Schools in the Archdiocese of Atlanta admit students of any race, sex, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to all students at the schools.
They do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of educational policies, admissions policies, loan programs and athletic or other school administered programs.
To attend school in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, children must meet state standards for immunization (OCG 10-2-77).
We do not recognize an exemption based upon matter of conscience / religious exemption or serology; a medical exemption provided by the child’s pediatrician documenting a medical contraindication will be accepted.
The Catholic Elementary Schools offer programs of education and formation for students who are willing and able to live within the religious, academic, behavioral, and attitudinal requirements of the school and whose parents/guardians demonstrate a desire for the school to assist them in their parental role as primary educators. Approximately 7,800 students are being served in our Pre-K through high school programs every year.
Archdiocesan schools include:
Blessed Trinity High School, Holy Redeemer, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Our Lady of the Assumption, Queen of Angels, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Mary’s Academy, St. John Neumann Regional, St. John the Evangelist, St. Joseph – Athens, St. Joseph – Marietta, St. Jude the Apostle, St. Mary, St. Peter Claver Regional, St. Pius X High School and St. Thomas More.
Admission Criteria
The Archdiocesan age requirements for entrance into Pre-K programs are as follows:
Pre-Kindergarten:
- Archdiocesan requirements stipulate that no child may be admitted to Pre-Kindergarten unless he or she is four (4) years old on or before September 1 in the year he or she proposes to enter school.
The Georgia state law is followed for beginning age requirements for school entrance to grades Kindergarten and First:
Kindergarten and First Grade:
- No child may be admitted to kindergarten unless he or she is five (5) years old on or before September 1 in the year he or she proposes to enter school.
- No child may be admitted to the 1st grade unless he or she is six (6) years old on or before September 1st in the year he or she proposes to enter school.
- Admission of a child from another state is based upon the age requirement of that jurisdiction.
In the admission of students to elementary schools, and subject to the overriding discretion of the Principal, priority consideration shall be given to these criteria in the following order:
- All students who are currently enrolled and who are eligible for re-enrollment.
- Re-Enrollment Policy for currently matriculated students:
Continued enrollment in any given school year, and re-enrollment in any subsequent years, is subject to the parent/guardians continued support of the mission of the school as documented in the school handbook and the maintenance of a demonstrably effective and supportive relationship between the school and the parents/guardians. Re-enrollment in any subsequent year is subject to mutual agreement. That agreement may be withheld by the student, the parents, or the school administration with or without cause. - Students of families currently matriculated/alumni siblings in the school.
- Students on the current year’s waiting list in good standing.
- Students who are children of employees within a building.
- Students from host-parishes (parish-affiliated schools).
- Students from other parishes in the Archdiocese.
- Students of another religious affiliation.
** Verification by the pastor of active family participation in the Catholic parish will be an important factor in the admission process and will be verified each year of matriculation.
** Local transfer of students from any public, private or Archdiocesan school into grade eight (8) is generally not considered. Students whose families have relocated to the Atlanta area may apply to admission for grade eight (8) in an Archdiocesan school.
** Currently enrolled Catholic families and newly applying Catholic families shall be made aware of and have access to the Tuition Assistance Program.
The Catholic high schools offer programs of education and formation for students who are able to live within the religious, academic, behavioral, and attitudinal requirements of the school and whose parents/guardians have demonstrated a desire for the school to assist them in their parental role as primary educators.
The student body of an archdiocesan high school will be heterogeneous in its intellectual composition.
In all cases, the Principal may exercise discretion in the admission process.
In the admission of students to the high school, priority consideration shall be given to these criteria in the following order, subject to the overriding discretion of the Principal:
- Those students applying to grade nine (9) from Catholic elementary schools.
- Catholic students enrolling into grade nine (9) from a public school.
- Students enrolling into grade nine (9) with currently matriculated/alumni siblings.
- Students currently matriculated into grades 10, 11, 12
Re-enrollment policy for currently matriculated students:
Continued enrollment in any given school year, and re-enrollment
in any subsequent years, is subject to the parent/guardian’s continued
support of the mission of the school as documented in the school
handbook and the maintenance of a demonstrably effective and supportive
relationship between the school and the parents/guardians. Re-enrollment
in any subsequent year is subject to mutual agreement. That agreement
may be withheld by the student, the parents, or the school administration
with or without cause.
** Verification by the pastor of active family participation in the Catholic parish will be an important factor in the admissions process and will be verified each year of matriculation.
** Local transfer of students from any public, private or Archdiocesan
school into grade twelve (12) is not considered. Students whose
families have relocated to the Atlanta area may apply for admission
into grade twelve (12) in an Archdiocesan high school.
** Currently enrolled Catholic families and newly applying Catholic families shall be made aware of and have access to the Tuition Assistance Program.
Financial Aid
The Archdiocese of Atlanta is continuously working to ensure that a quality Catholic education is available to as many families as possible. In pursuit of this goal, parish assessments for Catholic education will provide $3.1 million in financial aid to Archdiocesan schools for allocation to qualified families. Across the Archdiocese, individual schools will contribute an additional $3.5 million in financial aid. With redirection of tax dollars to our student scholarship organization (GRACE Scholars, Inc.), the total amount of available funding for financial assistance exceeds $8 million. The financial aid process is defined locally by each school and utilizes the services of FACTS Tuition Management for families to establish financial need. Please contact the Admissions Office of any school for additional information.
GRACE Scholars, Inc.
GRACE Scholars, Inc., is the official student scholarship organization (SSO) for the schools sponsored by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta and the Diocese of Savannah. All students receiving GRACE Awards have demonstrated financial need as determined by a third-party analysis of a family’s ability to pay tuition.
Schools in the Archdiocese of Atlanta reserve the right to decline funding from SSOs that do not award scholarships based on financial need. In addition, the maximum amount of SSO scholarships awarded to students in Archdiocesan Schools is the lowest of the following: student’s calculated financial need; 80% of the tuition rate applicable to the student; an index of per-pupil public school spending in Georgia; and, the maximum cap established by the local school.
GRACE Scholars, Inc., welcomes the transfer of funding from one SSO to another as allowed by state law. In these instances, the school reserves the right to award GRACE scholarships in accordance with local procedures.
