We are firmly ensconced into our 2025-2026 school year. The first tests have been given as well as the first Tiger Tributes and Tiger Tribulations. Sports are underway as are plans for the festival. Father Anthony is back with us. Indeed 12% of the first trimester is under our belt.
Each year the Diocese and the State ask us for the statistics of our student population. Our enrollment as of today is 233 students. With the exception of the 2022-2023 school year where we took in almost the entire 8th grade class from St. Anthony as well as other students from that school, this is our highest enrollment in over 20 years. I consider capacity 240 students.
Our students come from 23 different zip codes. 40% hail from the Clintonville/Beechwold area. Our next biggest area is across the I-71 with 22% of our students in the 43229 area and 9% in 43227. Other areas worth noting are Worthington- 5%, the Knolls area- 4% and Westerville- 3%.
Girls remain slightly ahead of boys 52%-48%. This percentage of slightly more girls than boys has remained steady for us.
74% of our families are registered Catholic, mostly at Our Lady of Peace Parish. 5% of our Catholics are registered in other parishes. Again, this statistic has been consistent in the nine years that I have been the principal here.
Our racial make-up is as follows: 79% Caucasian, 13% Black, 5% Multi-Racial, 2% Hispanic, 1% Asian. These percentages have remained steady for the last 10 years or so with the exception of the population of our Hispanic students which have dropped over the last six years or so.
What does all this tell us? For one, it indicates the health of our school and the continued choice that families have made, not only from our own neighborhood but from communities as far away as Dublin, Galloway, Westerville and Powell. While we remain the small school on North High Street, the desirability of what we offer, including our size, is an attraction for many families. Indeed, while we are seven students from capacity, we have had to turn down requests for enrollment in a number of grades for this year because they are full.
Believe it or not, our Open House for prospective new families for the 2026-2027 school year is just over two months away, on Sunday, November 9 from 12:30-2pm.
I know that I share with our families, our faculty and staff, our Pastor, Father Anthony and the parishioners of Our Lady of Peace, a pride in the school. From our daily morning prayer to the closing of the day, we learn about, with and through the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ. This, along with a great community of all the above, makes this a very special place.