Catholic education grows in Diocese of Tucson

By Sheri Dahl, Superintendent of Schools, Diocese of Tucson 

This week about 6500 students will flood into our 22 Catholic schools full of wonder, a bit of anxiety, and lots of adrenaline!  There will, in turn, be faculty, staff, and administrators at each school campus ready to greet their students with an equal amount of wonder, anxiety, and adrenaline!  That is the beauty of education – every year brings a renewed excitement and anticipation of what the new school year will bring.  And school principals have the enormous responsibility of ensuring that all who enter their school feel safe and welcomed; teachers are ready to teach; and students are ready to learn.
 
This summer, the Diocese of Tucson Department of Catholic Schools welcomed five new principals to our Catholic schools: 

• Rose Mary Carreon, Our Mother of Sorrows
• Yvonne Chavez, St. John the Evangelist
• Minh Solorzano, San Xavier Mission School
• Dr. Susan Borzych, St. Anthony of Padua, Casa Grande
• Lorraine Reves, St. Charles Mission School, San Carlos

 
The beauty and uniqueness of Catholic education is that, in addition to the rigorous academic standards we hold to, we also have the important mission of integrating the Catholic faith into all aspects of the school day.  As ministers of the Catholic Church, principals and teachers have the privilege of forming students into the people they were created to be, all the while developing a unique, personal relationship with God.
 
We are blessed in Arizona with school choice options that make Catholic education available, affordable, and accessible to any parent or guardian who desires for their child(ren) to attend a Catholic school.  In fact, about 86 percent of our Catholic school students received either an Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) or Tax Credit scholarship in 2022.  And, with over 60 percent of our Catholic school families qualifying for free/reduced lunch, the school choice options are a means for many families who otherwise could not afford a Catholic education to join a Catholic school community.  By the Grace of God and with state scholarship options available, our Catholic schools will continue the mission of supporting the whole child in which faith, academic excellence, and service are integral to the life of every student served in the Diocese of Tucson.