Non-Catholics in Catholic School Experiences?

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

I went to Catholic schools as well as my children and am Catholic.

I think about 7% of our school is non-Catholic, and have always been very welcoming to people of other faiths. It is known that you are not Catholic because you aren't preparing for the sacraments or receiving them, but it is just a fact not a "bad" label.

I think it comes down to taking a visit to the public school and the Catholic school. Visit the classrooms, be in the hallway during the change of class, observe a lunch period, find out the average standardized test scores, what percentage go to college, etc. Talk frankly to the principal and you will get a good idea of how your child will be treated. Ask for the names and numbers of other non-Catholics in their system and talk to them. It's good your looking at this now when you can "see" the school in action, I know many parents who try to make a decision in the summer and then it is all hear-say. Make sure you know all the facts and then you will make an educated choice.

Good luck in your decision!

 

[SydSim]

I went to Catholic schools as well as my children and am Catholic.

I think about 7% of our school is non-Catholic, and have always been very welcoming to people of other faiths. It is known that you are not Catholic because you aren't preparing for the sacraments or receiving them, but it is just a fact not a "bad" label.

I think it comes down to taking a visit to the public school and the Catholic school. Visit the classrooms, be in the hallway during the change of class, observe a lunch period, find out the average standardized test scores, what percentage go to college, etc. Talk frankly to the principal and you will get a good idea of how your child will be treated. Ask for the names and numbers of other non-Catholics in their system and talk to them. It's good your looking at this now when you can "see" the school in action, I know many parents who try to make a decision in the summer and then it is all hear-say. Make sure you know all the facts and then you will make an educated choice.

Good luck in your decision!

Thanks a lot for the advice. I'm looking way ahead (DD is only in the sixth grade ). I'm a little anal about that stuff.

 

[Christine]

Christine...I saw Paul VI and realized you must live near me...I'm in Alexandria and I taught at Blessed SAcrament for 5 years!

Yes, I'm in Woodbridge!

 

[NotUrsula]

My nephew is in "honors" classes (there are no "AP classes") and my dd is taking mostly AP classes except for math.

CBC (ftr: Christian Brother's College) is a boys' prep school, not a high school. The admission standard is pretty high, though by not the highest of the 16 RC prep schools in the Archdiocese. It isn't a small school, though -- it has 1,075 students.

CBC does offer AP courses. This is the list of their advanced classes pasted directly from this year's Red Book. I count 8 AP courses.

Advanced Placement/Honors Programs:
* AP Theater * Honors Physics * Math Analysis
* French III, IV, V * AP Physics * AP Biology
* Advanced Algebra II * AP American Government * HAP Chemistry
* Calculus * Honors English II, III * Honors Chemistry
* Honors Biology A.P. English IV * AP U.S. History
* Honors Zoology * Spanish III, IV, V, VI * AP Art History
* Honors Micro Biology * Human Anatomy * Music Theory
* German III * Forensics

 

[The Mystery Machine]

CBC (ftr: Christian Brother's College) is a boys' prep school, not a high school. The admission standard is pretty high, though by not the highest of the 16 RC prep schools in the Archdiocese. It isn't a small school, though -- it has 1,075 students.

CBC does offer AP courses. This is the list of their advanced classes pasted directly from this year's Red Book. I count 8 AP courses.

I stand corrected. Whoo-hooo....8 classes...whoopee.

And yes it is a High School....gimme a break. "Prep School"....

Then I say that is even worse since they do not make the NEWSWEEK Top List for High Schools.

Frankly my 16yodd scored HIGHER on her PSAT test than her nephew who is in "Honors Classes"....

We are moving back to St Louis and going into Rockwood school District which is the only public school system that has AP classes.

I have issues with the Missouri school system.

 

[Mkrop]

I stand corrected. Whoo-hooo....8 classes...whoopee.

And yes it is a High School....gimme a break. "Prep School"....

Then I say that is even worse since they do not make the NEWSWEEK Top List for High Schools.

Frankly my 16yodd scored HIGHER on her PSAT test than her nephew who is in "Honors Classes"....

We are moving back to St Louis and going into Rockwood school District which is the only public school system that has AP classes.

I have issues with the Missouri school system.

so what, I dont get this?

Where I went Honors classes were a level below AP, so yes your daughter may be smarter than your nephew.

Plus I sat next to the valdectorian, the salutorain, the kid who went to MIT, etc, and in some of my classes they were in with me in Honors and some they were in AP without me. Yes they all scored higher than me in my SATs. So what?

I graduated in the top 10% of my class, never took an AP class, went to a good college, and I have a good life.

I really dont know what your point is. I am sure your nephew is getting a good education, no one is asking you to pay for it. And I am sure your DD is getting a good education at her public school. Different strokes, ya know. There are smart kids everywhere.

 

[SydSim]

Catholics don't pray to or worship saints..They ask saints to pray for them ,in much the way people come on the Dis and ask others to pray for them, or ask their mother or friends to pray for them..Since saints are supposedly in heaven and very close to G-d asking them to pray for them makes sense..

Look at the Hail Mary

Hail Mary full of Grace,
The lord is with the Blessed aren't thou amongst women
and Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus

I believe these words come right out of the bible
This is basically saying Mary , you're pretty awesome, you're the mother of G-d.. How cool


The rest
Holy Mary, Mother of G-d
Pray for us sinners , now and at the hour of our death


They are asking her to pray for them in much the way they may ask their own mother to pray for them.


This is not worship..It's simply saying that if Mary is alive(as Christians believe others are after earthly death) then she can pray for them too, just like you or I can
Now some do take it to the extreme with Mary,but that is individuals and not doctrine

Thanks a lot for the explanation. BTW, what books of the Bible are these prayers taken from?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

so what, I dont get this?

Where I went Honors classes were a level below AP, so yes your daughter may be smarter than your nephew.

Plus I sat next to the valdectorian, the salutorain, the kid who went to MIT, etc, and in some of my classes they were in with me in Honors and some they were in AP without me. Yes they all scored higher than me in my SATs. So what?

I graduated in the top 10% of my class, never took an AP class, went to a good college, and I have a good life.

I really dont know what your point is. I am sure your nephew is getting a good education, no one is asking you to pay for it. And I am sure your DD is getting a good education at her public school. Different strokes, ya know. There are smart kids everywhere.

You don't get it because you don't live in Missouri.

I know my nephew is getting a good education.

Honors Classes are above AP. In Missouri and Texas.
Basically "honors" is for the kids that are in the gifted programs.

In Missouri 99% of the schools only offer gifted and regular. There are no AP classes...nada, nothing for any kid that wants to take a higher level class.

We moved to Texas and my dd has been so lucky to be able to take wonderful classes.

Now we are moving back and the ONLY school district that offers the same kind of curriculum is Rockwood.

As far as my nephew, I was shocked that he did so poorly because he is in the "honors program" at CBC.
When I mean poor, I mean poor. My dd's score was not great.

It just surprised me, that is all.

 

[Crankyshank]

Thanks a lot for the explanation. BTW, what books of the Bible are these prayers taken from?

the Hail Mary is not from the Bible, but it's inspired by Gabriel's greeting to Mary when he appeared to her.
Catholics don't take the Bible literally.

 

[Mkrop]

You don't get it because you don't live in Missouri.

I know my nephew is getting a good education.

Honors Classes are above AP. In Missouri and Texas.
Basically "honors" is for the kids that are in the gifted programs.

In Missouri 99% of the schools only offer gifted and regular. There are no AP classes...nada, nothing for any kid that wants to take a higher level class.

We moved to Texas and my dd has been so lucky to be able to take wonderful classes.

Now we are moving back and the ONLY school district that offers the same kind of curriculum is Rockwood.

As far as my nephew, I was shocked that he did so poorly because he is in the "honors program" at CBC.
When I mean poor, I mean poor. My dd's score was not great.

It just surprised me, that is all.

Maybe he doesnt test well. My SATs scored stunk esp the first time. My parents also could not afford the after school prep classes. It was quite embarrassing sitting next to all those kids who scores were high when then discussed them.

That is weird. Why would Honors be higher than AP if AP is what gets you the college credit.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Maybe he doesnt test well. My SATs scored stunk esp the first time. My parents also could not afford the after school prep classes. It was quite embarrassing sitting next to all those kids who scores were high when then discussed them.

That is weird. Why would Honors be higher than AP if AP is what gets you the college credit.

No, we were expecting a great score and so was he. He tests very well and has gotten a killer score on the ACT.

It really was a letdown for the kid. Poor kid.

Honors are for the Gifted Kids, which in Texas there are a TON!
They have Honors AP.

 

[Mkrop]

the Hail Mary is not from the Bible, but it's inspired by Gabriel's greeting to Mary when he appeared to her.
Catholics don't take the Bible literally.

I think this is the biggest difference btw many of the other Christian denominations and Catholics IMO. We dont "study" the Bible like many other Christians do. I cant quote any bible and verse per se. I know the stories and their meanings but I cant quote Luke 12 v 9-12 (if this is even a real passage ) but I think you know what I mean. I am always amazed at Christians who can commit all that to memory.

 

[SydSim]

I think this is the biggest difference btw many of the other Christian denominations and Catholics IMO. We dont "study" the Bible like many other Christians do. I cant quote any bible and verse per se. I know the stories and their meanings but I cant quote Luke 12 v 9-12 (if this is even a real passage ) but I think you know what I mean. I am always amazed at Christians who can commit all that to memory.

I understand what you're saying. I think that this may also be part of the issue with the differences. My Sunday School teacher has a big pet peeve about people quoting scripture, when it really isn't in the Bible at all. She's quick to say "show it to me in the Word" - i guess I have picked up on that, a little

 

[NotUrsula]

We are moving back to St Louis and going into Rockwood school District which is the only public school system that has AP classes.

Wrong again. It just isn't true. Off the top of my head, I know that Clayton, Ladue, Lindbergh, Ferguson-Florissant, AND the St. Louis Public Schools all have AP offerings at selected schools. Lindbergh HS and Metro HS (SLPS) also have IB programs.

FTR: The difference between a high school and a prep school in the Archdiocese of STL is significant because of funding and Archdiocesan influence on school affairs. The Archdiocesan High Schools are administered by the Archdiocese (and therefore by Archbishop Burke), while the prep schools are run by independent boards and do not answer to the Archdiocese, nor depend on the Archdiocese for funding. The prep schools have selective admissions policies while the high schools do not.

Also, FWIW, AP classes are no guarantee of academic rigor. I know of quite a few schools (here and elsewhere) where large numbers of kids who pass the AP class do not manage to pass the corresponding AP exam, and other schools where kids routinely pass the exams without the classes. I personally attended a truly awful impoverished high school in rural Louisiana, but I CLEP'd out of two years worth of college credits because I made it a point to study the subjects on my own. Would I have liked to have had access to AP courses? Sure. Did the lack of them cripple me academically? Not on your life.

 

[Mkrop]

I understand what you're saying. I think that this may also be part of the issue with the differences. My Sunday School teacher has a big pet peeve about people quoting scripture, when it really isn't in the Bible at all. She's quick to say "show it to me in the Word" - i guess I have picked up on that, a little

Dont use the blushy smiley. It is how your faith is taught. Like I said I think it is just one of the difference.

We dont take the Bible fundamentally for the most part, we interpret a lot, and like I said we dont quote.

Just different approaches.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Wrong again. It just isn't true. Off the top of my head, I know that Clayton, Ladue, Lindbergh, Ferguson-Florissant, AND the St. Louis Public Schools all have AP offerings at selected schools. Lindbergh HS and Metro HS (SLPS) also have IB programs.

FTR: The difference between a high school and a prep school in the Archdiocese of STL is significant because of funding and Archdiocesan influence on school affairs. The Archdiocesan High Schools are administered by the Archdiocese (and therefore by Archbishop Burke), while the prep schools are run by independent boards and do not answer to the Archdiocese, nor depend on the Archdiocese for funding. The prep schools have selective admissions policies while the high schools do not.

Also, FWIW, AP classes are no guarantee of academic rigor. I know of quite a few schools (here and elsewhere) where large numbers of kids who pass the AP class do not manage to pass the corresponding AP exam, and other schools where kids routinely pass the exams without the classes. I personally attended a truly awful impoverished high school in rural Louisiana, but I CLEP'd out of two years worth of college credits because I made it a point to study the subjects on my own. Would I have liked to have had access to AP courses? Sure. Did the lack of them cripple me academically? Not on your life.

Yea....Like I can afford Clayton and Ladue. Come on.

No Frigging WAY on earth am I going to live in North County!!! I grew up there for Goodness sake.

What part of St Louis are you in?

Let's get real here. AP classes should BE OFFERED!!!!
These are the kids that are "left behind". Most kids would love to take a better class.

What is wrong with that?

We were in St. Charles County and my dd's were not afforded CHOICE.
They wanted above average classes and they DO NOT exist.
They ONLY exist for the "gifted kids".

Oh and I hate Burke.....he can stick it. Although I should thank him for having us realize we can no longer be Catholic.

 

[SydSim]

Dont use the blushy smiley. It is how your faith is taught. Like I said I think it is just one of the difference.

We dont take the Bible fundamentally for the most part, we interpret a lot, and like I said we dont quote.

Just different approaches.

You're right! I used the because I didn't want people to think that I was attacking them by asking them to show it to me in the Word. Religious talk can get volatile, sometimes

Oh, and I'm confused. Which is supposed to be the more challenging class, Honors or Ap. How do you get into each one, recommendation, grades or testing? Thanks

 

[Lanshark]

In the early seventies I attended a Catholic school and I was Greek Orthodox. My experience affected me for years. We were taught that unless you were Catholic you were going to pergatory or hell. No exceptions. The Byzantine Catholics of St. Michaels school didn't even agree with the Roman Catholics of St Peter and Paul. They were across the street from each other. If a baby was born and died before it was baptized it was doomed to pergatory. I had nightmares for years about this one. I was taught intolerance for anything other that the Catholic Doctrine. As a Greek Orthodox kid I was screwed. We the Exorcist came out we had a lecture, by the nuns. They told us, "This is the devil's work and if you see this movie you will be doing his work." Enough said. I still haven't seen the movie.

I haven't read other responses but this is what happened to me. This was of course many years ago and I would hope the church has become a little more tolerant since then. I haven't stepped foot in a Catholic church since those days.

 

[Christine]

so what, I dont get this?

Where I went Honors classes were a level below AP, so yes your daughter may be smarter than your nephew.

Plus I sat next to the valdectorian, the salutorain, the kid who went to MIT, etc, and in some of my classes they were in with me in Honors and some they were in AP without me. Yes they all scored higher than me in my SATs. So what?

I graduated in the top 10% of my class, never took an AP class, went to a good college, and I have a good life.

I really dont know what your point is. I am sure your nephew is getting a good education, no one is asking you to pay for it. And I am sure your DD is getting a good education at her public school. Different strokes, ya know. There are smart kids everywhere.

Agreed. Just because your DD did better on her PSAT than her Catholic-schooled cousin doesn't *prove* anything to me. There are tons of kids in the public school system than can, academically, run circles around my daughter and vice versa I'm sure. Most of us who choose to do private school, at least where I live, are not use academic standards as the only reason.

In fact, I would say that there are many public schools in the same county that are more rigorous than the Catholic school my daughter attends. The Fairfax County schools are some of the best in the U.S. I chose the school for the entire atmosphere that it brings to my child as an individual. I would also never go out and try to do a comparison. I would never say "Catholic school is better than public" or the reverse. You have to go by what works for your child. A pretty darn decent public school 100% did not care for my child. The Catholic school has not turned her into a genius but I will say, they keep on top of it, correspond with me, and discipline her when required.

 

[JennyMominRI]

the Hail Mary is not from the Bible, but it's inspired by Gabriel's greeting to Mary when he appeared to her.
Catholics don't take the Bible literally.

NO,but the phrase Mary ,Full of grace is from Luke 1:28