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De La Salle Collegiate at highest-ever enrollment
by Robert Delaney of The Michigan Catholic
Published January 25, 2008
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Robert Delaney | The Michigan Catholic
De La Salle Collegiate's president, Bro. Robert Carnaghi, FSC, talks with freshmen (from left) John Chrustowski, Austin Fleming, Kevin Mitzel and Dominic Brugnoni. |
Warren With enrollment at 873 an all-time high De La Salle Collegiate High School could not squeeze in even one more student this term.
"We've been blessed with good enrollment, even in these difficult economic times," says Richard Kopas, admissions director at the all-boys high school in Warren.
Not that the building is bursting at the seams, but De La Salle sets a maximum of 32 students in a classroom the average is 25 and even one more student would have meant some classrooms with 33.
Kopas attributes the school's third year of record enrollments to its reputation for a quality Christian Brothers education, the closing of several eastside Catholic high schools, and a competitive tuition rate among metro-area all-boys high schools.
"The administration works real hard to keep the costs down," says Kopas, pointing out that De La Salle charges $7,800 a year and that about 40 percent of students receive partial tuition assistance.
Besides that, all students benefit from the generosity of alumni and supporters, whose financial supports covers the $1,400 difference between the full tuition rate and the real cost of De La Salle education, says Bro. Robert Carnaghi, FSC, De La Salle's president.
The very last current students to be accepted were transfers from the now-closed Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic High School in Warren, and some other students had started at Notre Dame High in Harper Woods or St. Clement High in Center Line before they closed.
But Bro. Carnaghi says he is confident De La Salle's enrollment will remain strong, even with a new Catholic high school planned for Macomb Township possibly opening in 2009.
"It could take some students away from us, but I'm not too concerned," he says, pointing out that De La Salle will still be the only all-boys high school on the east side.
"And we have a history and tradition here, and get such great support from our parents and alumni," he adds.
De La Salle was founded in Detroit in 1926, across from Detroit City Airport (which accounts for its sports teams being named the Pilots). The school re-located to Warren in 1982, and has gone through several expansions on its current site.
Besides its own alumni dating back to its first graduating class in 1929, it also enjoys support from the alumni of the other school the Christian Brothers ran locally the former St. Joseph High School near downtown Detroit, which opened in 1877 and closed in 1964.
While fully embracing modern technology, De La Salle stands in a tradition that dates back to Christian Brothers founder St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle (1651-1719). A pivotal educational reformer in many ways, he was also concerned about education for the poor.
That legacy is honored not only by De La Salle Collegiate's religion-related activities and emphasis on educational quality, but also by its Co-Pilot program, which allows alumni to fully commit to cover the tuition of a student whose family circumstances would not otherwise make a De La Salle education possible.
As Bro. Carnaghi puts it, a Lasallian education is characterized by "our concern for the full education of the person's spirit mind and body, and the belief that we should be open to people at all economic levels."
St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle was also a pioneer in the training of teachers, and that history is honored in Principal Patrick Adams' efforts to establish a "professional learning community" among the school's faculty.
He describes it as "an attempt to set up a culture wherein the professionals have an opportunity to become experts in their task."
By encouraging teamwork and collegiality, Adams wants teachers in each subject area to function much like faculty departments at the best college working together to improve their effectiveness in teaching their students.
De La Salle has a reputation for a strong sports program, and its teams have brought home 10 state championships in recent years, as well as a number of Catholic League and regional championships.
"We have been as successful as any school in Macomb County," says Brian Kelly, the athletic director.
But even its sports programs are conducted in faithfulness to the Lasallian tradition. "The coaches all believe in De La Salle and the mission of the school, and really push values winning the right way and playing by the rules," he says.
Not only religion classes, but all classes begin with a prayer. There is a required all-school Mass once a month and a voluntary Mass in the chapel on Tuesdays before the school day begins.
Students go on retreats, and all students are required to fulfill a service requirement. Additional activities include a Rosary Club that meets twice a month and, in conjunction with the nearby all girls Regina High School, a Pro-life Club.
Sports teams all begin their seasons with a Mass, and the football team attends Mass before every Friday night game, while other De La Salle teams hold pre-game prayer services. "I find the students, especially the older students who have gone on the Kairos retreats, a lot more spiritual than most people would think, and they pray more than most people would think," says Bro. Michael Shubnell, FSC, the school's campus minister.
For admissions information, visit the De La Salle Collegiate High School page listed here at AODonline.org.
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