Immaculate HS Touts #1 Niche Ranking, Celebrates Catholic Schools Week

**News Release Submitted by Immaculate High School**

Jan. 23, 2023

Immaculate High School has a lot to celebrate during National Catholic Schools week from January 29 to February 4, 2023.

Niche ranked Immaculate the #1 Co-Ed Catholic Day School in Connecticut for the second year, the Class of 2022 was offered $33.5 million in college scholarships and grants and the school just launched a $4 million capital campaign, Empowering Our Legacy Beyond Today, for campus improvements, athletic field enhancements plus a Robert E. Gerwein Sr. Scholarship Endowment Fund. The campaign coincides with the school’s 60th anniversary of providing a rigorous, Catholic education to high school students in 28 communities in Connecticut and New York.

“It’s an exciting time to be here. As an educator, I can tell you that Immaculate is a very special place,” said President Mary Maloney. “Students are loved and challenged to be the best version of themselves and to trust in their faith in God. And, in keeping with tradition, students today are making friends for life.”

Immaculate is also seeing an uptick in students attending over the past few years. The school’s domestic enrollment has increased 43 percent from 73 ninth graders in the 2020-2021 school year to 105 ninth graders in 2022-2023.

“More and more people are finding out about us – and liking what they see,” said Denise Suarez, Director of Admissions. “We offer strong academic programs, an emphasis on faith, robust college prep counseling that starts on day one and our students are attending great colleges with substantial scholarship offerings. So an Immaculate education is a great investment.” In the Class of 2022 alone, its 117 students received on average nearly $60,000 each from the colleges and universities they chose to attend.

Nationally, Catholic School enrollment is experiencing a boost. The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) reports that elementary and middle school enrollment across the nation increased by 3.8% in the 2021-2022 academic year. This was the first growth in two decades and the largest recorded increase by NCEA.

This year’s National Catholic Schools Week theme is “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.” The week is the annual celebration of Catholic Education in the United States – and has been since 1974. It traditionally starts on the last Sunday in January. Schools usually observe the annual event with masses, open houses and other activities. The focus is on the value Catholic education provides to young people.

Among the activities planned at Immaculate are an Afternoon of Service project helping the community, Bus Driver Appreciation day, the Girls Varsity Basketball team hosting local elementary and middle school students at their February 2 game, Chaplain Father Philip Phan celebrating Mass, plus recognition events for faculty, staff and parents. The school is also hosting a talk called “Everybody has stress; Let’s talk about it,” a guided conversation for parents and students by school therapist Jenny Casey.

Immaculate High School is a private, non-profit Catholic college-preparatory institution serving students from 28 communities in Connecticut and New York. A continued commitment to our 60-year tradition of being a value-based, student-centric, outcomes focused Catholic high school, has driven our rising trajectory as evidenced by our exemplary Niche ratings.