Admissions Policy

In the admission of students to St. Mary School, the order of priority is listed below.

1. Children from active, participating, and contributing families of St. Mary Parish/St. Bernadette Parish and other Catholic parishes who are currently enrolled in St. Mary School/St. Bernadette School and their siblings, and non-Catholic children currently enrolled at St. Mary School. Families must meet the requirements in the Tuition Agreement to guarantee acceptance of re-enrollment. St. Mary parishioners seeking a parish scholarship to enroll their children must be active, participating, and contributing members of St. Mary parish and the student(s) must be baptized Catholic.
2. Children of parishioners from surrounding parishes that do not have a school who are coming from a Catholic school and student is a baptized Catholic
3. Children of parishioners from a surrounding parish that does have a school but the school cannot accommodate them due to the specific class being filled
4. Children of parishioners from parishes that do not have a school and the student is a baptized Catholic.
5. Siblings of non-Catholic children currently enrolled at St. Mary School/St. Bernadette School, or previously graduated from St. Mary School
6. Non-Catholics

If there are more applicants than spaces available in any of the above categories, the Pastor will determine acceptance based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

1. Faculty/staff member
2. Number of years the family has been “active, participating, and contributing” members
3. Financial contribution to the parish
4. Parish and school volunteer activity
5. Date of registration in the parish
6. Previous application for school admission
7. Compliance with Tuition Agreement requirements
8. Prospective students with older siblings who have graduated from St. Mary School

A parent/guardian wishing to enroll their child/ren after January 1 for the remainder of the school year must show evidence of the child/ren meeting current grade level standards and a pattern of appropriate behavior in school. Those wishing to enroll after January 1 for the remainder of the school year will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the administration.

Students who are transferring from another school must submit a permanent record or transcript from a chartered school, per Diocesan Policy, which will be subject to review by the principal prior to admission and placement. Pursuant with Diocesan Policy, the schools of the Diocese of Columbus do not grant credit for home-schooled students. A home-schooled student wishing to enroll at St. Mary must be evaluated by his/her public school district to determine grade placement prior to admission.

A waiting list will be created for each grade if classes are filled. As openings occur, the criteria listed above will be considered in offering the position to individuals on the waiting list in that grade. The Principal will advise the Pastor when an opening occurs. Waiting lists are not carried forward. New lists are created after registration each year.

The custodial parent is required to provide the Principal or person in charge of Admissions a certified copy of any custody order or decree pertaining to a pupil. (Diocesan policy)