The first Catholic High School in the far West Valley is getting ready to hire staff. St. John Paul II High School in Avondale has a job fair on January 3. Hiring starts in February.

All of the administration needs to be able to speak Spanish, according to the head of curriculum development, Sister Mary Brigid Burnham. “The instruction would be in English," she said. "But the parents, if they are more comfortable speaking in Spanish, they also would be welcome."

The school currently has over a hundred student applications from potential freshman and sophomores. The deadline for students to apply is January 31.

Non-Catholics are welcome to apply. Tuition is $14,700 annually, but for baptized Catholics it is $11,500.

Across the country last year, the number of Catholic elementary schools dropped by 101. The number of secondary schools increased by 5, according to the National Catholic Educational Association.