Pastor’s Letter from our School Headmaster, Tommy Curtin

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On the occasion of the start of Catholic Schools Week, it is my privilege to share the state of our parish school.

OLR’s current enrollment is 271 students, which includes 62 in our Upper School.  For context, we started last year with 208 students, and had only 136 in total the year before that.  This is historic, rapid growth and one of the reasons Fr. Longenecker decided to add the new 8:00 am Sunday Mass.  With the school’s limited facilities, we are fast approaching maximum enrollment, not just for individual grades but for the entire school.  This increase in student numbers has been accompanied by growth in OLR’s educational and extracurricular programs, which require space and staffing to flourish.

Given this new reality, we have engaged Hord Architects of Memphis to conduct a master planning exercise for our campus.  Hord will provide professional guidance and drawings to allow the parish community to visualize the future.  Many pieces need to fall into place, but it is entirely possible OLR will welcome a brand-new school building and additional parish spaces within the next 3-5 years.

Many schools experiencing growth find their Catholic culture diluted in the process.  The exact opposite is taking place at OLR.  Fully 95% of our students are now Catholic and 100% of our staff.  We celebrate this, not because we are exclusive, but because we see the importance of building a thoroughly Catholic environment to support the work of parents raising children within the Faith.

I am so thankful for the unwavering commitment of the parish to our Catholic, classical school.  The reverence and vitality of the church’s liturgies and the welcoming spirit of the community make it easy for me to help prospective school families see the value of joining us, whether that means a move across the country or just across town.

Please keep us in your prayers, that we remain grateful for Our Lord’s many blessings and faithful to His plan for every student we serve.

Tommy Curtin

Headmaster