Admissions Policy

St. Bernadette School prioritizes student admissions in the following order:

1. Current Students and Siblings
   • Children from active, participating, and contributing families of St. Bernadette Parish, St. Mary Parish, and other Catholic parishes, who are currently enrolled at St. Bernadette School or St. Mary School, as well as their siblings.
   • Non-Catholic children currently enrolled at St. Bernadette School.
   • Families must fulfill the requirements outlined in the Tuition Agreement to secure re-enrollment.
   • Parishioners of St. Bernadette seeking parish scholarships must be active, contributing members, and the student(s) must be baptized Catholic.
2. Parish Families from Surrounding Areas
   • Children of parishioners from neighboring parishes without a school who are transferring from a Catholic school, and the student is a baptized Catholic.
   • Children of parishioners from parishes with a school but who cannot be accommodated due to full class enrollment.
   • Children of parishioners from parishes without a school, and the student is a baptized Catholic.
3. Siblings of Non-Catholic Students
   • Siblings of non-Catholic children currently enrolled or previously graduated from St. Bernadette School or St. Mary School.
4. Non-Catholic Applicants
   • Non-Catholic children, if space allows, with the understanding of the Catholic nature of the school.

In Cases of Limited Availability

If there are more applicants than spaces available in any category, the Pastor will determine admissions based on the following considerations:

• Faculty/staff family status.
• Length of time as an active, participating, and contributing member.
• Financial contributions to the parish.
• Volunteer involvement within the parish and school.
• Date of parish registration.
• Prior application history for school admission.
• Compliance with Tuition Agreement requirements.
• Older siblings who are graduates of St. Bernadette School.

Mid-Year Enrollment Considerations

Families seeking mid-year admission (after January 1) must provide evidence of their child’s academic standing and appropriate school behavior. Admission for mid-year enrollees is assessed on a case-by-case basis by the administration.

Transfer Student Requirements

Students transferring from another school must provide a permanent record or transcript from a chartered institution, as mandated by Diocesan Policy, for review by the principal. Per Diocesan guidelines, home-schooled students are required to be evaluated by their public school district to determine grade placement before admission to St. Bernadette School.

Waiting List Policy

If a grade is full, a waiting list will be maintained. As spots become available, priority will be determined based on the criteria listed above. Waiting lists are recreated each year following registration, and are not carried forward.

Custody Documentation

The custodial parent must provide a certified copy of any custody order or decree relevant to the student upon enrollment, as required by Diocesan policy.

For Non-Catholic Families

While priority is given to Catholic families, St. Bernadette School welcomes non-Catholic children as space allows. Non-Catholic families should note:

• St. Bernadette School is a ministry of St. Bernadette Catholic Parish, and all students will participate in religion class, weekly Benediction, weekly Mass, and daily prayer.
• Discussions of morals and ethics are rooted in Catholic teaching.
• In certain grades, the religion curriculum includes sacramental preparation. Although non-Catholic students will learn about these sacraments alongside their peers, they will not participate in the sacraments unless Catholic.

We welcome all families to join our faith-centered community, where we strive to educate the whole child—mind, body, and soul—in an authentic Catholic environment.

How to Apply