FAQs

Tuition assistance is available to qualified families. The process for determining tuition assistance is fair and confidential. Over 90% of our families receive tuition assistance. Even before tuition assistance, SVDPs tuition is the lowest in all Oregon Catholic Schools.
Community support allows us to set tuition at a level less than the actual cost of a St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School education. This support also allows us to offer families over $350,000 in assistance with tuition annually. Nearly 90% of SVDP families receive some assistance towards tuition costs. A limited amount of tuition assistance is available to families that qualify. SVDP's process for determining needs is fair and confidential. Requests are made by completion of a FACTS Grant Application.

Complete a FACTS Grant Application for Tuition Assistance

Families seeking tuition assistance for the 2023-2024 school year must:

• Complete the FACTS Tuition Assistance Application and submit it to FACTS (including the $40 fee)
• Complete the online re-enrollment packet (for current SVDP students) - OR - the online application process (for students who will be new to SVDP in 2023-2024)
• Be current on tuition payments for the current school year or have made arrangements for a payment plan to get current with Mrs. Laura Huazo or Mr. Rich Hernandez.

Families that have not registered their children for the 2023-2024 school year and completed the FACTS application will not be eligible for consideration for tuition assistance until both of these steps are completed.

Families that are able to follow these guidelines will be eligible for consideration in our first round of tuition assistance. Families that are not able to meet all of these guidelines may still receive tuition assistance. Still, the amount of funds available after the first round is completed will greatly diminish.

Questions? Contact Mrs. Laura Huazo or Mr. Rich Hernandez at (503) 363-1516.

As a Catholic School, we partner with families to impart truth, cultivate character, and inspire service while preparing students to think multiculturally, communicate effectively in two languages, and impact the world with the love of Christ.

But what if your family or child isn’t Catholic? You don’t need to be Catholic to attend SVDP. For prospective non-Catholic families seeking the most ideal and comprehensive school experience for their children, here is what you need to know about attending SVDP.

A common misconception regarding Catholic schools is that to get the most out of the experience, you must be Catholic. In fact, according to the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), 20% of Catholic school students are not Catholic.

The benefits of SVDP Catholic School go far beyond academics and into the realm of character development. At SVDP, there is an Increased exposure to virtues and an affordable dual language immersion curriculum. Our campus setting is facilitated by educators that support students academically, morally, and emotionally.  SVDP differentiates from its counterparts, which ultimately leads families of other faiths, or no faith, to choose SVDP Catholic School for their child.

Exposure to Morality and Character Education

Faith is a key component to sustained student success, inside and outside the classroom. While faith tends to have religious connotations, faith can refer to faith in oneself or simply a form of mindfulness. According to a Harvard report, children who are raised with faith are happier and healthier, with lower rates of depression and drug and alcohol abuse.

All students attending SVDP Catholic School will be exposed to Christian values such as morality and integrity through required religious courses and immersed in the ideals of faith every school day. A complete curriculum will go beyond academics and foster moral and emotional growth. A Catholic school will challenge your child’s mind, but at SVDP Catholic school, we’ll nurture their spirit as well.

Extensive Dual Language Curriculum

Non-Catholic families that send their children to credible Catholic schools understand the long-term benefits of exposing their children to a robust curriculum. At SVDP Catholic school, we amply prepare students for a 4-year high school experience and life after academics. We challenge them to become saints in a dual language immersion setting where they are challenged to leave our community as bilingual, biliterate, and multicultural citizens of the world. 
A comprehensive dual language program coupled with an intimate learning environment allows teachers to connect personally daily with students. Ensuring your child has access to a fully developed and well-rounded curriculum is the first step to solidifying their future success and ultimately unlocking their full potential in a multicultural way.

A Welcomed New Point of View

Parents who send their non-Catholic children to SVDP Catholic school provide them with invaluable opportunities to broaden their worldview during an impressionable time in their lives.

Exposing students to a Catholic perspective – regardless of their faith – can have positive overarching effects, such as a deepened understanding of their religion and a broadened worldview.

In addition to exposing non-Catholic students to Christian ideology and perspectives, Catholic schools are among the country's most racially and economically diverse private schools, dramatically increasing student diversity over the past 40 years. According to NCEA, racially diverse populations accounted for 21.2% of Catholic school populations, with 18.1% being Hispanic/Latino in 2020. At SVDP, our school community is close to 90% diverse.  Exposing students to varying worldviews and new perspectives is integral to developing their moral character. The right Catholic school will continually enable multicultural and faith-based interactions for students in a controlled, comfortable, and welcoming environment.

At the end of the day, St. Vincent de Paul Dual Language Immersion Catholic school has the classes and programs that will enable your child to grow and gain confidence for life after graduation. Non-Catholic students attending a Catholic school receive the invaluable opportunity to grow as a student and global citizens. Alums of Catholic schools are accepting of different cultures and perspectives, preparing them for a successful life in a future globalized world.

Solidify your child’s future success in this world and, most importantly, in heaven. Start the application process to assess if St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School is the right fit for your child.
 

One of the main concerns for parents in a dual language immersion program is how they will be able to help their child if they don’t know the language. One way that we plan on addressing this concern is that teachers will send a newsletter regarding overarching topics students will be viewing in class. This will include items that will help you engage your child in conversations and ask questions. However, a large part of enrolling in this program is being confident that your child will learn independently of you. Encourage your child to go to class a couple of minutes before school to ask the teacher for help. If they are too young or shy, accompany them to ask the teacher for help; eventually, they will ask without your help. This will guide them into becoming independent learners and empower them to take charge of their learning. Also, use other parents in your child’s class as a resource.

As of January 2023, about 100 students are enrolled. As our enrollment trends, our lower grades tend to fill up quickly. We will purposely keep our class sizes small. Our max enrollment will max out at 150-170 Students. 

Strategically located in Marion County, Oregon, St. Vincent de Paul Dual Language Immersion Catholic School serves preschool through fifth-grade students from 10 zip codes, 6 cities, and 12 churches/parishes! Our school is located in North East Salem in the heritage city of Highland. More than 50% of students are non-Caucasian. More than half of SVDP families receive tuition assistance.

We offer free SOAR Care until 4:15 p.m. for the first 50 families registered for the new school year before January 31st each year. We can accommodate additional enrolled students for a fee to hire additional teachers. 

Preschool:

• A.M. Half Day 8:05 a.m.–noon (before-school care offered to start at 7:15 a.m.)
• P.M. Half Day 12:00 p.m.–3:05 p.m.(after -school care offered until 4:15 p.m.)
• Full Day 8:05 a.m.–3:05 p.m. (before/after school care offered)

Kindergarten through fifth grade: 

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday: 8:05 a.m.–3:05 p.m. (before/after-school care offered until 4:05 p.m.) 
• Wednesday: 8:05 a.m.–2:05 p.m. (before/after-school care offered until 4:05 p.m.)
   

We are a St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Salem, Oregon ministry. Our students attend daily mass across the street at our local parish, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. We are part of a larger Department of Catholic School organization in the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon. We are the only Private Dual Language Immersion Catholic School in Salem. 

Yes, the students at SVDP adhere to a dress code that requires them to wear a school uniform. Starting the 2023/2024 school year, students can wear school spirit gear from Blanchet School or any Catholic University every Friday.

Starting the 2023/2024 School year, students may bring lunch from home or purchase hot lunch from a weekly menu. Snacks and milk are available daily for lunch and the morning break. The school will provide microwaves for student use. We will also offer free and reduced lunch for qualifying families. 

The calendar is very similar to the Salem-Keizer calendar. The school year typically begins after Labor Day and ends in the middle of June. Spring break and Christmas vacation usually coincide with public school vacations. We follow all school closures or late starts as directed by Blanchet School. 

Yes, SVDP is accredited through the Western Catholic Educational Association  (WCEA). It is currently going through the reaccreditation process in the Spring of 2024.