ATLANTA—The archdiocese is exploring the possibility of building a Catholic elementary school for 500 students at the Villa Rica Road site in west Cobb County.

Surveys are being distributed to families in Cobb and Douglas county parishes to determine their interest in a school that would be built as a self-funded Catholic school.

A previous survey was conducted of the community at St. Joseph School, Marietta. The survey showed that 66 percent of those responding wanted St. Joseph School to remain open. Archbishop John F. Donoghue announced March 13 that the school will remain open.

Approximately 30 percent of those surveyed indicated a desire for a new school at the Villa Rica Road location, according to Kathi Stearns, vice chancellor for special projects.

An extrapolation of this percentage indicates that approximately 100 people were open to enrolling their children in this new school even if tuition was set at $6,300 a year and families had to pledge funds in a capital campaign to build the school, Stearns said.

The new survey is designed to determine if the demand in surrounding parishes is sufficient to go ahead with the project.

The model that is being considered is a 500-student elementary school with pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, Stearns said.

An earlier model, building a 1,000-student elementary and middle school at the site, is no longer being considered. This model had originally been proposed as an archdiocesan-funded school that would replace the existing St. Joseph School in August 2002.

However, the Department of Catholic Education announced Jan. 24 that the new school could not be constructed unless it could be self-supported and could be built and operated without archdiocesan funds. The majority of St. Joseph School parents surveyed supported keeping the existing school open instead.

Surveys evaluating the 500-student school model at the Villa Rica site have been provided to Cobb County and Douglas County parishes for distribution in parish bulletins over the weekends of April 21-22 and April 28-29. Parents have two weeks to fill out the surveys and return them in pre-addressed envelopes. The survey is being conducted for the archdiocese by their consultants, Independent School Counsel, Inc. The deadline for return of the surveys has been extended to May 6.

At that time, the archdiocese will assemble the data to determine the next step. No timetable has been set for a decision on the project.

“Feedback is valued and important to both the archdiocese and the children of Cobb County,” Archbishop Donoghue said in a letter to the parishes. “Please take the time to fill out these surveys. A moment of your time could mean a lot to the children of this community.”

The survey is designed to determine demand for the school, Stearns said. “Our hope and prayer is that the school can be built if the demand exists.”

Those who wish to fill out a survey and have not received one may contact Stearns at (404) 888-7833.