Attraction to faith-filled environment, tuition assistance draw new families

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
Jan. 24, 2008

Catholic schools in the Diocese of Sioux City have a long tradition of serving families generation after generation. At the same time, each year there are new families to the diocesan schools who have opted to choose Catholic schools for the first time.

Norma Rangel, a parent of two children at St. Mary's in Storm Lake, had initially tried public school when her oldest entered school. Her son, who is presently a fifth-grader at St. Mary's, went to public school for two years and then she enrolled him in Catholic school when he was in second grade.

"I think the education is better and now he can learn all the things about the Catholic faith and the Bible," she said. "He is very respectful."

Her son, Gorge Gomiz, has commented that he gets most excited about school when he learns about Jesus and everything related to the church. She also has a daughter, Alondra, who is a kindergarten student.

"For now, I think Catholic school is better for my family," said Rangel, who attended public school in Mexico. As a volunteer in the parish, the school is just one more connection to the local parish family.

She is impressed with the caring attitude of the teachers and whenever there "is a concern they give me a call."

Rangel mentioned that the new tuition assistance programs have made it easier for her to send her children to Catholic schools.

Hugo and Maria (Sanchez) Vera opted to send their children, sons Jovanny and Anthony, to Gehlen Catholic in Le Mars this year thanks to receiving a tuition grant through the Msgr. Lafferty Tuition Foundation.

"It (MLTF) helped a lot in deciding whether or not we could afford to send our sons to Gehlen Catholic. Without it, we couldn't have done it. Our boys have enjoyed it. The change has been a very positive experience. They come home from school every day very happy," said Vera.

The Veras said it was important to them that their sons receive a good academic and religious foundation, enabling them to become better people.

"We believe they will become better parents by learning more about God, Jesus, and their Catholic faith," he said.

Jacob Point, a parent of two students at Pocahontas Catholic, pointed out that they made the switch to Catholic schools last year. Dalton is in third grade and Dillon is in kindergarten.

"It seemed that the public schools were pushing a lot of secular things on the students," noted Point, who isn't Catholic. The Points are non-denominational but they like the idea of a Christian education. "I like the values and how there is structure."

He said he liked how the school "lifts up the name of Christ." His kids have brought home the practice of making the Sign of the Cross and the Points have embraced the fact that the school is teaching them structure and discipline in their prayer life.

While they started with the school more than a year ago, he mentioned that this year they benefited from the Msgr. Lafferty tuition grants.

"It's really helpful," he said.

They remain pleased with their decision to provide this type of educational environment to their children.

He referred to Scripture from Proverbs that says if you teach a child when he is young, when he is older he will not depart from it.

"A lot of the foundational teachings and molding them when they are young will be beneficial when they leave the Catholic, private school and go to public school. They will have structure there that will help enforce what we do at home," said Point.

Another plus of the Catholic school is the smaller class size that enables the children to receive greater attention.

Anne Newell, who had attended Catholic school, took the public school route for her own children initially.

"My kids attended preschool and pre-K at St. Edmond's but then they went to public school for kindergarten," she noted.

Her oldest went to public school through fifth grade before Newell switched the three children - Natalie, sixth grade; Linnea, fourth grade and Sean, first grade - to St. Edmond Catholic School in Fort Dodge.

"Being Catholic, I wanted them to learn more about the Bible, God and the church," she said.

Newell mentioned that uniforms at first were a bit of a challenge for her children but now they are fine with it.

She said it's nice to hear when they come home from school and talk about their faith.

Like many others, she has found the tuition grants through the Msgr. Lafferty Foundation to be a big help.

"It has been wonderful. There would have been no way I could have afforded it otherwise," said Newell. "I had looked into it before and one year I applied but I was only going to get $100 that would not have helped."

Despite being new to the school, she said she has found the school to be very welcoming.

"They speak to you and remember your name and that's nice," said Newell.