Partners in Excellence
In response to the many challenges facing Baltimore's inner-city Catholic schools, the Partners in Excellence initiative was formed to seek out corporate leaders or foundations who share the belief in the value of providing a quality education for at-risk youth. The program seeks to build corporate partnerships for inner-city Catholic schools that broadens their base of financial support, particularly in the form of scholarship assistance grants.
The Archdiocese has operated Catholic schools in the city of Baltimore for over 135 years, graduating over 400,000 students to date. Today there are 19 Catholic schools in the inner-city participating in this program. They are:
- St. Ambrose School, Park Heights
- Archbishop Borders School
- St. Bernardine School, West Baltimore
- The Cardinal Gibbons School, Southwest Baltimore (middle and high school)
- St. Casimir School (formerly Fr. Kolbe School)
- Catholic Community School, Federal Hill
- Father Charles Hall Catholic School, St. Peter Claver Campus
- Father Charles Hall Catholic School, St. Edward Campus
- St. Frances Academy, East Baltimore (high school)
- St. Francis of Assisi, Northeast Baltimore
- SS. James & John Campus, East Baltimore
- St. Katherine Campus, East Baltimore
- St. Mary of the Assumption School (Govans)
- Mother Seton Academy, Fells Point (middle school)
- St. Rose of Lima School
- Shrine of the Sacred Heart School
- St. Thomas Aquinas School
More than 5,000 students are educated each year in Archdiocesan inner-city schools. Eighty percent of students are minority, most are not Catholic, and over 63% of students are from families below the poverty level. Large pools of applicants are on waiting lists for tuition assistance. In addition, more than half of the students come from single parent households. These schools employ a dedicated, experienced team of approximately 475 teachers and administrators. Fifty-six percent of teachers hold Master's degrees and/or have 10+ years of experience. The schools boast an enviable student-teacher ratio. Elementary schools have a 24:1 or smaller student-teacher ratio and in high schools it's 19:1 or smaller.
If you are a parent of a student and want information about this program, please contact the schools directly. If you would like to join our impressive list of corporate and foundation donors, please contact the Department of Development at 410-547-5356.
For more information about Partners in Excellence, visit their website.
Lawrence Cardinal Shehan Scholarship
Lawrence Cardinal Shehan had the great foresight in 1974 to realize that rising education costs might preclude financially disadvantaged inner-city youngsters from receiving a quality education in Baltimore City Catholic elementary schools. The Lawrence Cardinal Shehan Scholarship Fund was created from this concern.
While costs have steadily increased, populations within the city have decreased resulting in lower income and fewer students. Parishes find it impossible to meet the necessary financial requirements. The Cardinal Shehan Scholarship makes a difference in a school's future and gives a child an educational opportunity that otherwise may not be within reach. Since 1984 the Scholarship Fund has exceeded $9,000,000 in scholarships to families at the following schools:
- St. Ambrose School, Park Heights
- St. Bernardine School, West Baltimore
- Fr. Charles A. Hall Elementary, West Baltimore
- Fr. Charles A. Hall Middle, West Baltimore
- SS. James & John Campus, East Baltimore
- St. Katherine Campus, East Baltimore
These schools provide a stable and safe environment in increasingly challenged neighborhoods.
For more information about how you can help or apply for a scholarship, contact the schools listed above.
The Knott Scholarship Fund
Marion I. and Henry J. Knott firmly believed in the value of Catholic education and wished to see the best and the brightest Catholic scholars attend area Catholic schools. To this end, they established the Knott Scholarship Funds.
The Knott Scholarship Funds award four-year, full-tuition scholarships to attend parish Catholic elementary schools and Catholic high schools located in Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Harford and Howard counties. These scholarships honor Catholic students who excel in academics. The following information applies to those seeking secondary scholarships. If you have a Catholic student in Grade 4, please see the Knot website, www.knottscholar.org for elementary scholarship information.
To apply for a Knott Secondary Scholarship, the student must meet all of the criteria described below.
- Student is a baptized Catholic or a convert officially received into the Catholic Church.
- Family legally resides in one of the geographic areas listed above. Family is registered and active in a Catholic parish in one of these geographic areas.
- Student is in Grade 8 at time of application.
- Catholic students attending public, private or home school are elible to apply.
- Student has been accepted by a Catholic high school of choice in one of the geographic areas listed above.
- To be eligible for consideration for a Knott Secondary Scholarship the student must have:
- A/A+ or 93-100 in the major subjects: Reading/Literature, English/Writing, Vocabulary/Spelling (Language Arts); Math; Social Studies; Science - on first & second quarter or first & second trimester (depending upon the system used in your school) report cards. If the student receives a grade of A- and this grade is equal to a number below 93, the student is not eligible to apply.
- Eighth graders must score must score in the 95th percentile or above in Total Reading, Total Math, and Total Language on a nationally standardized test given in spring (March-June) of Grade 7 or fall of Grade 8 at their current school. If current school did not offer a nationally standardized test in this time period, please call the Knott office for additional information.
- Eighth grade students must take the Archdiocese of Baltimore High School Admissions Test and receive a Composite Score in the 95th percentile or above on this test.
Complete Knott Scholarship application information for the 2008-2009 school year and an Application Request Form are available on the Knott Schoolarship website, www.knottscholar.org.
THE APPLICATION REQUEST FORM WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE KNOTT SCHOLARSHIP
WEBSITE BEGINNING AUGUST 1ST.
If you have questions, please call the Knott Scholarship office, 410-779-1225.
Completed applications from eighth grade students applying for a Knott secondary scholarship must be received in the Knott office by April 24, 2009.
Carolyn D. Bradley Scholarship
Awarded through the Institute for Educational Advancement, the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship is awarded to exceptionally gifted middle school students who have demonstrated academic and personal excellence. The application process takes place when the student is in 7th grade.
Contact:
INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT
625 FAIR OAKS AVENUE, SUITE 285
SOUTH PASADENA, CA 91030
(626) 403-8900
www.educationaladvancement.org
