Why is your son or daughter not attending St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic School??

05-14-2023Pastor's LetterFr. Richard C. Wilson

Dear Friends in Christ,

This is truly an exciting time in our parish school’s history. Soon we will begin to see construction on our new campus expansion, the Saint Mary Help of Christians Catholic School Science and Engineering Academy. With the increased physical space that the new addition will provide, we will also have the opportunity to increase our enrollment capacity! We rejoice for the ability to expand the work of one of the Church’s most important missions, educating our youth. News is spreading throughout the community of our growth, and we have seen an increased number of tours of our school and new family enrollments. Before we fill all our spots with students from the community, we want to give every opportunity to enroll our parish families first.

I would like to take this opportunity to invite all our parish families with school age children to consider a Catholic education. Not only is our school known for its high-quality education, it also is a school with a strong Catholic identity. Our goal is to foster a life-long relationship with Christ and mold the Christian leaders of the future. Our staff is dedicated and passionate! We are blessed to have such a caring staff that partners with our parents to provide a wellrounded education. Please visit our school’s website www.excelatstmarys.com to find out more information, to schedule a tour, view our 2023-2024 school calendar, or to find out more about our new Science and Engineering Academy! You can also call our office at 803.649.2071.

I understand that some have financial concerns. All active parishioners automatically receive tuition discounts. Families with more than one child also receive discounts of 20% off tuition for the 2nd child, 40% off tuition for the 3rd child, 60% off tuition for the 4 th child, and 80% off tuition for each additional child. On top of those discounts, we also offer tuition assistance for many families. While we do each ask every family to contribute what they can, we strive to make tuition affordable to all who wish for a Catholic education for their children. We are very thankful to our donors to the Friends of SMS yearly campaign. Sponsoring a child’s Catholic education is a gift that will directly impact his or her future. If you are interested in sponsoring a child, you may also call the school about that. We need more Friends of SMS for the 2023-2024 school year!!

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Catholic religious sister, educator and founder of our nation’s parochial school system wrote: “If I had to advise parents, I should tell them to take great care about the people with whom their children associate…much harm may result from bad company, and we are inclined by nature to follow what is worse than what it better.”

All the best…in Christ,

Father Wilson