St. Anthony of Padua School Expansion Feasibility Study

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School/Archdiocese of Galveston - Houston 1

St. Anthony of Padua School Expansion Feasibility Study

Excellence…Strengthened by Faith

June 2012 Archdiocese of Galveston - Houston

www.staopcs.org


School Expansion Feasibility Study Spring 2012

Mission Statement

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School seeks to guide our children to holiness though a Christ-centered education.

Our mission is to:

Engender a strong sense of Roman Catholic identity, a deep reverence for the sacraments and a lifelong commitment to understanding and joyfully living our faith;

Enrich each child’s development by requiring academic excellence and providing opportunities that challenge students and recognize individual achievement;

Develop with parents the moral compass that guides students to love all of God’s creation and serve humankind with Christ as their model.

In His spirit, we envision St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School as a beacon of light.


Background School History

When St. Anthony of Padua Parish was founded in June 1997, it faced the challenge of establishing a new church community and school to serve the needs of Catholic families in The Woodlands. The parish took this challenge seriously, undertaking a feasibility study and seeking approval from the Archdiocesan Board of Education in 1998.

The acting pastor, Msgr. George Scheltz, worked closely that year with the Education Council to write the school mission statement and to lay the groundwork for the opening of the school the following year. The school’s founding principal, Renee’ Nunez, was hired in September of 2000.

The school opened in 2001 with a staff of 14 and 138 students. By the fall of 2009, the number of staff had risen to 56, and the student body had grown to 484. Current enrollment is near capacity. Enrollment for 2012-2013 as of April 19, 2012 has 21 students in PreK3, 34 in PreK4, 48 students per grade in grades K-4, 6, and 8 and 44 and 46 students in grades 5 and 7 respectively. Tuition and fees have remained within Archdiocesan guidelines.

When the school began, it offered PreK3 through third grade instruction. The school has expanded over the years to provide instruction through the eighth grade, graduating its first eighth grade class in May 2007. Through a parish Capital Campaign, fundraising, and several generous private donations, a permanent school building, a playground, a prayer garden, and athletic fields have all been constructed since the founding of the school.

Reason for the Expansion Feasibility Study

The School Strategic Planning Committee developed a five year Strategic Plan1

1 Available at

in the spring of 2010 to prepare for the next five years. Similarly, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston developed a three year Plan for Catholic Schools called the Lumen Pro Via (Light for the Way) that provides a road map that sets a direction of where the Archdiocese wants to go with Catholic schools, so that all the Archdiocesan schools are connected and are all on the same page.

http://staopcs.org/documents/Strategic%20Plan%20April%2015%202010.pdf

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One initiative of the both the strategic plan and the Lumen Pro Via is a School Expansion Feasibility Study as a result of the observation that the population of both The Woodlands community and the St. Anthony of Padua Parish community’s concomitant present and future growth.

The Strategic Plan indicated that an Archdiocesan study (the “Meitler Study”) undertaken in 2007 and showed that the school population would increase substantially if more classrooms were available. Consequently, the Strategic Plan’s initiative set out the following tasks: 1. Form a committee to:

a. confirm the enrollment potential perceived by the Meitler study b. study the viability of increasing school enrollment c. explore sources of funding d. execute a feasibility study to review the current facilities and determine the best

possible way to expand the school to accommodate additional enrollment. e. investigate how the parish can make the best us of the recently acquired 5-acre

tract of land. 2. Enlist parish-wide support of the school expansion. Consequently, the first step identified was to confirm and evaluate the enrollment potential perceived by the Meitler study. This Expansion Feasibility Study provides that evaluation.

Informational Basis for the Expansion Feasibility Study

As discussed above, the Meitler Study was conducted for the entire Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, which comprises 10 counties. The study’s findings indicated that while the population of these ten counties (Austin, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes Harris, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Walker, and Waller) had reached 5.2 million people as of October, 2007, based upon estimates from the Texas State Data Center and the Projections from the Houston-Galveston Area Council, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston was projected to grow to an astounding 2.26 million people over 20 years; a 48% increase from 2000 to 2020. The Meitler Study further found that the bulk of this growth would occur in only four counties: Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris, and Montgomery. The Meitler Study observed that there has been a large domestic migration out of Harris County to surrounding counties, in particular Fort Bend and Montgomery.

Based upon census data from 2000, and information from the Texas State Data Center from October 2006 and Dr. Stephen Klineberg at Rice University, the Catholic population of Montgomery County was expected to grow from 107,824 in 2010 to 145,838 in 2020, which would be an 86% increase from 2000. An excerpt of the relevant


portion of the Meitler Study is attached hereto in Appendix A.

One difficulty in using the information from the Meitler Study in projecting future growth specific to the St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School (hereinafter “SAOPCS”) is that the data estimates are not geographically broken down into Woodlands-specific areas. In 2009-2010 70% of SAOPCS students came from only two zip codes (77381 and 77382) and Montgomery County has over 60 zip codes. Because of the high likelihood that only students from areas (e.g., zip codes) relatively close to SAOPCS would consider attending SAOPCS, we believed the best data for forecasting potential SAOPCS population growth is the data from zip codes relatively adjacent or nearby to SAOPCS.

A SAOPCS Demographic Zip Code Map from 2009-2010 is presented in Appendix B and is representative of historical geographic make-up of the students. This information was taken from the STAOPCS 2011 Marketing Plan2

. Based upon the historical information, it was believed that population growth that would best correspond to school growth would encompass population growth in the following zip codes:

77380, 77381, 77382, 77389, and 77354.

Collectively, these 5 zip codes have historically made up approximately 92% of the student body and it is not anticipated that significant growth in any other zip code would dramatically impact demand at SAOPCS because of either other nearby Catholic schools or distance. Consequently, information on population growth was limited to the general area represented by these zip codes.

The information used for population growth projections specific to these zip codes

comes from two independent sources. The first source is The Woodlands Development Company and a copy of their demographic report3

of The Woodlands area is presented in Appendix C. While the demographic report is not broken out by zip code, past and projected population growth is broken out by each Woodlands Village and is believed to be representative of the geographical area likely to affect demand at SAOPCS. The second source of information was provided to SAOPCS by the University of Houston, Hobby School of Public Policy. Using data from the 1990 and 2000 census, along with a 2007 census update and a 2012 census forecast, they predicted population data through 2022 using a cubic polynomial curve fitting for trend analysis. The University of Houston data is presented in Appendix D.

Although the 2012 Woodlands Development Company analysis was completed after Exxon Mobil officially announced in 2011 a North Houston Campus that will

2 Available at http://www.staopcs.org/documents/Advancement/STAOPCS%20Marketing%20Plan%202011Final.pdf 3 Available at http://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=667

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employ an additional 8,000 employees and be the new headquarters for their upstream and chemicals company, Exxon recently announced an additional 2,000 employees would be stationed at the North Houston Campus. These additional 2,000 positions are positions that are to be transferred from current ExxonMobil operations in Fairfax, VA and Akron, Ohio. Occupation of the North Houston Campus will begin in 2014 with full occupancy in 2015. Consequently, in view of this most recent announcement, it is anticipated that the projected population growth statistics are conservative. However, the potential immediate impact for SAOPCS should not be overstated in view of the fact that St. Edwards Catholic School shares the same zip code with the new facility and in view of the fact that a significant majority of the employees being moved to the North Houston Campus currently live locally in the Houston area and are not expected to immediately buy new homes as a result of the relocation. Data and trends from the SAPOCS Waiting List for the last three years (2009/2010, 2010/2011 and 2011/2012) as well as New Student Registrations for 2012-2013 which is presented in Appendix E was also considered in the analysis of ascertaining the immediate demand for expansion at SAOPCS.

Information related to Parish projections was not used in formulating the growth potential for SAOPCS for two reasons. First, Parish projections provided are based upon population projections from The Woodlands Development Company and therefore could introduce additional bias and/or duplicity into the analysis. Second, historical parish demographic data was deemed to be unreliable because of the difficulty in removing parishioners from the rolls that move out of the area and are no longer part of the Parish, but nevertheless are still listed as members.

In estimating the Catholic population for the Archdiocese, the Meitler Study made

the assumption that the percent Catholic of each ethnic/racial group would remain fairly constant, but indicated that the Catholic population includes persons who identify themselves as Catholic but are not necessarily attending church or registered in a parish. The Meitler Study opined that evangelization or renewed outreach could force estimates to be revised upwards. Similarly, given that a majority of families registered with the parish send their children to public schools, surveys were sent to parents of faith formation children in an attempt to ascertain the predominant underlying reasons for choosing public schools. For example, there are roughly 46004

4 As previously noted, this number of registered families may be high as it may include families still registered with the parish but that have moved from the area.

families registered with the church -- 300 (~6%) of which are school families. Although many families do not have school-aged children, if a higher percentage of those that do chose SAOPCS, then there could be an immediate demand for school expansion. If, for example, a predominant reason for choosing public school had to do with the perception that


SAOPCS is full, then such demand unrelated to population growth needed to be quantified. A summary of the survey results from the faith formation parents is presented in Appendix F.

An additional factor in determining the feasibility of school expansion is the

collective mindset of current school families. If, for example, a predominant reason for choosing SAOPCS was the fact that the school itself was smaller than the local public schools, then school expansion might actually drive current school families away. Consequently, any inverse demand related to school expansion needed to be quantified through a survey of the current school families. A summary of the survey results from the school families is presented in Appendix G.

Analysis of Informational Basis for the Expansion Feasibility Study

Introduction

Based upon the data constituting the informational basis for the Expansion Feasibility study, the survey data collected from the school families and faith formation families was first analyzed because these families can most immediately have the largest impact school enrollment. Next, the impact of the projected population growth was analyzed in an effort to determine the temporal immediacy of any proposed expansion at SAOPCS. Finally, many of the intangible factors of potential relevance were evaluated in an effort to consider broader issues that might affect decisions related to proposed expansion of SAOPCS. Analysis of surveys from faith formation and school families

School Survey

Approximately 300 school families were invited to complete a survey on their thoughts on school expansion and 78 responded which represents a 26% completion rate. The results of the survey are presented in Appendix G. The survey questions elicited from school families their interest in a future expansion of the school and, if expansion was supported, the extent of expansion the school families would support. Additionally, school families were asked for input regarding what criteria was most important to them in determining whether or not an expansion would be right for our school community. Finally, the participants were asked if they did support an expansion what would be a reasonable tuition rate and what would be a reasonable goal for the expanded school size.

Although the pie chart below illustrates that the majority of respondents favor a

future school expansion, other portions of the survey reveal that support comes with


certain caveats. While it is important to the respondents that a Catholic education be made available to all families who desire it, it is even more important that any expansion not be disruptive to the current student population and that the school remain at a reasonable size in order to maintain the quality and current close-knit feeling. Furthermore, respondents are very concerned about the costs that may be associated with an expansion and how those costs would impact both the tuition rates and overall debt of the school.

As indicated by the pie chart below, if a future expansion were to occur, respondents overwhelming support the addition of only one class per grade level. This further supports the findings and comments provided by many respondents that it is very important that the school not lose its sense of community. Another recurring them in the responses received was that respondents do not want an expansion to jeopardize or diminish the quality of education provided and the level of personal attention currently provided to both the students and parents. The focus of any expansion should be quality over quantity.

In favor of expansion

Neutral

Opposed to expansion

Increase to 3 classes per grade level

Maintain 2 classes per grade level

Increase to 4 classes per grade level


Finally, the majority of respondents felt the current annual tuition rate of $5,950 per child was reasonable. As indicated by the pie chart below, there does not appear to be support for tuition increases in order to support an expansion. In fact, a number of the comments provided by respondents discussed the need to make access to a Catholic education more affordable and offering even greater discounts for multiple siblings.

In summary, there appears to be support for a school expansion if the need can be confirmed and the expansion can be done in a fiscally sound manner without increasing tuition costs and deterring from the current quality of education provided and the strong sense of community that exists.

Parish Survey

Approximately 1200 Parishioners with children enrolled in the Faith Formation program were invited to complete a survey for their opinions regarding school expansion and 97 responded which represents an 8% completion rate. The survey questions were designed to ascertain what types of schools these Parishioners had considered in making educational choices for their children. The Parishioners were also asked if they were not currently enrolled at SAOPCS then was SAOPCS viewed as a viable alternative to their current school choice and what factors were most important to them in making their educational choices.

In considering what type of school to send their children to, respondents first

considered public schools. SAOPCS was their second consideration followed by private non-Catholic Schools, other Catholic schools and then home schooling. The primary reason cited for not enrolling in SAOPCS was that they felt their children could get an equally high quality of education at the area public school. The second greatest reason for choosing not to attend SAOPCS was because they felt they could not afford the cost.

Current tuition is reasonable

Current tuition level is too high


In anticipation of the fact that cost would be an overriding factor in the educational

considerations of the respondents, the survey elicited information regarding the respondents awareness of financial assistance programs at SAOPCS and whether or not such assistance might make attending SAOPCS a more viable option. The majority of respondents were aware of the financial assistance program at SAOPCS. However, when asked if the financial assistance would make it more viable for them to enroll their children at SAOPCS 60.6% responded “No.”

Academic excellence and highly qualified teachers were overwhelmingly the most

important aspects in respondents’ educational considerations. The public schools in the area are viewed as being of a very high quality and competitive in nature. Therefore, the strong public schools in the area draw a large number of Parishioners with families who might otherwise consider SAOPCS as an alternative.

Furthermore, the respondents were asked if SAOPCS were to expand how likely

would they be to enroll. The responses were as follows: (i) 0% would definitely enroll; (ii) 8.4% would likely enroll; (iii) 22.1% would consider enrolling; (iv) 44.2% were uncertain about enrolling; and (v) 25.3% would definitely not enroll. In summary, Parishioners with school age children enrolled in the Faith Formation

program are sending their children to area public schools which have a strong academic reputation. SAOPCS financial assistance programs and a potential expansion do not appear to be factors which would change their educational choices. As long as the public schools in the area maintain their current academic excellence and quality, they will continue to be a top educational choice for Parishioners.


Analysis of The Woodlands Population Growth and SAOPCS Enrollment Growth

Based upon the discussion above, it appears that any additional school growth will likely come from an overall increase in the population growth of The Woodlands. The current school capacity is approximately 508 students based upon two classes per grade for preK3 through eighth grade. Adding an additional class per grade would increase the enrollment capacity by 50%. Similarly, an additional two classes per grade would increase the enrollment capacity by 100%. The table below shows the maximum and goal sizes of each grade level.

Table 1. Current and potential future capacity of SAOPCS

There are many variables in determining the acceptable enrollment threshold that

Grade

Current Two classes

per grade

Three Classes

per grade

Four Classes

per grade

Max

Goal

Max

Max

PreK3 36 24 54 72

PreK4 40 40 60 80

Kinder 48 48 72 96

1st Grade 48 48 72 96

2nd Grade 48 48 72 96

3rd Grade 48 48 72 96

4th Grade 48 48 72 96

5th Grade 48 48 72 96

6th Grade 48 48 72 96

7th Grade 48 48 72 96

8th Grade 48 48 72 96

TOTAL 508 496 762 1016


justifies the addition of another class. A staged approach can be used whereby in year 1, an additional PreK3 class is added and in year 2 that PreK3 class graduates into PreK4 and in year 2 there would be three PreK3 and three PreK4 classes with two K-8. This expansion could then continue every year. Such a staged approach may work, however, based upon the historical waiting list data presented in Appendix E, SAOPCS has had difficulty filling the PreK classes and SAOPCS already has some excess PreK capacity through the Little Saints program. Consequently, any staged approach would likely need to begin in Kindergarten.

The critical question then becomes one of timing. When is the acceptable

enrollment threshold that justifies the addition of another class reached and when should expansion begin to account for such addition? One interpretation can be made that the data tends to suggest that the school is presently properly sized for the current population of The Woodlands and future expansion of SAOPCS would need to occur in a manner that is supported by the future population growth of The Woodlands. To answer the critical question of timing, one can refer to historical population and enrollment trends.

SAOPCS graduated its first eighth grade class in May, 2007. Consequently, the

2006-2007 school year was the first school year with enrollment in every grade level. As revealed by Table 2 below, there appears to be a correlation between population of The Woodlands and the school enrollment for the past five years. Averaging the historical numbers reveals that roughly 0.48% of the population of The Woodlands is enrolled at SAOPCS.

Year

Woodlands Population

SAOPCS School

Enrollment

% of Woodlands Population Enrolled at SAOPCS

2006 83884 374 0.45 2007 86401 402 0.47 2008 89397 423 0.47 2009 93248 457 0.49 2010 97023 486 0.50 2011 100670 488 0.49

Table 2. Correlation of the population of The Woodlands with school enrollment.

Based on projections provided by The Woodlands Development Company the

population of The Woodlands in 2016 is projected to be 116,650, which correlates to a


projected school enrollment of 560 students (assuming 0.48% of The Woodlands population continues to be enrolled at SAOPCS), which is an increase of approximately 72 students. However, as shown by Table 1, if the school were to expand by an additional class, an additional 266 spaces would need to be filled. Consequently, the expected potential student population growth does not appear to be substantial enough to justify an expansion within the next five years.

As previously mentioned, there are many variables in determining the acceptable

enrollment threshold that justifies the addition of another class. One threshold may be that construction should be started such that it is completed when 80% of the overall enrollment can be achieved. Assuming expansion of the school to three classes per grade, this hypothetical threshold would then be met when enrollment of 610 students is achieved. Performing a linear regression of the data above, using the TREND function in Excel reveals that, assuming a linear population growth and a correlation of 0.48% SAOPCS students per capita of Woodlands population, one could expect to have 610 students by 2019. A student population forecast consistent with the criteria outlined above is presented in Table 3, below.

Year

Projected Woodlands Population

Projected SAOPCS

Enrollment 2018 124,326 597 2020 131,167 630 2022 138,008 662 2024 144,850 695 2026 151,691 728 2028 158,532 761

Table 3. Projected School Enrollment based upon projected population growth

Table 3 reveals that it would take until the year 2028 to meet 100% capacity at SAOPCS, if the school were expanded to three classes per grade. Consequently, although the growth in The Woodlands is occurring at a relatively rapid pace, it appears that school expansion based upon population growth may be premature at this juncture.

As inferred by the discussion above, as the population expands in the area

surrounding SAOPCS, the census of the parish is expected to expand as well. Population growth does not necessarily mean that a corresponding demand in families will seek to enroll at SAOPCS. There is, however, an upward trend in actual enrollment at SAOPCS.


While the critical question of expansion may be one of timing, it should be recognized that there presently exists an unmet enrollment demand based on the waiting lists for the past several years. The waiting list numbers are indicative of the demand for religious and academic instruction within the area served by SAOPCS and may provide additional evidence that the historical data is conservative as exemplified by the following facts:

• Since 2009-2012, an average of 54 students turned away each year based on the number of students placed on the waiting lists.

• The increase in enrollment has been trending upward in the past 4 years based on the teacher/student ratio data (p.52 of Marketing Plan).

• Turning away children by putting them on a waiting list, who are subsequently lost, represents a lost opportunity to enhance the religious spiritual life of children in their formative years.

• The parents who seek SAOPCS as a school generally have the ability to pay. This is reflected in the 2011 high median income of $145,000 in the area and in the 2011 median sales price of $327,604 of the homes being purchased by Woodlands buyers as shown in Appendix C. In summary, the waiting list consists of children from families with an interest in

their children’s future in Catholic instruction and continuous growth in spiritual and academic foundation. To turn them away potentially reflects a lost opportunity for the Church and the parish. An expansion for additional capacity within the framework of increasing demand from the surrounding population would serve the parish and the Church.

But again, the critical question is one of timing and while the waiting list is

indicative of demand, its probative value should not be overstated as it relates to enrollment potential because history reveals that not every family on the waiting list will enroll in the school if offered an opening. For example, as illustrated Appendix E, in 2009-2010 seven students on the waiting list declined offered openings that became available. In 2010-2011, that number increased to 21. In 2011-12, that number increased to 35. Consequently, a waiting list of 50 children would not result in the enrollment of 50 additional students, even if spots opened for every one of them. Factors affecting whether a student offered a spot will accept or decline include: whether or not there are openings for siblings, a change in the family’s financial situation, a transfer out of the area, or simply that they are happy with the school their child enrolled at when placed on our waiting list.

Moreover, the SAOPCS waiting list does not currently have enough students to fill

an additional classroom in any grade level. Opening an additional classroom will require a significant investment in additional staff, equipment, supplies, etc. It is difficult to


financially justify school expansion unless there is a sufficient demand to meet the minimum enrollment threshold. Again, the critical question appears to be one of timing.

As discussed above, using the staged approach, an expansion of SAOPCS will be most likely to succeed if it begins at the kindergarten level. Based on the growth projections, it will be several years before there are enough wait-listed students to support a third Kindergarten class. Therefore, the Kindergarten wait list should be closely monitored to assess if and when the upward trend could support adding another class.

Clearly, population and school enrollment projections are difficult to predict. A plethora of demographic, employment, economical, political, and other often unknown variables interplay in a complex and often unpredictable manner. The correlations are based upon limited amounts of information and factors that are subject to change. In the last few years upon which some of these projections have been based, many extremes of economic factors have occurred. On the one hand, there has been a nationwide economic recession that has rattled the national and international banking communities. On the other hand, locally several companies have announced relocation to The Woodlands and the ability to drill for oil and gas in shale appears to be an economic boon to the region. Consequently, the feasibility of expanding the school at SAOPCS needs to be revisited as additional data is gathered and newer trends emerge.

Discussion of other “intangibles”/atmosphere

In addition to collecting population statistics and quantitative survey data, non-

quantifiable factors were also identified and analyzed. Intangible influences such as the parish environment and the timing of an expansion could have a significant impact, potentially far greater than the raw population data would indicate. The following non-quantifiable factors were identified as potentially affecting the feasibility of expanding the school: the parish climate and attitude toward the school, the strong local public school system, the construction of a new Catholic high school within close proximity of the school, and the economy.

Impact on Funding an Expansion

The most important factors that could potentially affect the feasibility of funding

the expansion are the current parish atmosphere and the attitude of the parish toward the school. At present, the parish is encountering “fundraising fatigue.” Over the last 12 months, there have been two major parish-wide fundraising campaigns, the first focused on paying down the parish debt and the second to help fund the construction of the Frassati High School. The goal for the campaign to raise funds to pay down the parish debt was $8.5 million and as of December 31, 2011, only $5.7 million had been pledged. The fundraising goal set for St. Anthony’s parishioners to raise for Frassati High School


was $1 million and only $318,000 has been raised. Another major fundraising campaign on the heels of these campaigns is not likely to be well-received. Furthermore, the objective comments made in the parish survey indicate that many parish families view the school as a financial burden on the parish. While this is inaccurate, nonetheless, it is a perception that will impact parishioner’s willingness to financially support a school expansion.

Impact on Enrollment

The most critical external influences that are likely to impact future enrollment are

those that affect the market demand for a Catholic education: the economy and the quality of the area public schools.

There can be no doubt that in a weak economy, fewer families consider a tuition-

based education. Although our school is located in an affluent community, the school has seen a significant increase in the number of applications for tuition grants over the last few years, and several families who have left the school indicated that they did so for financial reasons. Approximately 10% of school families receive some type of financial aid. A stronger economy will likely strengthen the demand for Catholic education, while a continued weak economy will probably limit expansion potential.

The second limitation on future enrollment is the appeal of the local public school

system. As noted above, although the tuition at St. Anthony is very reasonable when compared with other private schools in the area, the vast majority of parish families are enrolled in the public schools. Catholic parents opt to enroll their children in the local school system not only because it is tuition-free, but also because it is academically challenging and has a solid reputation both within and outside the local community. Consequently, changes to the public school system such as major cuts in federal funding could affect the attractiveness of a Catholic education.

Other Factors

In addition to the major factors discussed above, two other potential intangible

influences were also identified: 1. Since the school has historically been close to its maximum capacity with a waiting

list for many grade levels, the school has never had an aggressive recruitment campaign, with the exception of pre-school. It is logical to presume that a more active effort to recruit Catholic families in our own parish as well as the neighboring parish of St. Simon and Jude would lead to an increase in interest in the school.


2. For the first time in our school’s history, there will be a Catholic high school within

close proximity when the Frassati Catholic High School opens in 2013. This is likely to have an impact on the demand for middle school Catholic education in the area. Many of our school families have transferred their children into the public school system in the middle school years, in an effort to ease the transition into the public high schools. With a Catholic high school option, fewer families will consider taking this route.

By their very definition, the potential effect of each of these intangible factors

cannot be quantified. However, now that they have been identified, their influence can be monitored to determine their actual impact over the next few years.

Recommendation

The purpose of this Expansion Feasibility Study was to confirm and evaluate the

enrollment potential perceived by the Meitler Study. Although The Woodlands population continues to grow, there does not yet appear to be enough immediate demand to justify expansion plans at this time. Based upon survey data collected from the parents of students enrolled in faith formation classes, it appears that those not enrolled at SAOPCS are satisfied with their educational alternative and there were no issues identified that would readily change that perception. Consequently, any additional demand will likely be created predominantly by new population growth. Further, based upon the recent capital campaigns soliciting donations from parishioners and the lack of success on those campaigns, it does not appear that there would be broad support for yet another capital campaign to support school expansion. Taken together, it does not currently appear feasible to conduct an expansion of the school.

With time, however, it is anticipated that many of the factors currently not favoring

school expansion will subside. For example, as The Woodlands population increases demand for Catholic school education will also increase. Further, as the parish debt is paid off, and fewer operating funds are used to pay interest on the debt, and as the parish population and donor base grows, current funding pressures may subside. Consequently, the feasibility of school expansion should be re-evaluated in five years or sooner if trends, such as an uptick in the Kindergarten waitlist, so dictate.

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS DEMOGRAPHICS

JANUARY 1, 2012

The Woodlands Development Company 24 Waterway Avenue, Suite 1100

The Woodlands, TX 77380

The Woodlands is a 28,000-acre master-planned community located 27 miles north of downtown Houston.

1. POPULATION

Total 100,670

Persons Per Household 2.65

Occupied Dwellings 38,028

Median Age 39.5

2. ADULT AGES

Total Adults 74,218

18 – 24 9%25 – 34 13%

35 – 44 22%

45 – 54 25%

55 – 64 18%

65 – 74 7%

75-Plus 6%

3. CHILDREN

Households with Children 41.1%

Total Children 26,452

Under 5 23%

5 – 9 30%10 – 14 32%

15 – 17 15%

4. HOUSEHOLD PERSONS

Average 2.65

1 22%

2 32%

3 17%

4 19%

5-Plus 10%

5. HOUSEHOLD INCOME

Median $91,378

Under $25,000 12%

$25 - $34,999 6%

$35 - $49,999 11%

$50 - $74,999 13%

$75 - $99,999 12%

$100 - $149,999 17%

$150 - $199,999 11%

$200,000-Plus 18%

15-1718-2425-4445-64

65+

< $25,000$25-34,999$35-49,999$50-74,999$75-99,999

$100-149,999$150-199,999

$200,000+

1

Sources: Interfaith, US Census Bureau, ESRI and The Woodlands Development Company

THE WOODLANDS DEMOGRAPHICS

Under 5

5-14

15-17 18-24 25-44

45-64

65+

Population Age Distribution

Under 5 5-14 15-17 18-2425-44 45-64 65+ 0% 5% 10% 15% 20%

< $25,000

$25-34,999

$35-49,999

$50-74,999

$75-99,999

$100-149,999

$150-199,999

$200,000+

Household Income

2

THE WOODLANDS DEMOGRAPHICS - AREA CHARACTERISTICS

POPULATION

TOTAL

Grogans

Mill

Panther

Creek

Cochrans Crossing

Indian Springs

Alden Bridge

Age-QualifiedComm.*

College Park

Sterling

Ridge

Carlton Woods

Town Center

East Shore

CreeksidePark

12/31/80 10,279 8,678 1,601 - - - - - - - - - - 12/31/85 20,327 10,725 7,623 1,538 441 - - - - - - - - 12/31/90 30,165 11,840 10,160 5,465 2,700 - - - - - - - - 12/31/95 44,517 13,189 12,237 14,242 2,936 1,913 - - - - - - - 12/31/96 47,346 13,104 12,584 14,793 3,125 3,740 - - - - - - - 12/31/97 50,789 13,212 12,769 15,625 3,436 5,747 - - - - - - - 12/31/98 55,063 13,390 13,143 16,201 3,916 8,413 - - - - - - - 12/31/99 59,138 13,277 13,053 16,509 4,159 12,105 35 - - - - - - 12/31/00 63,203 13,740 13,106 16,432 4,490 14,846 221 368 - - - - - 12/31/01 67,420 13,626 13,830 16,150 5,215 16,706 366 1,369 158 - - - - 12/31/02 70,050 13,475 13,999 16,093 5,767 17,584 567 1,643 866 56 - - - 12/31/03 74,358 13,452 14,036 16,231 6,329 18,883 685 2,484 2,174 84 - - - 12/31/04 77,128 13,633 13,959 16,253 6,382 19,759 706 2,850 3,393 151 42 - - 12/31/05 80,659 13,877 14,236 16,147 6,393 20,628 720 3,599 4,847 152 60 - - 12/31/06 83,884 13,512 13,957 16,098 6,401 20,936 733 4,428 7,543 173 71 32 - 12/31/07 86,401 13,516 13,870 16,118 6,342 21,040 760 4,520 9,136 294 602 131 72 12/31/08 89,397 13,499 13,776 16,090 6,351 21,259 801 5,300 9,793 621 862 185 860 12/31/09 92,348 13,291 13,816 16,061 6,271 21,236 805 5,395 11,651 678 1,320 223 1,601 12/31/10 97,023 13,658 13,980 16,061 6,285 21,399 1,578 5,789 12,799 669 1,845 269 2,691 12/31/11 100,670 13,815 14,023 16,006 6,319 21,503 1,584 6,110 13,885 674 2,444 328 3,979

Avg. Persons Per Household 12/31/11

2.65

2.36

2.40

3.12

2.95

2.76

1.61

2.59

2.81

1.84

2.54

1.84

2.69

Children 12/31/11

26,452

2,448

2,752

4,793 1,981 6,603 4 1,671

4,733

50 32 57 1,328

Projections**: 12/31/12

104,000

14,150

14,025

16,010 6,325 21,510 1,590 6,380

14,270

720 2,780 400 5,840

12/31/13 107,400 14,500 14,025 16,010 6,325 21,515 1,590 6,680 14,510 760 3,100 485 7,900 12/31/14 111,100 14,875 14,025 16,015 6,600 21,515 1,590 6,780 14,810 850 3,525 600 9,915 12/31/15 114,450 15,060 14,025 16,015 7,000 21,515 1,590 6,785 15,100 970 3,900 940 11,550 12/31/16 116,650 15,205 14,030 16,015 7,230 21,515 1,590 6,785 15,200 1,090 4,370 1,060 12,560

* Includes Windsor Hills and Windsor Lakes. (Note: 12/31/10 reflects a data correction.) ** Population projections are based upon current land use projections and are subject to change.

THE WOODLANDS BUYER PROFILE FOR NEW HOME PURCHASERS

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Median Sales Price

$213,790 $223,320 $195,880 $200,446 $187,127 $215,378 $247,155 $252,055 $320,500 $343,900 $353,775 $348,900 $360,158 $327,604

Median Unit Size

2,728' 2,757’ 2,410’ 2,498’ 2,342’ 2,596’ 2,890’ 2,598’ 2,698’ 2,750’ 2,923’ 3,068’ 3,255’ 3,127’

Median Adult Age

39 40 39 39 40 39 40 42 45 50 45 37 42 40

Median Household Income

$105,000 $120,000 $115,000 $115,000 $110,000 $127,900 $135,000 $136,000 $140,000 $135,000 $170,000 $150,000 $150,000 $145,000

Household Heads Who Live and Work in The Woodlands

23.7%

26.3%

28.2%

26.7%

30.0%

36.8%

27.0%

40.0%

41.4%

36.1%

42.9%

35.9%

30.1%

28.2%

Spouses Employed

58.2% 60.3% 56.5% 52.2% 50.2% 55.9% 49.7% 26.0% 49.0% 48.8% 48.6% 42.9% 41.9% 33.2%

Households with Adults Aged 55+

11.9%

14.8%

15.7%

13.2%

16.0%

14.2%

22.2%

17.1%

26.4%

27.6%

25.8%

13.7%

28.1%

24.1%

Geographic Origin: Local 22.5% 25.4% 23.8% 24.0% 29.4% 23.3% 35.7% 25.3% 27.6% 25.7% 30.4% 39.1% 29.9% 23.6%

Other Houston Area

21.1% 20.7% 20.6% 27.6% 27.3% 25.5% 29.3% 23.5% 21.4% 23.8% 24.0% 27.5% 31.3% 30.2%

Outside Area 56.4% 53.9% 55.5% 48.6% 43.5% 51.3% 35.0% 51.2% 51.0% 50.5% 45.6% 33.3% 38.8% 46.2%

Sources: Interfaith and The Woodlands Development Company

The Woodlands AreaDemographic and Income Profile Summary

5-Mile 10-Mile 15-Mile 20-Mile2010 2011 2016 2010 2011 2016 2010 2011 2016 2010 2011 2016

Population 120,994 124,372 141,081 395,772 406,741 456,240 840,986 863,256 966,186 1,480,995 1,516,153 1,679,024Median Age 36.0 36.1 36.2 34.6 34.7 34.8 33.3 33.3 33.6 33.0 33.1 33.3Average Household Size 2.65 2.65 2.63 2.82 2.82 2.81 2.84 2.84 2.84 2.92 2.92 2.92Owner-Occupied Dwellings 32,321 32,996 38,223 102,116 104,189 118,363 197,516 201,243 228,750 342,938 348,146 391,270Renter-Occupied Dwellings 13,264 13,795 15,229 37,861 39,639 43,411 97,273 101,412 110,195 161,133 167,928 180,158

5-Mile 10-Mile 15-Mile 20-Mile2010 2011 2016 2010 2011 2016 2010 2011 2016 2010 2011 2016

Median Household Income - 70,046$ 76,081$ - 68,658$ 75,419$ - 60,166$ 67,737$ - 58,862$ 66,213$ Average Household Income - 92,702$ 104,567$ - 88,824$ 99,122$ - 81,214$ 90,673$ - 79,142$ 88,484$ Households by Income

< $15,000 - 9.6% 8.1% - 8.0% 7.0% - 9.1% 8.0% - 9.7% 8.6%$15,000 - $24,999 - 6.6% 4.3% - 7.6% 5.1% - 8.8% 6.1% - 9.0% 6.3%$25,000 - $34,999 - 6.7% 4.3% - 7.4% 4.7% - 9.0% 6.0% - 9.3% 6.2%$35,000 - $49,999 - 11.8% 9.9% - 11.7% 9.6% - 13.3% 11.0% - 13.4% 11.3%$50,000 - $74,999 - 17.9% 22.4% - 18.8% 23.2% - 19.5% 23.9% - 19.1% 23.7%$75,000 - $99,999 - 14.0% 15.8% - 15.0% 17.2% - 13.7% 16.7% - 13.6% 16.2%$100,000 - $149,999 - 17.9% 18.5% - 17.9% 19.0% - 15.3% 16.5% - 15.2% 16.2%$150,000 - $199,999 - 7.2% 8.0% - 6.9% 7.2% - 5.8% 6.1% - 5.6% 6.1%$200,000 + - 8.3% 8.6% - 6.6% 6.9% - 5.6% 5.7% - 5.1% 5.3%

Population by Age0-4 7.2% 7.2% 7.3% 7.7% 7.6% 7.8% 8.1% 8.0% 8.1% 8.1% 8.0% 8.1%5-14 14.8% 14.8% 14.8% 16.2% 16.2% 16.2% 16.1% 16.1% 16.1% 16.4% 16.4% 16.4%15-19 6.7% 6.7% 6.2% 7.4% 7.3% 6.8% 7.4% 7.4% 6.9% 7.6% 7.6% 7.1%20-24 5.3% 5.3% 5.1% 5.4% 5.4% 5.2% 6.3% 6.3% 6.1% 6.3% 6.4% 6.1%25-34 14.3% 14.4% 14.8% 13.8% 13.9% 14.3% 14.7% 14.8% 15.1% 14.4% 14.5% 14.8%35-44 14.7% 14.7% 14.1% 15.2% 15.2% 14.6% 14.8% 14.7% 14.1% 14.7% 14.7% 14.1%45-54 15.2% 15.1% 13.8% 15.0% 14.8% 13.6% 14.2% 14.1% 12.9% 14.1% 14.0% 12.8%55-64 11.9% 12.0% 12.8% 10.8% 10.9% 11.7% 10.3% 10.4% 11.2% 10.2% 10.4% 11.1%65-74 5.8% 5.9% 7.1% 5.2% 5.4% 6.5% 5.0% 5.1% 6.3% 5.0% 5.1% 6.3%75-84 2.8% 2.7% 2.8% 2.4% 2.4% 2.4% 2.3% 2.3% 2.4% 2.3% 2.3% 2.4%85+ 1.1% 1.1% 1.2% 0.9% 0.9% 0.9% 0.8% 0.8% 0.9% 0.8% 0.8% 0.8%

Note: Mileage radius centered at Interstate 45 and Woodlands Parkway, site of The Woodlands Regional Mall.

Source: Data provided by ESRI Business Analyst. www.esri.com

3

4

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

50,000

55,000

60,000

65,000

70,000

75,000

80,000

85,000

90,000

95,000

100,000

105,000

110,000

115,000

120,000

125,000

Popu

latio

n

Year-End

The Woodlands - Population Growth (Includes Actual Data through December 2011)

116,650

100,670

5

0

2,500

5,000

7,500

10,000

12,500

15,000

17,500

20,000

22,500

25,000

27,500

30,000

32,500

35,000

37,500

40,000

42,500

45,000

47,500

50,000

52,500

55,000

57,500

60,000

62,500

65,000

67,500

Num

ber o

f Job

s

Year-End

The Woodlands - Job Growth (Includes Actual Data through December 2011)

62,300

49,960

HH HOMECum. Gain Cum. Gain Size Sales Cum. Gain Cum. Gain

1974 124 124 53 53 2.34 73 65 65 900 900 1975 744 620 242 189 3.07 219 60 (5) 915 15 1976 2,079 1,335 646 404 3.22 497 62 2 938 23 1977 4,011 1,932 1,267 621 3.17 571 91 29 1,349 411 1978 5,849 1,838 1,820 553 3.21 514 130 39 2,279 930 1979 7,800 1,951 2,532 712 3.08 568 162 32 2,936 657 1980 10,279 2,479 3,505 973 2.93 685 190 28 4,290 1,354 1981 13,541 3,262 4,824 1,319 2.81 860 231 41 4,977 687 1982 15,959 2,418 5,695 871 2.80 980 270 39 5,258 281 1983 17,947 1,988 6,471 776 2.77 719 275 5 5,450 192 1984 18,702 755 6,756 285 2.77 590 275 - 5,700 250 1985 20,327 1,625 7,303 547 2.78 473 266 (9) 6,199 499 1986 21,254 927 7,705 402 2.76 457 280 14 6,236 37 1987 22,887 1,633 8,321 616 2.75 499 314 34 6,542 306 1988 25,145 2,258 9,126 805 2.76 627 340 26 7,050 508 1989 27,416 2,271 9,888 762 2.77 772 380 40 7,550 500 1990 30,165 2,749 10,808 920 2.79 901 410 30 8,570 1,020 1991 32,713 2,548 11,676 868 2.80 914 466 56 10,016 1,446 1992 35,656 2,943 12,621 945 2.83 893 480 14 10,747 731 1993 38,277 2,621 13,707 1,086 2.79 810 472 (8) 11,500 753 1994 41,569 3,292 14,838 1,131 2.80 942 660 188 15,500 4,000 1995 44,517 2,948 15,907 1,069 2.80 988 718 58 16,500 1,000 1996 47,346 2,829 16,918 1,011 2.80 1,053 741 23 17,284 784 1997 50,789 3,443 18,073 1,155 2.81 1,155 787 46 18,524 1,240 1998 55,063 4,274 19,298 1,225 2.85 1,450 842 55 20,804 2,280 1999 59,138 4,075 20,458 1,160 2.89 1,381 896 54 22,629 1,825 2000 63,203 4,065 22,277 1,819 2.84 1,679 984 88 25,270 2,641 2001 67,054 3,851 24,186 1,909 2.77 1,601 1,030 46 26,686 1,416 2002 70,050 2,996 25,372 1,186 2.76 1,378 1,112 82 30,096 3,410 2003 74,358 4,308 27,017 1,645 2.75 1,426 1,140 28 31,500 1,404 2004 77,128 2,770 28,044 1,027 2.75 1,328 1,219 79 37,175 5,675 2005 80,659 3,531 29,252 1,208 2.76 1,515 1,310 91 39,541 2,366 2006 83,884 3,225 30,818 1,566 2.72 1,409 1,511 201 42,190 2,649 2007 86,401 2,517 32,135 1,317 2.69 767 1,551 40 43,200 1,010 2008 89,397 2,996 33,728 1,593 2.65 750 1,587 36 44,202 1,002 2009 92,348 2,951 34,960 1,232 2.64 633 1,650 63 45,380 1,178 2010 97,023 4,675 36,819 1,859 2.64 786 1,712 62 47,100 1,720 2011 100,670 3,647 38,028 1,209 2.65 945 1,755 43 49,960 2,860

2012 Est. 104,000 3,330 39,330 1,302 2.64 900 1,800 45 51,950 1,990 2013 Est. 107,400 3,400 40,670 1,340 2.64 925 1,860 60 54,550 2,600 2014 Est. 111,100 3,700 42,060 1,390 2.64 950 1,925 65 57,300 2,750 2015 Est. 114,450 3,350 43,340 1,280 2.64 940 1,995 70 59,800 2,500 2016 Est. 116,650 2,200 44,200 860 2.64 550 2,060 65 62,300 2,500

Note: All estimates are based upon current land use projections and are subject to change.

THE WOODLANDS

DATE

Historical Statistical DataPOPULATION HOUSEHOLDS EMPLOYERS JOBS

6

Appendix D

NOTES:1990 data taken from 1990 census2000 data taken from 2000 census2012 data taken from 2012 census bureau forecast2022 data determined using cubic polynomial curve-fitting for trend analysis (data points: 1990, 2000, 2007 census update & 2012 census forecast)

Total Population (By percentage increase relative to 1990)ZIPS 1990 2000 2012 2022 1990 2000 2012 2022

77354 7994 16719 37538 50349 100.00% 209.14% 469.58% 629.83%77375 11454 18006 38211 48362 100.00% 157.20% 333.60% 422.23%77380 16502 19320 24149 27785 100.00% 117.08% 146.34% 168.37%77381 19718 35862 48410 56994 100.00% 181.87% 245.51% 289.05%77382 252 13523 32176 42832 100.00% 5366.27% 12768.25% 16996.83%77384 1575 4293 11391 15605 100.00% 272.57% 723.24% 990.79%77385 7343 10004 19039 24570 100.00% 136.24% 259.28% 334.60%77389 8478 13219 20769 24372 100.00% 155.92% 244.98% 287.47%

Sample Montgomery County Census Data Analysis

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

1990 2000 2012 2022

Indi

vidu

als

Years

Chart 1: Total Population

77354 77375 77380 77381 77382 77384 77385 77389

Appendix E

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School Enrollment Committee

SAOPCS Waiting List for 2009 - 2010

• Out of the 81 students left on the 2009 – 2010 waiting list 4 students applied for the 2010 – 2011 school year.

Grade Sibling Parishioner Catholic School

Transfer

Non-

Parishioner

Non-

Catholic

Placed Offered but

Opening was

Declined

Total Students

on

Waiting List as of

January 31, 2010

PK3 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

PK4 0 1

0 0 0 0 1 0

K 1 7

4 6 9 2 0 25

1st 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 6

2nd

2 4 3 6 1 3 3 10

3rd 1 5

5 2 1 2 1 11

4th 4 1

4 4 1 2 1 11

5th 1 3

4 2 1 2 0 9

6th 0 1

1 8 0 1 0 9

7th 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

8th 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

Total 10 25 23 29 14 13 7 81


• Out of the 39 students left on the 2010 – 2011 waiting list 2 students applied for the 2011 – 2012 school year.

Grade

Sibling Parishioner Catholic School

Transfer

Non-

Parishioner

Non-

Catholic

Placed Offered but

Opening was

Declined

Total Students

on

Waiting List as of

January 31, 2011

PK3 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

PK4 0

0 0 0 1 0 0 1

K 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1st 3

1 4 1 3 0 0 12

2nd

1 3 5 1 2 3 4 5

3rd 0

1 5 1 0 2 5 0

4th 4

4 6 0 3 5 4 8

5th 0

5 2 2 3 4 0 8

6th 0

6 2 1 0 1 3 5

7th 1

0 3 2 0 1 5 0

8th 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total 9

20 27 8 12 16 21 39


Grade Sibling Parishioner Catholic School

Transfer

Non-

Parishioner

Non-

Catholic

Placed Offered but

Opening was

Declined

Total Students

on

Waiting List as of

October 14, 2011

PK3 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

PK4 0

2 1 7 0 1 9 0

K 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1st 0

1 4 6 1 2 10 0

2nd

4 1 3 5 0 1 0 12

3rd 0

2 3 2 1 3 5 0

4th 0

0 3 1 0 0 0 4

5th 2

2 1 7 1 2 0 11

6th 0

2 2 7 0 1 10 0

7th 0

0 4 10 0 4 1 9

8th 0

0 1 4 0 0 0 5

Total 6

10 22 49 3 14 35 41

New Student Registration 2012-2013

Spaces Applications Applications Screenings Waiting Par. On Current

Available Given Out Turned In Set List

Waiting List Openings

PreK3 19 16 5 5 0 0 15 PreK4 15 11 6 6 0 0 13

K 2 31 17 4 13 7 0 1 1 17 9 1 8 4 0 2 2 7 4 2 2 1 0 3 1 10 5 1 4 2 0 4 2 10 4 2 2 1 0 5 3 9 2 2 0 0 1 6 1 7 3 1 2 1 0 7 3 4 4 3 1 1 0 8 0 0 0 0 3 1 0

Par. = Parishioners ( Most of the parishioners on the waiting list are recent registrations - late 2011 or 2012)

Appendix F

Parish families enrolled in schools other than SAOPCS

1. What are the current grade level(s) of your children? (Please select all that apply.) 3 Year-Old Classroom 4.2% 4

4 Year-Old Classroom 9.4% 9

5 Year-Old Transition Classroom 2.1% 2

Kindergarten 16.7% 16

1st Grade 15.6% 15

2nd Grade 43.8% 42

3rd Grade 22.9% 22

4th Grade 15.6% 15

5th Grade 21.9% 21

6th Grade 13.5% 13

7th Grade 6.3% 6

8th Grade 9.4% 9

9th Grade 6.3% 6

10th Grade 8.3% 8

11th Grade 2.1% 2

12th Grade 3.1% 3

College 3.1% 3

2. What types of schools has your family considered? (Please select all that apply.) St. Anthony of Padua

46.4% 45

Other Catholic schools

9.3% 9

Private, non-Catholic schools(tuition-based)

20.6% 20

Public schools

91.8% 89

Homeschool

4.1% 4

3. If your children are not currently enrolled at St. Anthony, what are the primary reasons? (Please

check all that apply.) Prefer another private school

5.3% 5

Our public school is of equally high quality as area private schools

67.0% 63

Do not believe we can afford the cost

53.2% 50

Inconvenient location

2.1% 2

Academic programs may not be competitive

21.3% 20

Lack of transportation

6.4% 6

Extracurricular programs may not be as competitive as other schools

18.1% 17

No openings available for my child

12.8% 12

Prefer a full-day pre-K program

4.3% 4

No Catholic High School nearby until 2013

8.5% 8

Unaware that the school offers before and after school care

2.1% 2

I do not have enough information

4.3% 4

Other (please specify)

3. If your children are not currently enrolled at St. Anthony, what are the primary reasons? (Please check all that apply.)

Child needs special education

The class sizes are too large. They are larger even than our local public school. We were also concerned about what appeared to be a somewhat over-disciplinary environment, especially for younger children.

We left St. Anthony because of their inability to make modifications for my child with dyslexia

My son is in special education and St.Anthony doesn't meet the needs of kids who fall below grade level

too many wealthy families and class size too big at St Anthony's

I feel that kids get a better education @ the public schools here in The Woodlands.

any private schools in The Woodlands will tend to be elitist schools by nature of the community

Public schools seem to be more aware of the individual needs and learning styles of children, and offer differentiated instruction in every classroom

i have had reservation about applying for the school due to previous parents who were not satified with the program, im concerned that my children may not get excepted due to minor reasons and the amount of money.

During our move to The Woodlands, we were not aware that the new area we purchased our new home in was not CISD and because we were not sure, we decided to place our daughter in a nearby private school.

4. Are you aware that St. Anthony has a tuition assistance program? Yes

52.6% 51

No

47.4% 46

5. Would financial assistance make it more viable for you to enroll your children (current tuition is $5950 per child)?

Yes 39.4% 37

No 60.6% 57

6. If yes, how much financial assistance would you need?

A little assistance 9.3% 5

Half the cost of tuition 25.9% 14

Most of the cost of tuition 9.3% 5

All of the cost of tuition 18.5% 10

Unsure 37.0% 20

7. Please rank the following school elements by priority for your family.

Very Important Important Somewhat

Important Not

Important N/A Rating Average

Response Count

Core academic program 94.8% (92) 4.1% (4) 1.0% (1) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 1.06 97

Class size 50.0% (48)

40.6% (39) 7.3% (7) 2.1% (2) 0.0% (0) 1.61 96

Cost of attendance 54.3% (51)

22.3% (21)

21.3% (20) 2.1% (2) 0.0% (0) 1.71 94

The school's ability to address academically challenged or special needs students

28.4% (27)

17.9% (17)

20.0% (19)

23.2% (22)

10.5% (10) 2.42 95

The school’s ability to address the needs of gifted students

46.2% (43)

33.3% (31)

14.0% (13) 2.2% (2) 4.3% (4) 1.71 93

Extra-curricular activities and clubs

37.1% (36)

39.2% (38)

19.6% (19) 3.1% (3) 1.0% (1) 1.89 97

Fine Arts (music/art/drama) programs

39.4% (37)

33.0% (31)

26.6% (25) 1.1% (1) 0.0% (0) 1.89 94

Quality of teaching staff 95.9% (93) 4.1% (4) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 1.04 97

Safety of the environment 81.3% (78)

16.7% (16) 2.1% (2) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 1.21 96

School facilities 42.1% (40)

42.1% (40)

15.8% (15) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 1.74 95

Sports programs 25.3% (24)

43.2% (41)

25.3% (24) 5.3% (5) 1.1% (1) 2.11 95

Teacher – student ratio 59.4% (57)

35.4% (34) 4.2% (4) 1.0% (1) 0.0% (0) 1.47 96


Culture of the school, reputation of schools academics with top rated colleges

moral and religious education MOST IMPORTANT

8. When choosing a school for your children, how important are/were these factors in your decision?

Very Important Important Somewhat

Important Not

Important N/A Rating Average

Response Count

Academic excellence 88.5% (85) 11.5% (11) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 1.11 96

Athletics 10.4% (10) 35.4% (34)

32.3% (31) 16.7% (16) 5.2% (5) 2.58 96

Dance/Drill Team 1.1% (1) 9.7% (9) 23.7% (22) 49.5% (46) 16.1% (15) 3.45 93

Qualification and competence of teachers 90.7% (88) 8.2% (8) 1.0% (1) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 1.10 97

Character development 71.6% (68) 24.2% (23) 3.2% (3) 1.1% (1) 0.0% (0) 1.34 95

Safe and secure environment 78.4% (76) 20.6%

(20) 1.0% (1) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 1.23 97

Christian service 36.6% (34) 31.2% (29)

21.5% (20) 6.5% (6) 4.3% (4) 1.98 93

Learn and actively live the Catholic faith 36.2% (34) 28.7%

(27) 22.3% (21) 7.4% (7) 5.3% (5) 2.01 94

Strong parental involvement 46.4% (45) 41.2%

(40) 11.3% (11) 1.0% (1) 0.0% (0) 1.67 97

Discipline 46.9% (45) 43.8% (42) 9.4% (9) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 1.63 96

Leadership skills 64.9% (61) 30.9% 4.3% (4) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 1.39 94

Commitment to the environment

Teachers who are willing and able to teach to a variety of levels and learning styles

make sure all children are treated fairly - not based on family influence.

Religious education is most important - having the ability to express faith at all times is first and foremost.

Varied programs to address the needs of different interest

development (29)

Class size 51.6% (49) 35.8% (34)

11.6% (11) 1.1% (1) 0.0% (0) 1.62 95

Cost/affordability 52.6% (50) 31.6% (30)

12.6% (12) 3.2% (3) 0.0% (0) 1.66 95

Quality of facilities 42.7% (41) 42.7% (41)

13.5% (13) 1.0% (1) 0.0% (0) 1.73 96

Location/convenience 35.4% (34) 41.7% (40)

21.9% (21) 1.0% (1) 0.0% (0) 1.89 96

State-of-the-art technology 37.1% (36) 43.3%

(42) 18.6% (18) 1.0% (1) 0.0% (0) 1.84 97

Extracurricular activities and sports 26.0% (25) 37.5%

(36) 31.3% (30) 3.1% (3) 2.1% (2) 2.12 96

Fine arts programs (music, drama, visual arts)

25.5% (24) 43.6% (41)

27.7% (26) 3.2% (3) 0.0% (0) 2.09 94

Program and resources for gifted and talented students

37.6% (35) 39.8% (37)

18.3% (17) 3.2% (3) 1.1% (1) 1.87 93

Program and resources for academically challenged and special needs students

21.1% (20) 23.2% (22)

21.1% (20) 25.3% (24) 9.5% (9) 2.56 95

St. Anthony's school has a reputation in the community of not being as academically challenging as I would like.

I would have preferred a Catholic Education for my children but since there was no room at St. Anthony's for them when we first moved here I am unwillingly to have them change schools again.

State of the art technology is important, but also children need to have 'hands on' knowledge and not just let a computer do this for them i.e. learning how to write both printing and cursive.

9. If St. Anthony expands its school, how likely are you to enroll your children?

Definitely would enroll 0.0% 0

Likely would enroll 8.4% 8

Would consider enrolling 22.1% 21

Uncertain about enrolling 44.2% 42

Definitely would not enroll 25.3% 24

Comments

we'd need reassurance that the acedemics are at par with public schools. Also, it would depend on tuition and we don't know what would require us to be qualified for tuition assistance.

Public schools are great here and I am not catholic though my husband and children are. They get enough indoctrination at church and religion classes for me and there's no way St. Anthony can compete academically with the other schools around here at least not before my kids are in college. Our kids did go to catholic school in another state where the public schools struggled but that's certainly not the case here.

To date, St. Anthony's academic standards have been lacking so there would need to be a change in the administration and school focus with a proven track record of improvement prior to consideration.

I as a parishioner think that if there is a Capital Campaign from all of us to pay for school instalations DEBT, can't imagine in expanding the school. I think more money should be used in the Catholic faith formation programs for all the families, with teachers, well trained not volunteers (I don't have nothing against volunteers, but I think that the catholic education for our kids and teens should be the most importat project of St Anthony's, our kids can be teached english, math, etc in any school, but Faith Formation they should lern it in their church, with the best quality and resources the parshioners can support.

We are very fortunate to have excellent public schools in The Woodlands.

Depends on whether class sizes are reduced.

Do not beleive the school needs to expand if it needs to request more funding from the parrishoniers. Should raise the tuition. Property taxes here are high, and fund the public schools. For us we pay taxes, and another $20 for private school. SAOP over spent on the last building in my opinion. St. Ignatious bought property and built an entire new church for less than it cost us to build a new wing and parking lot on property we already owned!

Considering the parish has no room for a nursery or meeting rooms for moms with young children how can the expansion of the school be a consideration? Also it is unfortunate the parish continues to provide programs like Little Saints when...1) it is not a very good preschool program 2) it offers duplicate services


(PreK classes & school offers the same?)

I'm happy with the public school system

It would depend on the cost of the school. We have 4 children - and the tuition for all 4 children to attend is prohibitive. The 5% discount is no help and quite disappointing.

I would love to enroll my 2 boys if I could afford it

We would enroll my son today if St.Anthony would address his low reading levels.

Don't expand unless the program becomes more rigorous and the administration holds everyone to morally and academically high standards.

Cost

We are paying off debt incurred from the building of our present facilities, and we are considering enlarging what we have----Is this a joke, that takes a lot of gall! I would not support such an endeavor! If fact I would be strongly opposed to it. Hit up the families of the school attendees before going to the entire parish. If they are interested let them foot the bill for a bigger more elite school. I want my money to go to aid the social injustice and humanitarian endeavors of the our church.

We had our children enrolled and we took them out and put them into our local public school. We found that there was no differentiated instruction, the teachers taught to one level of student and weren't willing or able to adjust their lessons to kids who were above that level, or below. We also wanted a gifted program and needed speech services. We also found the infraction system much too rigid and stifling. One system does not work for every child, there needs to be some flexibility for children with different needs.

It is not affordable at almost $6000 per student

When we moved to the Woodlands I would have sent my children to St. Anthony's. Unfortunately you did not have room for them. Now, after experienced David Elementary I am extremely satisfied with the quality of their education and would not be willing to move them again.

We'd love to enroll - we just moved to the area and are saving up for down payment on a new home. We had double expenses while transitioning until we sold our old home. Once we are financially settled and have a reliable budget, we plan on applying. I love the church and school very much - our children were enrolled in a Catholic school in Louisiana, and we miss the presence of religion in the classroom and times when we as parents cannot be there with them. In fact, one of the factors of our current location was the proximity to the church and school.

Child previously attended SAOP but uncertain High School choice, quality of public schools and desire for extracurricular activities not offered by SAOP were significant factors in leaving.


Raising our children in the catholic faith is extremely important to our family, however your tuition is so high it is out of the realm of possibility for us. Very unfortunate! We are fortunate to live in a school district with excellent public schools.

10. For demographic purposes only, please provide your residential zip code:

77354 5.2% 5

77380 0.0% 0

77381 27.8% 27

77382 53.6% 52

77384 4.1% 4

77385 0.0% 0

77389 5.2% 5


77302

77386

77375

77386

Appendix G

2011 School Survey Results 1. Which criteria are most important to you when considering whether our school should be expanded? (Please rank in order of importance.) answered question 77 skipped question 1

Extremely important

Important, but not a priority

Not important N/A Rating

Average Response

Count

Meeting the demand – a Catholic education should be available to all families who desire it

57.3% (43) 34.7% (26) 6.7% (5) 1.3%

(1) 1.49 75

Minimizing disruption to students during an expansion

69.7% (53) 22.4% (17) 7.9% (6) 0.0%

(0) 1.38 76

Keeping the school at a reasonable size 62.7% (47) 28.0% (21) 9.3% (7) 0.0%

(0) 1.47 75

Increasing options for electives, extracurricular activities, auxiliary classes, and multipurpose space

43.4% (33) 50.0% (38) 6.6% (5) 0.0%

(0) 1.63 76

Cost 65.8% (48) 28.8% (21) 5.5% (4) 0.0%

(0) 1.40 73


Separate space for middle school only is needed in order to give these older students proper growth experiences before entering high school.

Keeping the school at a manageable size so that the quality of both the education and the Catholic school experience are not only maintained but continually improving.

Better Sports programs such as 11 man football

we need to expand our middle school or add an auditorium

Electives are already too much a priority in Middle School, taking too much emphasis off of academic goals. Electives in Elementary grades are fine.

A Catholic education should be available to meet the demand.

class size

How big is the current debt

I think continually improving existing offerings is equally important.

I am afraid the tuition cost will increase

The importance of keeping our middle school separate from elementary

2. What do you consider a reasonable per child annual tuition? answered question 74 skipped question 4

Response Percent

Less than the current tuition of $5,950 per child 25.7% 19

The current tuition is reasonable 55.4% 41

A tuition higher than $5950 would still be reasonable 18.9% 14

Comments Need to find ways to lower tuition to help families attend St Anthony. Keep up the great work on our Auction Gala! Both a great fundraiser and great fun.

I know there is a shortfall. At times I wish we could just pay that and opt out of all the campaigns. We have gotten hit with 3 capital campaigns this year (Frassati, Capital and Gala).

I would willing pay more as long as the education continues to excel (including recruiting and retaining exceptional teachers) and activities/opportunities for the children are offered.

Any more than about $500 a month would be too much.

I am thankful to the grants provided, but if a lower cost was applicable then that money could go somewhere else! It gets rough when you have multiple children in catholic school!!!

I think that most people understand that tuition costs eventually rise. However, I would consider how much money was raised in during the year. If families have contributed significantly then a rise in tuition may not be well received. On the other hand, if you raise tuition then everyone is paying, not just those that participate in the fundraising events.

A higher tuition is acceptable if the academic level of the school is higher, and more qualified teachers are hired.

Costs go up everywhere. St. Anthony's is no exception.

Would not want to see tuition increase due to expansion. Raising tuition puts it out of reach for more and more families.

We look at it as a total amt of the family budget. That said, a higher 1st child tuition is more acceptable to us with a graduated discount schedule per child. This also accommodates a true openness to life - as per Catholic

teaching.

Providing a higher discount for multiple children would make it more affordable for a lot of families.

The school should not be so dependent on the Auction Gala for operating expenses. A small increase in tuition across the board would not effect the parents' budgets dramatically but would dramatically close an irresponsible gap in the school's budget.

There should be a deeper discount for siblings. The Catholic Church is pro-life. St. Anthony's sibling discount is anti-family.

3. What do you consider a reasonable goal for the size of our school? answered question 73 skipped question 5

Response Percent

Response Count

Add an additional (third) class to each grade level

65.8% 48

Add two additional classes to each grade level

11.0% 8

Maintain the current two classes per grade level

27.4% 20

Comments

Bigger is definitely better. More opportunities.

Middle School should have it's own building

Adding a 4th class to each grade and keeping the individual class sizes as they are (~24 students) would begin to diminish the "family" and personal aspect about the school that I love. A 3rd class per grade seems reasonable to be able to justify and pay for the extra auxiliary classes, electives, technology upkeep, etc.

One of the most appealing aspects of SAOPCS is its small size.

Keeping current class size is more important.....

Smaller classes and lower cost. Add a third class and make class size smaller is ideal for me- teacher student ratio is smaller and more time for learning (like more time with problems if need)

3. What do you consider a reasonable goal for the size of our school? Truthfully, I think you could increase to three classes in some of the grades but it may not be necessary to do it for all grades. Living in The Woodlands, we have wonderful public schools. In addition to our children receiving a Catholic education, the appeal of a smaller school is our next criteria. Behavior management is much easier with the smaller class size. Going from a school with 170 4th graders to 48 5th graders was a welcome blessing. Proceed with caution in growing too large or you may lose out to the public schools.

A higher number of students would be acceptable if the current level of personal attention and nurturing toward the students can be maintained. A strength of the school is the ability of the staff to be familiar with all students and families; larger schools can have less of a personal approach resulting in a more "assembly line" mentality toward education.

Due to the departmentalizing it is better to add in twos.

Adding to the student body will help with social issues. I would support 3 or 4 classes per grade level.

Have a class with accelerated learning for students that are above average

(comments, continued)

May need to add one class at a time over the next couple years rather than adding two classes to each grade at once

A very large school would make SAOPCS a less attractive option.

This is hard bc we want all true Catholics to have access to a authentic Catholic education but also want to have a sense of community.

Whatever is needed to meet expected demand

Three classes per grade level will create a very complex daily schedule and may negatively impact middle school elective scheduling and availability. Adding 2 additional classes per grade level will make the school too large.

4. Are you in favor of a future expansion of SAOPCS? answered question 77 skipped question 1

Response Percent

Response Count

Strongly favor

29.9% 23

Somewhat favor

29.9% 23

Neutral

19.5% 15

Somewhat opposed

14.3% 11

Strongly opposed

7.8% 6

Comments

Again, bigger definitely better in so many ways. Academics and Athletics and Arts . . . .

I'd like to see the research that has been done to predict demand.

Add 9, 10, 11 & 12 grade so all will be in one place instead of leaving after 8th. grade.

I would not favor an expansion until academic and financial issues have been addressed. Many parents, myself included, don't feel the school is a good steward of OUR money. It seems as though more and more money is being spent hiring administration when what our children need is more help in the classrooms--aids, parent volunteers, teaching modifications.

How many applicants are turned away because of current setup? If we are turning away 15-20 applicants per grade or we anticipate future demand, then I strongly favor expansion.

Again, I think an expansion can reap great rewards as you pool resource to provide more offerings to make tuition increases, etc justifiable vs. the public school offerings in the area.

We somewhat favor an expansion ONLY if it also means more space availability for the church's EDGE and LIFETEEN youth groups. Our priority would be Youth Group space expansion first, school expansion second as our youth group is truly spreading the love of Christ to the youth and building them up for His glory not breaking them down as is often the case within our school. We wish we felt differently. Having separate middle school space would be the priority regarding any school expansion so that these older students could be treated in a more appropriate, mature manner.

4. Are you in favor of a future expansion of SAOPCS? There should be no discussion about expansion of the school until the Parish debt is gone or, at the very least, well under control. According to the last weekly bulletin, we currently have $6M in debt. Expansion at this time would only add to the debt (unless tuition is raised substantially). And, having just conducted a capital campaign earlier this year where parishioners were repeatedly told we would not take on or even consider capital projects like this unless and until the debt was gone will lead to questions as to whether those making these statements (and especially Father Tom) were being truthful.

We have out grown our facilty and truly need to create a more deliberate focus for the elementary and middle school students

If the need is there....yes

I think it would be a great idea just the fact if we expand then cost would rise and I personally don't know if we could say with 3 children in full day

I would rather see salaries for administration and teachers increase. I'd rather see training and workshops and advancement for teachers. The school is a great size and with technology advancing so quickly, there are a lot of things to expand that don't include buildings and adding classes. Whatever is decided, SAOPCS and the people of the school are a wonderful blessing.

Again, in favor if current personal treatment toward each student can be maintained, and if the current academic entrance requirements are not relaxed in order to fill classrooms.

Got to grow!

We need to address the needs of our current students first including preparing them for high school. Until this past year the middle school staff has had a lot of turnover, we need to make sure the staff is stable before we try to add more classes and more staff.

How are you going to expand the building? How much is it going to cost? Is the parish community behind this expansion? Is there a need to expand, are the waiting lists that long?

Absolutely should expand according to demand. The financial burden of the expansion, however, should be the diocese responsibility. Current families have already shouldered upstart pains of the existing campus and now a new high school.

Often times, part of the appeal is the exclusivity. If it is hard to get in, it is desirable. However, if you have to lower standards to fill slots to meet the budget, quality decreases and slowly the whole project fails. It is a fine balancing act in any business...meeting demand while maintaining quality and not exceeding production so that you lose money. I would want to know just what the demand really is. How long is the waiting list? Also, if Fr. Domac retires at SSJ, would the new pastor build a school with their fund and therefore decrease demand at STAOP?

I say neutral bc I really feel like any family in our community that wants a true Catholic education deserves

4. Are you in favor of a future expansion of SAOPCS? one. What I don't want is expansion for those just looking to "camp out" at any private school.

A benefit of a larger elementary is that it would provide more capacity as a feeder school to Frassatti.

I support a gradual expansion which would be carefully managed.

Documents

St. Anthony of Padua School Expansion Feasibility Study