Double post

[Christine]

I just wanted to say that it doesn't matter to me what the religion is of anyone is. It's all good. And more power to the parents who feel strongly enough about their religion not to convert. I would always welcome them as friends in our school. I would never try to push my religion down anothers throat. I send my kids to Catholic school to learn the catholic faith and for the structure the school provides. If I weren't Catholic, I wouldn't send my kids to a Catholic school. I really want to ask what draws non Catholics to Catholic schools? So many Catholic schools have fallen on hard times. And there is no way many can compete with what the public schools offer. Even other non Catholic private schools would be an option.

For us, if you are a member of the parish you save about $800 per year. But you are expected to put $8 per week in the collection.

Well, I'll try to answer your question being a non-Catholic who is sending their children to a Catholic school.

#1 - In our particular county, the Catholic school curriculum is much more rigorous than the public school curriculum. My kids spent about half of their elementary years in public school while my friend had her child in Catholic school. I saw the difference just when I looked at what my friend's daughter was doing. The Catholic school here has lots of resources and I don't think we are lacking in anything that the public school has except for playground equipment and bus service.

#2 - Discipline. While I do feel that the discipline in our public elementary school was fine, it was not as stern as the Catholic school. The public school was more "fun" and less structured. While that is all wonderful, I didn't feel it was the best situation for my kids.

#3 - Teaching respect for authority and for others and themselves. Great care is given to following the rules, approaching and treating the teachers and other staff with the respect the deserve, taking care of one's personal self (uniform is a big help). My kids were not allowed to walk around with bracelets on their arms, hairband elastics on their arm, they could not write on their hands, they could not walk around with their shoelaces untied. I know that sounds pretty "uptight" but it does teach them to take care of things and themselves. I especially like the respect part in the classroom. One "odd" word from a kid in the class and you are OUT OF THE ROOM. There are no disruptions in the classroom because of those one or two kids that always act up. This was not so in the public school. There was always at least one "pain-in-the-butt" kid who was dragging the class down and the teacher had to put up with it.

#4 - Moral atmosphere. Now I can't really "explain" this and I'm sure this varies in different schools, but morality (not sin) is heavily emphasized. "Do unto others" etc, is highly stressed. Think about how your actions effect others. Goes along with #3.

I would say my reasons #2 and #3 were sorely missing from public school. Especially the middle school.

Also, as I stated in an earlier post--I'm not very religious at all (even though I was baptized Episcopalian). We do not go to church and it is not something I would ever do because that's just me. But what kind of hypocrite would I be if I never exposed my kids to ANY religion? They will have their own choices to make as an adult and their own beliefs/ideals to form. If I never EXPOSE them to what is out there, how can they make a valid decision? I feel that at least by going to the Catholic school, they are getting an experience that I cannot give them. While I personally don't buy into a lot of the Catholic doctrine, I'm also not the type to think I'm "right" about what I believe. It is right for me. My kids need to come to their own conclusions.

 

[chrissyk]

The elementary school is actually better (from what I hear) than the parochial school....middle school is where it gets sketchy b/c of the environment--and you can always homeschool for that as you previously mentioned on another thread.

I have a feeling that this is EXACTLY what I'm going to do. I just need to make sure that my children will still get admitted to a private high school (maybe MCC? Sounds like a good school) if I homeschool for 7+8, though. I will be certified by then, so maybe that will help I think that we will go private for high school, and it doesn't sound like it would be an issue to send a non-Catholic kid to a Catholic high school. The elementary school was what I was mainly worried about.

DH has really got me thinking about this school stuff lately, as he wants to move to a bigger house and make a committment to a community...of course, he wants to do this soon, so we're having to do school research way before I thought we'd have to. He about climbed out of his skin when I suggested Catholic school, but honestly I want to make sure that we've explored every option.

As for what you said about the Catholic school being best for middle-of-the-road students, I hate to say it but that's the norm at plenty of private schools. It certainly was at mine. It's easier to teach to the middle, KWIM?

BTW, I can't see moving over the river right now...you might get more house for the money, but we like it here There are some darned nice houses over there, though!

 

[deelam]

Christine,

I think your reasons are pretty good. We all want good things for our kids. Even though many Catholic school's don't have allot of money, what the children pick up from these schools is so important. It sounds like your school is doing really well. My son's school is doing okay, but it really comes down to them counting pennies at the end of the year. Now the reason our school may have things tight, is because there are 4 Catholic schools in a 3 mile area. Our public schools are pretty good, so enrollment is down from that also.
As far as the kids not participating in communion. I think most schools will involve all kids to some extent. So they won't feel left out. If the day comes that they want to participate, I would hope that the church would allow them, even if you don't want to. I have a friend whose son made his communion with my son. The little boy spends the weekends with his Father, so the child never goes to church. It really didn't matter to the school.

 

[deelam]

I have to mention about the comment bout Catholic school teaching to the "Middle of the road students" I totally agree with this. If your child needs extra help, or maybe a more creative Teaching method, beware. Your child could end up in the back of the class with the "difficult children". I've seen this happen so many times.
My oldest son had a very hard time. He's okay now. I had to hire a tutor to help him get the material. It didn''t help him when he had a 70 year old nun in second grade. She should have retired about 20 years earlier.

 

[MinnieM3]

Really? Even in my dad's Catholic school in the 1950's, the non-Catholic kids just sat out the religious teachings. I think that I need to find out how much this varies from school to school. If my kids are going to prepare for First Communion, Reconciliaton, Confirmation, etc. even though we're not Catholic, then this would certainly not be OK with me on any level. I just want the best education for my kids, but I that is too high a price to pay for me. I really thought that with so many non-Catholic kids now attending Catholic school, there would be some way to deal with the kids who aren't practicing the religion. I guess that I really might have been wrong

My whole family has attended Catholic schools since the early 1900's! I can only speak of the past several decades! My older brothers and sister went, along with myself from K - 8 and 4 years of high school. I have been teaching in this same school I attended for the past 16 years. (3rd grade)

All our students must attend and participate in weekly Mass. (by participate you must respond, pray, and sing. Most classes actually give a grade on "Mass participation." Some teachers have tests afterwards based on the readings. Gospel, and the homily. (Not me!!) There is no giggling or acting up or that student is taken to the Asst. Principal who's in the back of the church and issued a demerit/detention.

All our students must take Religion classes and it is on their report card and figured into their average for Honor Roll, High Honor Roll, etc. Our Religion books are (duh!) based on the Catholic faith. Like someone already posted, the deal with Catholic "stuff" like the rosary, particular Catholic prayers, the Mass, saints, doctrine, etc. This is the first year on 16 years that I have had an all Catholic class. The most I had one year was 8 non-Catholics in a class of 24. All of those were Christian, though, just of a different faith. I have had only one non-Christian, non-baptized student. I try to go out of my way to be sensitive to that. I try to make sure those students don't feel "bad" or "not normal" because they are in a room surrounded by Catholicss and they are not. I try to use the word Christian more than Catholic.

I am NOT (obviously) every teacher in every Catholic school in America! I can only speak of what I know and what I do. I do think that if you're sending your child to a Catholic school, you gotta expect a lotta Catholic "stuff!"

(My school has 700 students in grades 4K to 8th. It's the largest Catholic grade school in South Carolina)

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Hmmm, our Catholic school had advanced classes in grade school and high school was college prep with ap honors classes and courses offered at local colleges.

I didn't mean to imply that our catholic school was a school for dummies. They do offer advanced classes--but it really caters to middle of the road--the farther you sway from that, the less they can help you. A child can still succeed in the school and fare well academically. Just for the exceptional student, it is wise to look at all alternatives. It is challenging for the average student as it is a good program.

This is for the elementary thru 8th grade.

The High school is way up there on the college prep and AP coursework and is tops. Since the kids from our school are getting into that one and succeeding, I don't doubt that the school isn't challenging them enough.

My kids don't go there and this is based on other parents and what they have said. Doesn't mean it is a bad school. Just a comment that it doesn't offer anything more exceptional than available at the elementary school that OP has the choice of sending any children (we live a neighborhood a part).

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I mean if you are not Catholic, but want to marry in the Catholic church. It's just one less headache to deal with if you are a confirmed Catholic and want to marry in a Catholic church.

It really isn't a headache at all though. Whether or not you are catholic--there are catholics that don't get married in the church b/c they don't want to put up with pre-cana and "stuff". More faiths are requiring some type of pre-marital education and meeting with the pastor anyway and preparing for a Catholic Marriage is no different. Now if they weren't Catholic and marrying a non-Catholic---well, someone would have to be Catholic to get married in the church.

It isn't like it used to be at all. RCIA (if your children decide to become Catholic some day) isn't required to be married--and they should be Catholic b/c they want to be and not just to get married in the church which is how I read your statement.

Unless they fall in love with some super-Catholic who will want to have a Catholic spouse---then that is a relational thing and not a church thing.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I really want to ask what draws non Catholics to Catholic schools?

In New Orleans--for my mother...the draw was...the public schools were beyond horrible and the Catholic school was a parochial school that offered a military discount and she could have my brother and sister educated without fearing for their safety. The only other option at the time was private academy style places which were way out of the budget.

My mom is a big time school supporter and working with the cards you are dealt--however when she asked the relocation people on base about the schools--they said "private" or the magnet schools and to avoid the public schools if you can. The only good schools were by the other base in Belle Chase and a huge waiting list for housing.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I have a feeling that this is EXACTLY what I'm going to do. I just need to make sure that my children will still get admitted to a private high school (maybe MCC? Sounds like a good school) if I homeschool for 7+8, though. I will be certified by then, so maybe that will help I think that we will go private for high school, and it doesn't sound like it would be an issue to send a non-Catholic kid to a Catholic high school. The elementary school was what I was mainly worried about.

Your certification won't matter as it is legal to home educate without it. Portfolio must be reviewed by a certified teacher or do standardized testing. I know you cannot do the test and I'm not sure--but wouldn't think--you could review the portfolio.

You can simply contact the school, get the admissions testing timeframe (when they do them), get the logistics of what coursework they are expected to have had--you can even use the county information as they do publish what students in each grade level are expected to know.

Homeschooling should not hinder them---as long as you keep them on grade level.

Oh--and 6th grade is middle school here.....so if you don't want them to go to Hoover--that would be 6,7,+8.

 

[chrissyk]

Oh--and 6th grade is middle school here.....so if you don't want them to go to Hoover--that would be 6,7,+8.

That's what I thought, but the MB kids also go to Hoover and Gemini goes K-6. That's why I thought that Hoover was 7-8. Lovely that it's 3 years to worry about and not 2

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

That's what I thought, but the MB kids also go to Hoover and Gemini goes K-6. That's why I thought that Hoover was 7-8. Lovely that it's 3 years to worry about and not 2

]


Hmmmm....I'll have to look that up---I thought it was 6-8..a Florida thing. OOPS!

Well, I'll be--larn somethin' new everyday!

7-8....whew...one less year for you.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Well--in their defense, they are an "A" school.

 

[chrissyk]

]


Hmmmm....I'll have to look that up---I thought it was 6-8..a Florida thing. OOPS!

Well, I'll be--larn somethin' new everyday!

7-8....whew...one less year for you.

Whew!!!! That's what I thought, but I wasn't 100% sure either.

 

[chrissyk]

Well--in their defense, they are an "A" school.

Um, from what I hear, the academics aren't the problem

 

[pmcpmc]

it doe not seem its about religion but more about getting a private education which takes your kids out of the politically correct public schools

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Um, from what I hear, the academics aren't the problem

I was trying to give you a happy thought--but if you want to go there.....

A friend of mine opted to send her daughter elsehwere than that place...and she goes to school in cocoa (but lives in our town). It's a school of choice and some kind of academic specialization--there are always those options. It begins in K and goes up from there---all over the county. At least you have kids with similar goals and such--sometimes that lessens the problems. I'm sure there are rules for retention at these places since they are so hard to get into.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

it doe not seem its about religion but more about getting a private education which takes your kids out of the politically correct public schools

Another good point!

 

[welovewdw]

didn't mean to imply that our catholic school was a school for dummies. They do offer advanced classes--but it really caters to middle of the road--the farther you sway from that, the less they can help you. A child can still succeed in the school and fare well academically. Just for the exceptional student, it is wise to look at all alternatives. It is challenging for the average student as it is a good program.

That is what I was agreeing to - I did not mean to offend anyone or imply that they weren't excellent schools - my kids were in them for 12 years and I loved them. I would say that my children were about a grade level above most public schools in our area - imo, they offer excellent math and phonics programs.

Once your child needs any special attention, on either end of the curve, is where Catholic schools are weaker, at least in my experience. I think they excel by making 90% of kids above average in school performance - and I can honestly go on & on about things I like about catholic schools.

They are weak if you don't fit the norm, though - we didn't really notice until our dd was in high school - she really needed more challenging classes that were not offered at her high school, a small all girls catholic school - which again, I want to stress that there is lots I love about the school! And there are definite advantages to an all girls school, too.

Our children moved for different reasons - and not at the same time - ds simply graduated and we've been so pleased w/ the public high school, we decided that we'd try the "free" option first before paying 17K/year for high school.

I really meant no offense - I LOVE everyone here at the dis and that would be my last intent!! I feel like I finally found other Disney nuts like me!! I'm a huge fan of catholic schools, but I do agree that they may not be best for kids who need special attention at either end of the spectrum.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I really meant no offense - I LOVE everyone here at the dis and that would be my last intent!! I feel like I finally found other Disney nuts like me!! I'm a huge fan of catholic schools, but I do agree that they may not be best for kids who need special attention at either end of the spectrum.

Sorry--I didn't take any offense...was trying to explain it more clearly and wanted to be sure I was understood.

 

[welovewdw]

Sorry--I didn't take any offense...was trying to explain it more clearly and wanted to be sure I was understood.

I was trying to agree with you - LOL I was worried that I might have offended some of the other dis members -