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By Erika Anderson, Staff Writer

ATLANTA-A parent whose position was eliminated amid the post-Sept. 11 economy. A father who suffers from a degenerative disease and can no longer work. A single mother raising her children alone. Parents with four children who are willing to make financial sacrifices to ensure their children receive a faith-centered education. Their circumstances are different, but their focus is the same. They are examples of the many families who make Catholic education a priority for their children. They are families who utilize the over $2 million in tuition assistance provided in the 2001-2002 school year by Catholics in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. As the number of students enrolled in archdiocesan Catholic schools increases, so too will the need for tuition assistance. Don Sasso, executive director of educational funding, is working on a new archdiocesan campaign to increase the tuition assistance fund. In his efforts, he hopes to solicit donations from corporations and foundations, as well as from individual Catholics, to serve the growing Catholic school population. The archdiocese's 1997 "Building the Church of Tomorrow" capital campaign provided $32 million for Catholic schools, Sasso said, $20 million of which was used to fund tuition assistance by creating an endowment fund. "That was good, but we have a problem, and the problem is in the future. We will need to significantly increase the money in the tuition assistance fund if we are to meet the needs of the children who wish to come to our schools," he said. "Twenty million sounds like a lot, but it's really not. We are committed to not touching the principal." Instead, Sasso explained, tuition assistance is funded by the accrued interest from the principal in the endowment fund. Currently, 1,205 students in 17 schools, both elementary and high school, receive $2,211,751.50 in tuition assistance, with an average of $1,835.48 awarded to each student. Sasso said that though he believes the need for tuition assistance will increase, his hope is that the archdiocesan Catholic schools will continue to "reflect the diversity that is present in our archdiocese." "We do not want our schools to drift toward becoming elitist. That's not our mission," he said. "Our mission is to serve the broadest possible spectrum of students of all economic levels." Every year the cost of tuition increases, as salary and benefits for faculty and staff increase, and the archdiocese's desire is to provide "just and fair wages to our teachers," Sasso said. "Our goal is to have our teachers making no less than 80 percent of their public school counterparts," he said. Sasso said that the "operating philosophy is that the support of Catholic schools is the responsibility of all Catholics." Parishes support Catholic education with a portion of their offertory collection. "Parishes that have a total offertory collection of over $250,000 (annually), 15 percent of everything over that $250,000 comes down to the education office to help us meet the expenses of the school system," Sasso said. Those funds are currently being used for tuition assistance, he said, and to help pay off the approximately $80 million debt that resulted from constructing three new elementary schools that opened in 1999 and two new high schools that opened in 2000. Individuals who wish to help the tuition assistance fund can show their support through donations, through planned giving and through their wills and bequests. "What better way to devote one's resources than to provide a Catholic school education for kids that will provide vitality to our holy mother church?" Sasso said. "In a sense, it's a gift that keeps on giving." The gift of tuition assistance has helped parents like Melissa Jayne, who has two middle school students attending St. John the Evangelist School in Hapeville. The children's father, David Jayne, who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is not able to work. "When David became unable to work, it created a lot of extraordinary challenges for this family, but we never lost sight of the fact that (Catholic education) is our goal-this is our priority," she said. "We will do whatever it takes." Mrs. Jayne believes that the process of receiving tuition assistance is "very fair and equitable," and that her children's Catholic education is worth the price. "(Tuition assistance) has made it more comfortable for us to send them there, but it's still a sacrifice, even for families who receive it," she said. "I cannot imagine my kids in another school. It takes a huge stress off of me knowing that my kids are in a safe environment-that they are in a truly Christian, academically challenging environment." Sixty-one students at Queen of Angels School in Roswell receive tuition assistance. Principal Sister Patricia Clune, CSJ, said that the help is especially important during these troubled times. "I don't think I've ever seen the economy as bad as it is now," she said. "Suddenly our families who are used to giving and donating are having tough times and they don't have a lot of practice receiving donations themselves." Sister Clune said that financial difficulties add additional stress to a family. "They find themselves saying, 'What can we provide for our children; what can we cut back on?'" she said. "But Catholic education is not just provided for those who can afford it-I think our archbishop is really committed to that." Sister Clune said that donating to the tuition assistance fund is a way for everyone to participate in the education of students in the archdiocese. "For parents who desperately want Catholic education, it's not that the haves have it and the have-nots do not," she said. "In this way, the whole church is supporting Catholic education, not just one parish." As a principal and a Catholic educator for over 30 years, Sister Clune said that she has seen firsthand the effects of faith-based education. "I believe that Catholic education does make a difference in a Catholic life. I've seen it personally," she said. "Faith is integrated into who you are and what you do every day." The integration of faith and academics is just one reason why the Kulwicki family chooses to send their three children to St. John the Evangelist. "We wouldn't be able to send them there if not for tuition assistance," Jennifer Kulwicki said. "Their spirituality is the main concern. It gives me peace of mind that all their focus is on their studies-not on peer pressure." Kulwicki also appreciates the values that the children learn at St. John. She said that in her children's school, the approach to discipline is one of love. "When they do something wrong, the kids are taught that there are consequences-the same we follow as a family," she said. Christine Sanborn, the mother of three students who attend St. Mary's School in Rome, said that "with three children, tuition assistance has really made it possible" for her children to attend Catholic school. "(Tuition assistance) makes a Catholic education possible for some families that would not be able to send their children without it," she said. She, like Kulwicki, appreciates the strong faith-based education. "As Catholics, we are raising our children with the values that are important to us, and the school reinforces those values," she said. "The school is backing us up." Teaching family values and faith to students, as well as challenging them academically, is the mission of Catholic schools. Sasso hopes that the mission will continue for students of all levels. "We are committed to Catholic school education for a diverse student population," he said. "Catholic schools were not founded to serve the rich, but to serve poor, disadvantaged children. We need to recognize that this is our history and tradition and keep Catholic schools accessible to a broad spectrum of students." Sister Clune agrees and hopes that other Catholics recognize the many benefits a Catholic school education provides, and support families who need assistance. "I think it's an investment in the future of our church," she said. To make a donation to the archdiocesan tuition assistance fund, contact Sasso at (404) 885-7480. More Than $2 Million In Tuition Assistance Distributed To Schools The following is a list of schools and the number of students receiving tuition assistance. These numbers for each school are tuition assistance totals, and reflect the current 2001-2002 school year; however they are subject to change. Christ the King, Atlanta: 37 students receive $61,802.25; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Atlanta: 91 students receive $163,017.25; Our Lady of Assumption, Atlanta: 41 students receive $75,829; Queen of Angels, Roswell: 61 students receive $123,762; St. Joseph, Athens: 42 students receive $69,651.50; St. John the Evangelist, Hapeville: 99 students receive $165,293.35; St. Joseph's, Marietta: 70 students receive $99,214.40; St. John Neumann, Lilburn: 83 students receive $135,600; St. Mary's, Rome: 40 students receive, $76,614.25; St. Peter Claver, Decatur: 98 students receive, $159,995.25; St. Thomas More, Decatur: 127 students receive $206,417.25; Holy Redeemer, Alpharetta: 41 students receive $57,215; Our Lady of Victory, Tyrone: 94 students receive $169,000; St. Jude the Apostle, Atlanta: 23 students receive $38,560. Among the archdiocesan high schools, $609,780 was distributed to 258 students. (Individual school/student numbers are not available.)