On January 28, students and parents at St. Thomas More Academy in South Bend celebrated National School Choice Week (NSCW) with MySchoolOptions. This annual, nationwide celebration showcases the effect accessible options for education can have on a student’s future.
St. Thomas More Academy is the first independently governed Catholic school in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. In addition to its classical education, the school encourages community connection through hands-on involvement and service. St. Thomas More Academy has been partnered with MySchoolOptions – a resource helping families learn more about K-12 education opportunities that fit the unique needs of their children best – through the Indiana Choice Scholarship program, helping enroll students who otherwise might not be able to attend.
“We have over 190 students, and everyone that gets the choice to come to St. Thomas More thanks to a scholarship is because of the great work being done by the MySchoolOptions team,” St. Thomas More Academy Head of School Kevin Powers said. “If it wasn’t for this scholarship, St. Thomas More would not exist.”
MySchoolOptions works with schools like St. Thomas More Academy to ensure every child has access to a quality education that allows them to flourish. This is especially important for families who might not be able to afford schooling besides public education.
“I think we often forget how great it is to be able to make a choice,” said John Schoening, senior director for the University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education. “That ability to make a decision for yourself is the most important thing because it lets us exercise our human dignity, and yet families are often deprived of the ability to make a decision about their child’s education. Thanks to programs like the Indiana Choice Scholarship, we are lucky that parents get to make the decision on where their children go to school.”
Students and attendees of this year’s NSCW were treated to presentations celebrating the accomplishments of education freedom in the state. Additionally, they were able to connect with their peers through fun activities like enjoying themed donuts from Jack’s and games of bingo.
“Every child learns differently,” MySchoolOptions and Institute for Quality Education Director of Community Engagement Cesar Roman said. “Placing a child in a learning environment that best suits their needs is the best thing for them. As a parent, we have a very short time to give our children a base of knowledge, values, and morals, and education is a very important tool in doing that.”
Roman, alongside Powers and Schoening, was happy to see so many students actively engaged with their education. It’s something that the trio hopes to continue seeing across the country.
Parents looking to enroll their children at St. Thomas More Academy for the 2025-2026 school year can submit an online application. Questions can be sent to info@stmasb.org.
NSCW will continue running throughout the nation through Friday, January 31. Indiana families looking to learn more about their children’s options for education, financial assistance programs, and more should visit MySchoolOptions online at www.i4qed.org/myschooloptions.
“We offer robust options for our families for K-12 education, but across the board, we continuously find that families do not know their options or how to use them,” Roman said. “The Institute for Quality Education, along with the Indiana Non-Public Education Association, is working to eliminate all barriers that currently prevent Indiana families from participating in the Indiana Choice Scholarship program. We want these options to be universal.”
MySchoolOptions is a resource funded by the Institute for Quality Education. To learn more, click here.