The Diocese of Trenton’s Catholic schools now have some new tools in their promotional toolkit, in the form of brochures now available both in print and online that inform and celebrate the benefit of a Catholic education.
Dr. Vincent de Paul Schmidt, diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools, has seen firsthand the efficacy of getting critical information into the hands of prospective parents and students.
“It’s a great way to inform parents about all the great things going on in our schools Diocese-wide,” he explained.
The content is driven, he said, by answering the following questions: “If I were a parent investigating a Catholic school, what would I like to know? How many Catholic schools are in the Diocese? What are their test scores? Where do students go after they finish Catholic high school?”
Two separate brochures were created with two audiences in mind – prospective and current Catholic school parents, and prospective high school students looking to attend open houses. Both are available for viewing and download online; print copies have been sent to all Catholic schools of the Diocese.
“The High School Open House document is to assure that students in sixth through eighth grades know how great our high schools are,” Dr. Schmidt said. “It’s a one stop shop to find out more about our high schools and their open house dates; it’s a go-to document for kids and their parents to help them know what the process is.”
In addition to open houses, timely information such as admission testing and acceptance letter due dates are included. Also highlighted are academic statistics, the Catholic identity of diocesan high schools and college scholarship dollars awarded to graduating seniors.
The SnapShot of Catholic Schools brochure “is aimed more toward current Catholic school parents, validating the investment [they] are making in Catholic schools; for prospective parents, it explains why you should consider Catholic education for your student,” Dr. Schmidt pointed out.
Some impressive statistics of the brochure call attention to the impact of Catholic education. Members of the Class of 2021 are enrolled in more than 250 different colleges and universities; many were recognized by National Merit and as Presidential Scholars. The Catholic faith experience includes daily religion classes and prayer, participation in Masses and Reconciliation services, as well as various service opportunities and involvement in the local parishes.
Focusing on the incredible successes of Catholic schools – graduation rates, university acceptance, scholarships and catholicity – has been fulfilling for Dr. Schmidt.
“Just seeing the extensive list of schools our graduates go to,” he noted, “and the fact that the class of 2021 received over $141 million in college scholarships – that’s an average of about $160,000 per student – it’s just incredible.”
Print copies of the brochures may be ordered by calling the Department of Catholic Schools, 609-403-7149, or email dcsinfo@dioceseoftrenton.org.