Contact: Matthew Lipovski Page 1

Tel: 512 810 0662

Email: Matthew Lipovski

Catholic Diocese of Arlington Earn’s an “A” in Education Department

The standards for excellence in schools continue to be upheld going forward

Bishop O’Connell is one of many

schools that operate under the
Catholic Diocese of Arlington.
This photo has been obtained from a Diocese of Arlington employee.

HARRISONBURG, VA, March 15- There are a multiple factors to consider when many

parents decide which high school they want their child attending. While many children go to the

school in which they are registered for, there are also a large number of students attending
 The Catholic Diocese has taken steps to stand out as a premier Private school page 2

Private schools. The reputation of the school’s academics, the strength of the athletic teams, and

the available resources of the school all play a part in the decision making process. Educational

institutions that attempt to make themselves more attractive toward interested families want to

model themselves after schools in the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. The Catholic Diocese of

Arlington has been successful in gaining prominence due to strong leadership, geographical

advantages, and careful consideration into determining the makeup of employees.

Private schools have been an attractive option in the lives of parents looking to send their

child to an institution that establishes a culture promoting structure, moral values and academics.

Rules such as having a dress code are typical and can provide advantages such as removing

social issues from students such as clothing comparisons and bullying. A student will not have to

worry about being picked on his peers because he or she does not have a type of brand of

clothing or sneakers. Parents to feel confident knowing the values and morals that the school

strives for.

Another advantage that Private schools can offer is different class sizes that the ones

typically offered in public schools. Some students can get distracted easily and require a different

type of class interaction. According to ourkids.net, individual learning has a variety of factors.

“Private schools vary greatly in size, but depending on their teaching style, almost all focus on

the importance of small class sizes to individually help students’ weak areas and advance their

strengths”(1). This specified type of learning is ideal for children that thrive in smaller

environments. They are able to receive more attention from the

educators that are qualified for the position of employment in Private education.
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The Catholic Diocese of Arlington sent representatives to a career fair held at Fairfax On

Mar. 9 for potential employees interested in education. The requirements for students were to

have teacher certification and preferably a few years of experience. Leslie Lipovski, one of the

representatives, spoke on the number of students aspiring to join the organization. “There were

around one hundred well-qualified candidates in attendance and, they were able to make

connections with our numerous schools” Lipovski said. The Diocese prides itself on hiring

individuals that fit best with the goals and culture of the organization. Lipovski went on to add

that the standards for hiring go up to all levels. “We pay attention to hiring the best possible

principals and leaders who believe in our schools.” The commitment to finding the best available

staff has kept the Diocese running successfully for years.

The Catholic Diocese of Arlington has a large number of members within the

community. There are over 460,000 registered Catholics as of 2017 according to the 2017

Arlington Diocese Statistics (2). The Diocese has a strong presence in Northern Virginia and

aspires to continue to maintain its’ success. One of the main ways in which the Diocese has been

able to remain successful has been strong leadership. Lipovski gives much of the credit to the

Bishop Burbidge. “Bishop Burbidge has been with us for a couple of years after working with

the Catholic Diocese in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is very visible and makes everyone feel

included such as homeschooled children. He is a huge proponent of the Catholic mission and is

the main figure in keeping our reputation intact.” The organization is confident that they are in a

positive direction going forward with important figures such as Bishop Burbidge in charge.
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The Catholic religion has come under fire in recent news for controversies at various

places for sexual abuse. This has been a recurring issue within the Catholic faith, and has caused

damage to the enrollment for students in schools at a lot of diocese locations. The Diocese of

Arlington maintains strong enrollment numbers despite the issues with the national reputation of

the Catholic religion. “Our schools have excellent quality and we are fortunate in the sense that

we have a great location geographically where parents are working in jobs where they can afford

to send their children to our schools. If our schools were in a rural part of Oklahoma, we would

likely have to shut down many of them.” Lipovski said. The Diocese appears poised to stay

committed toward upholding its’ reputation as a strong collection of great schools despite the

lingering national issues the Catholic religion faces.

Part of the reason that the Catholic Diocese is so successful in Arlington is also due to

their ability to keep up with the times by adapting the way they distribute their curriculum. The

success has been in part due to advancing their technology. “We have made the switch from tests

on paper to primarily online testing.” Lipovski says. “This was a big deal for our schools because

it allows us to have the same resources that a lot of public schools possess. Our children benefit

from this because it makes them more prepared for the world of College in which a large amount

of work is done online.” The resources that the Diocese possesses are another way in which the

schools are some of the best to work at among Catholic schools.

The future of the Catholic Diocese looks strong going forward and the goals are clear.

Leslie Lipovski maintains that there is a specific vision going forward for the organization. “In
five years, I see us still thriving and keeping things strong. Ideally we will open more schools by

then.” The expansion of Catholic schools in Northern Virginia is already underway.

The Catholic Diocese has taken steps to stand out as a premier Private school page 5

Paul VI Catholic High School has been located in Fairfax, Virginia for decades. The school will

soon move to Loudon County to become more accessible to the area in which the majority of its’

students live. This type of forward thinking demonstrates that the future is in good hands.

The families that send their children to Private schools typically research the best

possible place to enroll. The process can be similar to choosing a university and can offer a

chance for children to experience their adolescence throughout an environment that promotes a

certain moral culture in which values are expressed that reflect positively on them going forward.

The Catholic Diocese of Arlington has been put in a position to stand out as one of the top

options for children to attend with exceptional schools and established leadership. The dedication

to providing the organization with employees that fit best with the culture that is trying to be

promoted combined with the strength of the leadership from figures such as the Bishop

contribute toward the molding of a Diocese with a bright future. The Diocese continues to

uphold its high standards, and one day there will be a new wave of employees such as those from

the career fair that will contribute toward the strong sense of culture going forward.

####

For additional questions or information, contact Matthew Lipovski at 512-810-0662 or by email

at matthewlipovski@gmail.com. Additional information can also be gathered by reaching Leslie

Lipovski at 512-554-3870 or by email at lclipovski@gmail.com. For general information, visit

the company website at https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/.

The Arlington Diocese aims to uphold the values of the Catholic faith throughout its’ perishes

and improve the community of those around them.

 Works Cited

1. Ourkids.net. Benefits of Private Schools: Why parents choose to send kids. Retrieved

from https://www.ourkids.net/school/benefits-of-private-schools.php

2. 2017 Arlington Diocese Statistics. Retrieved from

https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/About-Us/The-Diocese/Statistics/