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Fundraisers are a way of life for parochial schools
(by David Jimenez - May 07, 2008)
As the first, third and fifth graders of Sacred Heart Elementary School walked or jogged on a track created last week with street cones, little did they suspect that their participation in their school’s third annual Race for Education was more than just raising money for school supplies. It was, instead, a critical component to the school’s financial health.
Like everything else in today’s economy, “the cost of running a private school has increased,” said Sister Marie Dilorenzo, school principal and a member of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, a Franciscan religious order.
Located in Rockaway Borough, Sacred Heart School is a small Catholic school of 230 students attending pre-K to eighth grade. The school survives on a $1 million annual budget of which a fraction, about $90,000, is generated from fundraisers. The remaining funds are produced from tuition, grants and donations, forcing the 43-year institution to operate on a shoestring
“It costs $4,000 per year to educate one child at Sacred Heart,” Sister Dilorenzo said, “far less than the cost of educating a child attending public school.”
According to statistics released by the New Jersey Department of Education, the average cost to educate one student in the elementary to middle public school system averages $12,000, “compared to $10,000 in the borough,” said Emil Suarez, the borough’s superintendent of schools.
“Don’t compare us with public schools because we work with a smaller budget, not several millions generated from taxpayers. Though Catholic school teachers are certified like public schools, they are paid less,” Sister Dilorenzo said.
As long as tuition covers only a portion of the school’s finances, fundraising will remain important to the school’s business plan.
Johanna Bizub, who along with other parents organized this year’s Race for Education, expects to raise approximately $20,000 from pledges (payment for laps completed) and donations.
“We anticipate that our older students will complete about 50 laps and our younger children will do about five to 10 laps. All proceeds collected will go towards the purchase of new math books for the school, as well as computers and software equipment,” Bizub said.
Staff photos by Pierfrancesco Baccaro
Photo 1: Kindergartners put their energy to good use in the Race for Education at Sacred Heart School.
Photo 2: They were off and running for education at Sacred Heart School on Tuesday, April 29.
Photo 3: Sacred Heart School’s Race for Education on Tuesday, April 29, in Rockaway Borough raised funds to keep the school running.
Photo 4: Sacred Heart School’s principal, Sr. Marie DiLorenzo, and a fellow supporter of the Race for Education on April 29 enjoying the outdoor event. Located in Rockaway Borough, Sacred Heart School is a small Catholic school of 230 students attending pre-K to eighth grade.
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