Why Catholic School?
To form students as missionary disciples alive in their faith.
All God’s children will respond to Christ’s call to become fully alive as missionary disciples.
Faith + Academics
Fully Accredited with the State of Kansas
Head
Be Attentive, Be Intelligent, Be Reasonable, Be Responsible
Hearts
Be Contemplative, Be Empathetic, Be Humble, Be Loving
Hands
Be Present, Be Active, Be Compassionate, Be Effective
FAQs
Our diocesan schools do not charge tuition. Rather, we have a unique funding model for our schools that is a partnership between parents and parishes. School parents are asked to practice active stewardship in their parish by attending Mass and receiving the Sacraments, volunteering in the parish, and discerning and committing to a tithe to the parish. For active stewardship, parishes sponsor Catholic children to attend the parish school. To better understand what this Stewardship commitment and partnership looks like, please use this link to a learn more. Learn more about the relationship between Stewardship and our Catholic Schools.
A common misunderstanding is that our Catholic Schools are “free”. They are not free as we provide an education rich in resources and opportunities for children, competitive wages for employees, and campuses that are safe and comfortable for the entire school community. Our parishes commit much of their financial resources to support our Catholic schools, and it is an entire parish effort through active stewardship.
When enrolling your child in a Catholic school, you are also enrolling yourself. You need to:
• Register in a parish
• Attend Mass at least every Sunday
• Get involved in a parish
• Live a Catholic way of life
• Support the parish financially
We invite you to explore and discern a parish home for your family. Find a parish near you. Your parish home will play a pivotal role in your spiritual formation and sense of community for years to come. If there are factors keeping you from living your Catholic faith, this would be a good time to discuss them with a Catholic priest.
Everyone who agrees to respect the religious nature of the school and abide by its disciplinary standards is welcome. Catholic schools have a long tradition of serving students from other faith traditions. There are currently more than 250 non-Catholic students attending Catholic schools. Families from other faith traditions should contact the school directly. A tuition is charged at the discretion of the parish, but it is typically below the rate charged by other private schools in the area. For pre-school families, a monthly tuition is charged.
Catholic schools welcome students of all abilities. Partnering with parents is central to our policy and critical for student success. All of our schools are committed to the inclusion of students with disabilities whenever possible. However, the range of services available will vary according to each school’s resources. Decisions concerning admissions and continued enrollment of a student are based upon the student’s emotional, academic and physical abilities, as well as the resources available to the particular school in meeting the student’s needs. If appropriate, we partner with the local public school for services.
The Holy Family Special Needs Foundation (HFSNF) uses a grant process to award dollars to Catholic Schools to assist with the cost of resources for them to educate children with disabilities alongside their peers.
Students are able to participate in a variety of academic and athletic activities in our Catholic Schools. The Catholic Schools Activity League oversees the middle school athletics program and Scholar Bowl and Battle of the Book competitions. Battle of the Books is available to 5th and 6th grade students, and 7th and 8th grade students can participate in Scholar Bowl. In addition, a Religion Bowl is held annually during Catholic Schools Week. For athletics, middle school students are able to participate in sports including cross country, football, volleyball, basketball, wrestling and track. Our high schools participate in the Greater Wichita Athletic League and follow all KSHSAA policies.
More than a decade before Kansas was granted statehood, there were Catholic schools already in place within the borders of the territory. And by the time the Catholic Diocese of Wichita was divided from the Diocese of Leavenworth in 1877, Catholic schools were already in place for about 40 years.
The beginnings of Catholic schools within the borders of the state date to 1847, when Jesuit missionaries, at the request of Osage Indians, went to what is today St. Paul to teach the Osage children and prepare them for their coming encounters with settlers. The schools that were part of the Osage Mission were initially set up for boys, and the Sisters of Loretto (Nerinx, Ky.) set up a school for girls six months later.
Since then, Catholic schools within the Diocese of Wichita have faced tremendous challenges, yet have endured and prospered while being recognized by many outside the diocese as among the premier Catholic school systems in the nation.