Miracle on Main Street in Russellville

The future looks much brighter for St. John School as enrollment grows

Published: August 13, 2011

By Dwain Hebda
Little Rock Correspondent

"Dora the Explorer," a popular animated character, visited the pre-k class at St. John School in Russellville March 28. Dora taught the children the proper way to brush their teeth. The visit was funded by the Junior Auxiliary of Russellville.

After years of declining enrollment, St. John School in Russellville is mounting a comeback worthy of an after-school television special. When the doors open on the 2011-2012 school year, 92 students will take their places in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, the highest headcount in almost a decade and a 33-percent bump in the past year.

"A school brings life to a parish and to the community," said Father Bill Thomas, who was pastor of St. John Parish for six years. "The big thing was getting the parents and the school to come together as one. That bridge had to be built that both sides could walk across for the good of the children."

Most of the increased enrollment is in the school's pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes. There are 40 pre-kindergarten students this year and 22 in kindergarten, with more on waiting lists. This gives the school even more hope for the future because retention becomes easier once socialization sets in at an early age.

Much of the credit for the school's survival rests with Father Thomas, now pastor of St. Mary Church in Hot Springs, who kept the school open even during its lowest enrollment period, and second-year principal Mark Tyler, who executed the comeback.

"I had plenty of people tell me I was crazy to take this job," Tyler said. "They told me the school was going to close and that it was a losing battle. But I love a challenge and I love the Church and I hate to see a Catholic school not do well."

This is the second straight year the school has enjoyed an enrollment increase. Last year, enrollment increased by 11 students over the previous year. While that may seem modest, it reversed a trend of attrition which saw enrollment go from 82 students in the 2004-2005 school year to just 50 in 2009-2010. In the face of these numbers, combined with the onset of the economic downturn, many began to view the school's closing as inevitable.

"When I got there, I said the school had to have a minimum of 50 students for it to stay open," Father Thomas said. "It's been a long process. But once we had stability in the administration and had brought in an individual who was a good leader and had the right experience, we were on our way."

Tyler brought more than just his faith to the position. In a career that spans 34 years in public and private education, he has taught and administered all the way up to the superintendent level. Through the years, the red tape, discipline issues and general lack of parental involvement in the public school environment proved to be the most frustrating elements of his job, things that he doesn't have to deal with at St. John School.

"The parents here are very motivated, they want this school to succeed," he said. "When you have that and you can show them they, along with the faculty and staff, are important parts of the team then you get buy-in that's really special."

Tyler saw other elements that convinced him St. John School was in a better position to succeed than many people thought. In the first place, the school's reputation for providing a quality education was unquestioned. Beginning with a Montessori-style pre-kindergarten, Spanish taught in every grade and smartboard technology throughout, students are pushed to excel in their studies.

Despite having their pupils only through fifth grade, St. John graduates through the years have performed as well or better than peer schools who maintain curriculum through the eighth grade.

"Our kids are excellent students," Tyler said. "I've had many teachers and administrators in the Russellville public school system tell me when they get one of our kids, they are very well prepared. Last spring, three of the graduating seniors named in (the) top 40 students in the River Valley were St. John School graduates."

"Every one of our kids went on to graduate in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class," Father Thomas said.

The parish and larger community itself was another selling point for Tyler. Russellville, population 27,500 and growing, supports a solid middle class with manufacturing and energy businesses in town. St. John Church itself supports a wide variety of parish organizations and activities including a Knights of Columbus council, Catholic youth group, Boy Scouts and an Altar Society, a testament to the involvement of its parishioners.

Marketing the school, Tyler left no stone unturned to tell the institution's story. The school was front and center at the local chamber of commerce business expo, entered a float in a community parade and marketed itself at an education fair at a local college. Press releases flowed out of the principal's office touting school activities and student accomplishments, resulting in local press coverage and publicity.

The school's recent surge is just the beginning, according to Tyler. He hopes one day to have the students to fill out the remaining middle school grades. He's also thinking big about secondary education, talking with school officials at Sacred Heart School in Morrilton about possible busing options for St. John students for higher grades in the future.

Tyler, 58, and his wife Sharon are active members in Sacred Heart Parish in Morrilton. They have four children, including Father Jason Tyler, pastor of St. Edward Church in Little Rock.

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