I did not grow up Catholic. For many years, I worked as a speech-pathologist in a classroom in a public school system in southwest Ohio. I support public schools, I believe in them, and I certainly think they can provide an excellent education for many students. However, when the time came to choose a school option for my own children, the choice was easy.
Catholic school.
My husband and I considered several factors beyond simply our religious beliefs and economic issues. Here are 4 of the main reasons why we choose a Catholic education for our children:
- Values, Ethics, and Community Service. Many people assume Catholic school students only study the Bible during religious education classes. This could not be further from the truth. While the Bible is certainly a part of the curriculum, our experience has been that religion class encompasses a study of world religions, as well as a strong focus on volunteerism, morality, and philosophy and service to others. Our children are taught within a culture of faith and are afforded opportunities to discuss both religious and secular curricula. Having said that, most of their day is filled with language arts, science, social studies, math, and other subjects found in any school.
- A Family Atmosphere. The public schools in our town are extremely large, with hundreds of children in each grade level at each elementary school. We felt strongly that our daughter, who has some exceptionalities not related to academics, would have gotten “lost in the shuffle” at a large public school. Most Catholic primary schools are on the smaller side, and the one we picked has just one class per grade. We know every single parent of every child in her class. As the years have gone by, we have become like family. When one family was rocked by a tragedy last year, the entire school pulled together to provide donations, goods, and support for them. Our particular school also has a strong family atmosphere, allowing parents to volunteer throughout the day in classrooms, in the cafeteria, or helping with after-school programs. Parents are welcome to attend mass or have lunch with their children. In such a small environment, I feel a strong connection to the teachers and staff as well. I trust that they are instilling in my children the same values that we focus on in our home. It is a safe environment where educators teach from a moral compass and expect order and good behavior. This was a good fit for our family.
- The Case for Strong Academic Programs. Catholic schools often have a reputation for tough academic standards. In our archdiocese, over 98% of the senior students go on to higher education and consistently outperform state and local averages. With smaller class sizes, our children get lots of individual attention and have excelled through the culture of high expectations and caring support. Also, it is important to remember that private schools are not federally regulated (i.e., they don’t receive governmental funds), therefore they are not required to adhere to specific academic instructional methods. For example, our Catholic primary school does not adhere rigidly the Common Core methodology, and uses a lot of innovative instructional methods integrated into the curriculum.
- The uniform policy. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE dressing up my kids. On the weekends, our house is a fashion show filled with frilly dresses, yards of tulle, and hair bows galore. But during the week, our children are required to adhere to a strict uniform policy. And your know what? I like that as well. It levels the playing field for families of varying economic levels. When everyone is wearing the same plaid jumper, no one focuses on who can afford Uggs and Jordans and who cannot. It’s also less expensive than buying school clothes and we have fewer morning arguments on what is appropriate (anyone else have a child who insists on shorts in the middle of winter?!).
How To Find The Right Catholic School for Your Child
When I was researching schools, I found the best strategy to be to simply talk to other parents. I talked to many parents who had children in the schools I was considering, and asked for their candid opinions. Even amongst Catholic schools, there is a great deal of variability. Some are larger, some are smaller, some are more expensive, while some offer tuition discounts and voucher programs. The best way to determine whether a specific school is right for your family is to GO THERE.
I found that many of the schools were willing to allow me to come in and let me talk to teachers and administrators, observe during the school day, and even let my older daughter “shadow” another kindergartener for the day to determine whether she herself felt the school was a good fit. We visited several, and knew immediately when we found the one that was right for us. We liked the sunny atmosphere, the instructional style, the extracurricular offerings, and the strong focus on STEM, modern technology and interactive learning. We knew within minutes of stepping through the doors that this was the right choice for our family.
Do you think Catholic school is the right choice for your family?
