More News

Two Montgomery County private schools, The Avalon and Brookewood schools have joined the Archdiocese of Washington as independent Catholic institutions, becoming the first to do so in almost a quarter-century.

Archbishop Donald Wuerl finalized the nearly two-year approval process last week for the schools, both of which are operated by the Avalon Education Group, Inc., a Gaithersburg-based company that runs four educational institutions in Maryland and West Virginia.

"We've always considered ourselves to be Catholic, but now we can say we are Catholic schools," said Richard McPherson, president of the company.

McPherson said when the Avalon and Brookewood schools were founded in 2003 and 2007, respectively the group hoped both would be recognized by the Catholic Church.

Although the title does not provide the school group with financial support, it approves its program of study as standing in compliance with catholic teachings, McPherson said. The schools will remain independent Catholic institutions, meaning they are responsible for their own governance and operation.

Representatives of the archdioceses said the schools do not pay to join the church, but do pay a roughly $20 per student annual fee for marketing efforts.

The cost is not expected to affect tuition at either school, McPherson said.

McPherson said the schools had to make some changes to join the church, the most significant of which was making religion a mandatory part of their curriculum.

"Previously, we did not make our nonCatholic students take religion classes," he said. "But, that will have to change."

John McCarthy, a Catholic parent of three students in Avalon Education Group schools, said he is pleased with the recognition, but worries it might affect nonCatholic students.

"It's very pleasing for us...but I don't know what it will mean for those students," he said. "I hope they won't be distressed by it."

Susan Gibbs, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese, said the process of joining the church is not common, although the Washington Jesuit Academy and the San Miguel School in Washington D.C. — both independent schools — were approved in 2001 and 2002, respectively.

"We don't get too many people applying, actually," she said. "The process takes some time."

Approval, Gibbs said, requires schools undergo a rigorous review process of their academic policies and religious education. The group had to submit a proposal detailing how they would meet archdiocesan standards by next school year.

Gibbs said the Archdioceses of Washington — which maintains 96 schools in the district and surrounding Maryland counties — has had seven Catholic schools leave and become charter schools in the past two years. Additionally, 14 Catholic schools in Maryland, Virginia and the district have been consolidated since 2007.

Avalon School was founded in 2003 and serves 161 boys in grades two through 12, and is located in Gaithersburg. Brookewood, founded in 2006, serves 114 girls in grades one through 12, and is located in Kensington.

The last independent Catholic school established in the county was Mother of God School in Gaithersburg, in 1987.

Both institutions officially will be ordained as Catholic schools July 1.