De Marillac Middle School
Becomes De Marillac Academy

De Marillac Middle School is now De Marillac Academy. To its sixth, seventh, and eighth grade classes, the school has now added a fourth-grade class; and a fifth grade will be added in the fall of 2007. This will increase the size of the school’s student body to serve approximately 85 students in 2006-07 and 100 students in 2007-08. “After five years serving middle school students, we have come to understand that our students require additional time and attention to fully develop the basic skills essential for their growth. Despite our proven success as a middle school, we want to bolster the education of our students at an earlier age to enhance their talents and better support their emotional and social development. With an expanded five-year program, we can further cultivate our students’ internal desire to flourish academically and ultimately serve more students in a neighborhood that desperately needs schools for all children,” said De Marillac President Catherine Ronan Karrels.

Principal John Omernik
and President Catherine Ronan Karrels
with two members of
the new fourth grade class.

Founded in 2001 by the Daughters of Charity and the De La Salle Christian Brothers, De Marillac Academy provides an innovative, comprehensive, and accessible Catholic education in the Vincentian and Lasallian traditions for children from underserved families of the Tenderloin and other at-risk communities in San Francisco. De Marillac is open to students of all faiths and cultural backgrounds. Unlike any other private school in San Francisco, De Marillac offers a tuition-free, high-quality education to children from low-income and underserved households in the Tenderloin neighborhood, where 41 percent of the estimated 3,500 school-age children live in poverty.

De Marillac Academy is non-tuition driven, with funding provided by contributions from foundations, individuals, and the Daughters of Charity and the De La Salle Christian Brothers. De Marillac is actively seeking additional organizations and individuals to invest in its mission and expansion, for every student attends De Marillac on a full annual scholarship of $15,000. This scholarship covers all costs associated with the year-round program, including the extended school day (9.25 hours daily), extensive counseling program, and small class size. Families pay a monthly activity fee of $35 to $75 per month, based on their income.

A De Marillac education emphasizes reading, written and oral communication, math, science, social studies, and religion. Students typically enter De Marillac below grade level, but the school bridges educational deficits with an intensive educational curriculum designed to prepare graduates to compete successfully in demanding high school environments. Additionally, De Marillac partners with Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory and Catholic Youth Organization to provide a mandatory summer school and summer camp program. The California Pacific Medical Center and the University of San Francisco also support De Marillac’s counseling and health and wellness programs.

A member of the NativityMiguel network of schools, De Marillac Academy operates as one of 60 schools across the nation known as a “Miguel” or “Nativity” school. Some of the hallmarks of the school are: 1) it is intentionally small, providing high-quality education to children from underserved families; 2) the curriculum focuses on the development of basic skills, especially in language arts and math; 3) extended days and small classes allow for one-on-one attention and focus on individual need; 4) on-going support is provided to graduates with the goal of assisting students to succeed in high school and beyond; and 5) outreach is offered to the families in the educational community. Students are selected for enrollment based on a variety of factors including financial need, previous academic performance, demonstration of personal motivation, neighborhood of residence, and the family’s commitment to the school philosophy and program.

“The expansion of De Marillac Academy to fourth grade offers tremendous opportunities for Tenderloin students and the community at large. A comprehensive fourth through eighth grade program will address students’ academic, spiritual and social needs to best prepare them for success in high school and beyond,” said Karrels.

For more information about De Marillac Academy’s expansion, please contact President Catherine Ronan Karrels at (415) 552-5220 x11 or catherine_karrels@demarillac.org.