Keeping high school students on track to graduate can be difficult in some school districts. But there are many individual schools maintaining high graduation rates. WBFO's Focus on Education reporter Eileen Buckley met with the principal of Cardinal O'Hara High School in Tonawanda to learn about the school's success.
“We have a 100% graduation from this school, I am very proud to say,” said Mary Holzerland, Principal of Cardinal O’Hara. She has been serving as Principal at O'Hara for the last six years, but spend 37 years in public education before she accepted the position at the private school.
There is a diverse group of 258 students at the coed high school.
“I think that we have the support of the parents. They value education. They obviously value it because they are willing to pay to have their students be here, for the most part, and that’s huge, having that home support is huge,” explained Holzerland.
In Western New York the Catholic high school graduation rate is 99%, with 98% of those students going on to college. That puts O’Hara right at the top.
“One-hundred percent of our students to two and four year colleges. Last year we had two students who actually went into the military. One into the Marines and one at the Air Force, everyone else was headed off to two and four year colleges,” said Holzerland.
The school incorporates the best of Common Core practices in teachings, but teachers and students are embracing their curriculum.
“Teachers here are very willing. They’re very willing to learn and grow and apply those practices in the classroom,” replied Holzerland.
But Holzerland said some of her students do experience some teenage struggles at home.
“I think the find that at home, sometimes it very difficult, but they find when they are here, they are safe, so they never want to go home. They’re still here at night. They’re still playing in the gym, they’re sitting outside my office on the floor, and they’re doing homework. The struggles – yes – there’s sometimes, not always that support, or even that guidance at home, but they find it here, I think with the teachers. The dedication of the folks, their day ends and it’s 5 o’clock and they’re still working with kids in their classrooms,” responded Holzerland.
At more than $8,000 a year, tuition at O'Hara isn't cheap. However, the school does provide scholarships and tuition assistance. It also has parent and family work programs.
“It’s very difficult for some parents. It’s a struggle, but I tell you they’re so dedicated to Catholic education that they’re willing to come in, they work, we call them ‘Franciscan Hours’ where they can do things in our building, they can help get some of that tuition alleviated,” noted Holzerland.
