St. Bernard's boasts enrollment boost

By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press
The independent St. Bernard’s High School in Fitchburg has made a come-back from nearly closing when it was a diocesan school.  
Low enrollment at St. Bernard Central Catholic High School had left the diocese covering annual financial deficits. In June 2019 the diocese agreed to cover the costs for one more year if enrollment exceeded 100. The next month, with 105 enrolled, it was announced that the school could stay open as a diocesan school for the 2019-2020 academic year. 
Under new leadership, St. Bernard’s opened last fall as a private Catholic school with 143 students, said Debra Maloney, director of admissions. Last week she said there were 186 enrolled, and some on the verge of enrolling, for the coming school year.
“In the last two years we’ve increased enrollment 75 percent,” she said. “This freshman class is the largest … in 10 years,” with 62 enrolled so far.
The school’s fund-raising campaign, “All In,” announced this week that it has exceeded its goal and raised $2.63 million.  
“We have been blessed with an overwhelming level of support,” said “All In” campaign chair, Karen Pelletier in a press release. “The campaign committee worked extremely hard, and alumni and friends from all over the country responded generously.”
“Our new vision has inspired many families to consider us a serious option in the market, and it’s brought a crop of energized members to the community,” Principal Linda Anderson said.
When families came for in-person tours and visited with teachers, the first thing they said afterwards was how welcome they felt and how committed the teachers are to the students, Mrs. Maloney said.  
The most powerful marketing tool is word of mouth, she said, and St. Bernard’s folks hear people saying that good things are happening there, and the school’s future is bright.
“In the five-year strategic plan we’re exceeding our goals,” Mrs. Maloney said. Some of the $2.63 million raised to date is used to provide financial aid to students.
“When families apply, we’re committed to meeting 100 percent of their demonstrated financial need,” and have done so, she said. That helps increase enrollment.
“I’m certain that hitting our fundraising goals has given our families the assurance they needed to know the school will be here for the long haul,” Mrs. Anderson said. “That regeneration of public faith has also meant a world to our student retention rates and our ability to pull in new families.”
Other things that likely draw students are the expansion of academic programs, the introduction of junior internships, the re-launching of the performing arts program (halted during the pandemic) and new sports (girls volleyball and the return of boys ice hockey). Students can choose concentrations in liberal arts, business, engineering and health sciences, Mrs. Maloney said. Juniors have a two-week internship in a career interest, often hosted by alumni.
More of the new students, mostly freshmen, come from Catholic elementary schools, Mrs. Maloney said, but public-school students’ interest in St. Bernard’s has grown.
“There was interest from the public schools because we were in person and public schools weren’t able to be” for most of last year, she said.