Start of School Year 2022

By Mary Lim

In the Diocese of Tucson, there are 23 Catholic schools located throughout Tucson, Sierra Vista, Douglas, Casa Grande, San Carlos, Nogales, and Yuma. Of those 23, sixteen are elementary schools, one is an early childhood center, two are preschool-12 schools, and four are high schools.  

The start of the 2022-2023 school year has come and gone, and many of our Catholic schools are welcoming new students, new teachers and staff, and even a few new principals. Six of our  

Catholic schools are welcoming and adapting to their new principals who are bringing an abundance of experience and expertise to our diocesan schools.  

Superintendent of Schools, Sheri Dahl, says, “Our new principals bring a vast array of experiences, a shared excitement to serve their school communities, and a deep faith that will drive their new ministerial roles as Catholic school leaders. By bringing these new leaders together, my hope is to develop a cohort of new leaders who will learn and grow together as we meet regularly throughout the school year. Such collegial relationships and support are critical in retaining quality leadership, which is one of our primary goals.” 

As their new principals, Saints Peter and Paul welcomes Nora Jaramillo, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton welcomes Nicole Picket, St. Cyril welcomes Danielle Coleman, Immaculate Conception welcomes Maria “Toni” Sullivan, Santa Cruz welcomes Theresa Dolan-Dixon, and Salpointe welcomes Ardemis Martin. Each of these six principals will be introduced formally to our community through the New Outlook in the coming weeks.  

Since Covid, the last few years of primary and secondary education has been a bit bumpy, to say the least, but our school leaders are determined to grow from these circumstances and make our Catholic schools the safest and most enriching environment for their students. 

Despite the interruption of our normal day-to-day lives that was caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, data shows that there was in fact a national 3.8% increase in enrollment for Catholic elementary and secondary schools – the first nationwide enrollment increase in 25 years (1). Here are some other statistics related to Catholic schools in the United States from the 2021-22 school year, according to the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) (2): 

• Total Catholic school student enrollment for the 21-22 academic year was 1,688,417: 1,167,917 in elementary/middle schools and 520,500 in secondary schools 

• Student diversity last year was estimated as follows: 21.5% racial minorities, 18.6% Hispanic/Latino, and 7.1% reported as unknown in the racial data collection 

• Non-Catholic enrollment is 342,950, which is 20.3% of the total enrollment 

• There are 5,938 Catholic schools in the United States: 4,765 elementary; 1,173 secondary 

• 20 new schools opened nationally; 71 consolidated or closed  

• 2,201 schools have a waiting list for admission 

• Coeducational schools comprise 98.6% of elementary and 72.1% of secondary schools. At the secondary level, 12.4% of the schools are male and 15.5% are female 

• Full-time equivalent professional staff numbered 146,088 with 97.4% Laity and 2.6% Religious/Clergy 

• The student/teacher ratio was 11.6:1 

• Catholic high school graduation rate is 98% with 85.2% of graduates attending 4-year colleges. 

National statistics for this current school year will not be available until Spring of 2023, but School Operations Manager for the Diocese of Tucson, Lupita Sandoval, reports that enrollment for Catholic schools this year is 6,485 students. Please pray for our diocesan schools, school staff, and students as they embark on another year of learning and growing into the people that God made them to be! 

1. NCEA contributing writers. (2022, June 24). New Issue Brief: Understanding the Catholic School Enrollment Boost. National Catholic Education Association. Retrieved July 27, 2022, from https://www.ncea.org/NCEA/How_We_Serve/News/Press_Releases/New_Issue_Brief__Understanding_the_Catholic_School_Enrollment_Boost.aspx  

2. NCEA contributing writers. (2021, March 18). 2021-2022 Highlights. National Catholic Education Association. Retrieved July 27, 2022, from https://www.ncea.org/NCEA/Who_We_Are/About_Catholic_Schools/Catholic_School_Data/2021-2022%20Highlights.aspx?WebsiteKey=60819b28-9432-4c46-a76a-a2e20ac11cfd