bingo night, but in-person activities are largely prohibited.
Futures in Education’s Angel Program enables donors to pay for a student’s tuition beyond 8th grade and into a Catholic high school. Notaro said the fund has seen a 20 percent increase in revenue because donors have been “digging a little deeper” to help young people in need.
COVID-19 has forced schools to hire additional staff, purchase personal protective equipment cleaning supplies, and obtain other necessities to protect students, teachers and employees. The expenses have further tightened school finances.
“Overall, we’re still struggling,” Notaro said. “Even though we’re raised a little more money in some areas, we have more of a need.”
Overall, however, the new enrollment boost has left Queens’ Catholic academies hopeful for their future.
“We are always optimistic,” Havelka says. “It is a real challenge, and every school is doing everything they can. A growing school decreases the likelihood of a closure.”
