By Christina Leslie | Staff Writer

The parish community of St. Mary, Middletown, is using innovative ways to boost enrollment in its two Catholic schools, St. Mary School and Mater Dei Prep. The efforts of a new leadership board, personnel reassignments and the strengthening of the schools’ mission statement have resulted in a marked increase in enrollment for the upcoming school year as well as a renewed clarity of mission among its students, faculty and parish.

In a letter dated Aug. 5, St. Mary Parish pastor Father Jeffrey Kegley announced that Steven Sciarappa, principal of Mater Dei since 2009, has been promoted to director of campus schools with the responsibility for advancement and admissions for both St. Mary School and Mater Dei Prep. Former Mater Dei vice principal, Craig Palmer, has taken the top slot at the school with Sciarappa’s promotion.

The results of the parish’s aggressive marketing and recruitment strategy for its schools over the past year are already clear; its step by step approach includes everyone at both schools from the youngest students to personnel. Father Kegley wrote:

“Today I am pleased to inform you that Mater Dei Prep is expecting the largest freshman class in the last 10 years: 75 percent greater than last year’s freshman enrollment. Additionally, there are a great number of students transferring in to be part of the Mater Dei Prep family. At St. Mary School we are excited to welcome 25 new families in our upper grades.”

At press time, enrollment in St. Mary School was at 682 students, with the total number of students at Mater Dei Prep standing at about 331, 110 of them in the freshman class.

Tackling the problem

St. Mary and Mater Dei Prep personnel and members of the new board of governors, volunteers from the business community equipped with corporate and branding skills, were tasked with increasing enrollment in both schools. Sciarappa said, “We made it a top priority. We looked at the budget and knew we needed to get to a certain number of new students to be financially viable.” Palmer detailed, “We had budgeted for a modest increase, with a [Mater Dei] freshman class of about 80 to 85 students.”

“We had to let people know about our time, talent and energy. We had to let people know who we are and what we do,” Sciarappa continued, describing how the community created a four-point, clear message of school value.

Creating the message

The four points in the new St. Mary School/Mater Dei Prep message are Catholic identity, value, academics and opportunities. “We take it for granted, but a Catholic education has a lot of gravity in the eyes of the public,” Sciarappa noted. “They assume it is a better education, and we are different because we are Catholic.”

He proposed that a clear acknowledgement of the schools’ identity can help in public perception of its strengths. “It’s who we are. We are much smaller than our sister schools,” he noted. Quoting statistics from last year’s graduating class, Sciarappa continued, “Our average senior graduates with 13 college credits, which saves their parents money for college. Last year they averaged $35K in scholarships. I tell parents Mater Dei Prep is free, that they are paying up front for college.”

Sciarappa noted the strength of the curriculum in Mater Dei. “We have 100 percent college placement, 83 to 85 percent of that in four-year colleges. Our SAT scores are strong, and we are a very diverse community.”

New roles, familiar faces

Sciarappa, who grew up in Toms River and attended both St. Joseph School and Monsignor Donovan High School (now Donovan Catholic), graduated from Stockton College, Pomona, then returned to his high school alma mater as faculty member and football coach. He assumed the role of assistant principal in Mater Dei in 2008 before becoming its principal in 2009.

New Mater Dei Prep principal Craig Palmer is also no stranger to the Middletown faith and school communities. He is a veteran of 27 years with the Keansburg Board of Education, over the years taking the roles of teacher, director of operations, committee member, sports coach and advisor of the local chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Palmer earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Thomas A. Edison State College, Trenton; a master’s degree in teaching from Marygrove College, Detroit, and a master’s degree in administration and supervision of urban schools from New Jersey City University, Jersey City.

Palmer, a native of Red Bank, served as director of religious education in Keansburg’s St. Ann Parish for six years, then spent 16 years as a certified youth minister at St. Mary Parish, where he was the recipient of the diocesan SOLE award in 2010. Most recently he served as Mater Dei’s associate principal. Palmer and his wife Gina have been married for 26 years and have four children, two of whom are students in St. Mary School and Mater Dei Prep.

“Because we are smaller, we need every body to make it work,” Sciarappa continued. “Between 70 and 73 percent of the students participate in a varsity sport, 40 to 45 percent of them in the performing arts. This building is alive and kicking until 5 p.m. every day. The opportunity is the nail that sends the message home.”

Getting the message out

All the encouraging statistics and testimonials in the world would do no good if not effectively voiced, and efforts began in earnest last year. “We re-educated all the internal people,” Sciarappa said, describing how everyone on staff knew the statement of value reflecting the four points and was involved in the process. “Everyone had a good message, but there were 25 different stories. The board helped a lot so everyone went out with the same thought.”

“We have a sense of pride in ownership,” he continued, describing how he advocated never missing an opportunity to evangelize for the schools. “[If] you go out to the Shop Rite and you see a neighbor there with a 12-year-old, you tell them when the next open house is going to be and invite them. We have multiple open houses, there is an emphasis on following up with people who express an interest.”

The personal touch is important, echoed Palmer. “If parents call for information, we will drive up and down Rt. 35 or 36 and drop off packets of information on the school,” he said. “Maybe the parents will invite us in to have a cup of tea and talk.”

The new principal detailed the school’s highly successful “shadow visit” program, wherein students are invited to attend a half-day of classes and lunch, accompanied by a Mater Dei student who shared the same academic or athletic interests. “If they came, they ended up [enrolling] in Mater Dei,” Palmer said happily.

As varsity football coach, Sciarappa recognized that teamwork is important off the playing field as well; teachers, parents and even students can carry the weight in promoting the message. “We have had a lot of success in talking with the grammar schools in the Diocese that feed into Mater Dei. The principals were great about letting us come in and leave our literature and speak with the students,” he said.

“The kids are your best avenue for marketing,” he continued. “They have been great: they stand up in church and talk about the school, they hand literature out at Mass.”

“We mirror what colleges do. The power of the phone call is incredible, and social media is huge,” Sciarappa stated, noting the community’s use of their website and Facebook page and his own Twitter account. The board of governors has assisted them in formalizing and unifying their public message. “They use a media company,” he said. “There is all new branding, new materials and they’ve relaunched social media.

Father Kegley recognized the obstacles facing Catholic education in his Aug. 5 letter, issued via website, Facebook and email:

It’s been said that Catholic schools are nothing short of a miracle; however, in providing Catholic education today we are faced with many challenges. At the campus schools of St. Mary Parish we have been successfully proactive in facing these challenges to ensure that our future is secure and we are able to provide a solid spiritual and academic formation for generations to come.

Bearing fruit

Palmer listed the encouraging statistics. Mater Dei Prep’s 331 students hail from many sources: area public and Catholic grammar schools, towns as far away as Brick and Jackson, and students from local religious education programs. An increase in international students also accounts for the growth; last year’s seven Asian students is now a group of about 20. “People are coming in saying, ‘We didn’t know you were here,’” he said. “People are talking. The buzz gets out there.”

The increase in students has prompted challenges, but the school is ready. Palmer reports class size has grown, but they have, and will, increase staffing accordingly. “It’s a nice problem to have,” he said. “If this [increase] continues, there will be even more hiring of staff.”

Looking toward the future

But one cannot become complacent in success, Palmer said, pointing to the ongoing efforts moving forward. Fundraising events, initiatives to raise money targeted for certain equipment and programs to sponsor students for tuition assistance are all in discussion. “I am very pleased and enthusiastic by (the) effort people are putting in,” Palmer concluded.

The board of governors meets weekly to strategize and evangelize. “Every day is a different puzzle at the end,” Sciarappa noted.  Palmer added, “The goal of every school should be to do better every day. I think that it is good we are small, our goal is to grow, but still keep that communal family feel.”

“We need to continue to promote the Mater Dei image outside our immediate area,” he continued. “This started out as a parish school, it is now more a regional small school. The competition is greater; we must expand our reach and show the wonderful things going on. The mission of Catholic education is to evangelize.”