Byzantine Catholic school lowers rates

By Denise Dick

School personnel hope the lower cost helps to increase enrollment.

BOARDMAN — Byzantine Catholic Central has lowered tuition to make Catholic education more affordable.

The cost for the 2007 to 2008 school year was $1,700 for parishioners and $2,400 for nonparishioners. For 2008 to 2009, it drops to $1,650 for parishioners and $2,350 for nonparishioners.

But if parents secure a loan through the Diocese of Youngstown Federal Credit Union for tuition, the amount decreases to $1,450 for parishioners and $2,150 for nonparishioners; and if prepaid before Sept. 1, the cost decreases to $1,250 and $1,950, respectively, for parishioners and nonparishioners.

“We want to make a Catholic education affordable to parents who want a Catholic education for their children,” said Bernie Kosar Sr., school administrator.

The school hopes the reduced prices attract more pupils and, along with fundraisers and Bingo games, cover school operations.

BCC’s pupil population of kindergarten through eighth-graders last year was 155. Pupils attending come from 22 Orthodox, Byzantine and Roman Catholic parishes as well as protestant faiths.

“We have room for another 50 [pupils],” Kosar said.

That would allow the school to maintain its small class size but increase enrollment.

“We crank out a great product,” Kosar said.

Carmen Lanzo and P.J. Quinn, both 14 and of Campbell, graduated from BCC last spring and will enter Cardinal Mooney High School next month.

“It’s good to have a Catholic education,” Carmen said.

“It gets you ready for high school,” P.J. added.

The school has launched a marketing campaign with newspaper and magazine ads and plans to deliver fliers announcing the tuition rates to homes.

The campaign also emphasizes the school’s academics as well as extracurricular offerings including two computer labs, a SmartBoard classroom and a football field.

“We have music and art,” Kosar said. “We have an orchestra.”

He also pointed to the after-school program.

“If you work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m, you can drop your kid off at school at 7:30 a.m. and pick them up at 5:30 p.m.,” Kosar said.

Principal Joan Mingo stressed that the school isn’t trying to take away from other Catholic schools in the area.

“We’re looking to people out there who maybe want to send their kids to Catholic school, but they believe they can’t afford it,” she said.

Kosar, father of former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar Jr., is an engineer by training and spent most of his working life in the steel mills and sports marketing. He didn’t envision himself as a school administrator.

But the Canfield man served for several years on the finance committee for the Byzantine Diocese of Pittsburgh.

When enrollment was on the decline at BCC, Kosar was asked to step into the administrator position. Most administrators are clergy.

“The clergy are so busy,” Kosar said. “Some even have two churches.”

He brought business experience to the job, said Mike Orenic, assistant to the administrator.

“He thinks outside of the box,” Orenic said.

Kosar’s three children and the children of both Orenic and Mingo all graduated from BCC.

A poster of Kosar Jr. with the words, “No Brain, No Gain,” hangs in every classroom.