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School Testimonials
Ease of Transferring Schools:
"Finding the right school for your family can be a stressful time. We are so blessed to have found St. Mary’s during our search last year [2022-2023 school year]. We were looking for a strong, faith-based community with values aligned with ours at home. St. Mary’s provides that and much more!
Once we decided to transfer, the administration team was there to support and answer any questions we had. They guided us through the process and took care of contacting our previous school. We were instantly amazed at the level of communication and care they provided and how quickly they welcomed us into the community.
We are so grateful for the loving teachers and staff at St. Mary’s. Our boys are surrounded by people who live out the mission and show our children how to be Christ-like men for others through their faith. Our boys are happy and looking forward to school days, making mornings much easier. We are glad God answered our prayers and are blessed to call
St. Mary’s our school!"
The Itsines Family
'the new kid.'” Click HERE to read the full testimonial about how St. Mary Parish School helped the Raynor family transfer schools.
Transition to Early Childhood Education:
High School Readiness:
For many families, the middle school years for their children are a huge transitional point. As high school is on the horizon, parents want to make sure their students are receiving the very best academics with a focus on high-school readiness. For one family, their journey led them back to St. Mary.
“At the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year we transferred our two older children (grades 6 and 7) out of St. Mary and to the public school system. At the time, we felt transferring them would make their transition to high school easier. While we still loved St. Mary (we actually kept our second grader there), we were focusing on our middle school kids long-term and felt like this was the best path. However, as the school year started, we began to notice that the school system didn’t seem to be challenging our kids. They had no homework, some subjects, such as Social Studies, went away, and their approach to teaching subjects on a rotating basis didn’t seem to helping our children learn. There wasn’t a focus on study skills or time management, and after talking with many parents, we heard feedback that the middle school students were not prepared for high school after leaving this public institution.
After 2 semesters, we transferred the kids back to St. Mary. This was clearly disruptive for everyone to do mid-year, but we felt so strongly that we made the switch. We felt the academics were much stronger and the kids had a more full understanding of their subjects. There is a much better focus on high school prep at St. Mary and truly challenging the kids. In addition, the teacher to student ratios at the public school did not allow for any individual focus or ability to differentiate learning. While the kids liked the school on a social level and quickly made friends, the limitations in academics was far too great.”
Ryan and Erika Bachmann
Additional Parent Testimonials:
“My husband and I both attended Catholic school and wanted the same for our children. St. Mary Parish School has it all - a strong, faith-based education, amazing community of parents and teachers that care about their students. The teachers are able to accommodate all four of our children’s different learning styles. The reading room that is offered has given our kids the extra help they need to boost their confidence. Mike and I want our kids to become respectful, confident and kind people with strong catholic values. St. Mary's does a good job of facilitating these qualities.”
Mike & Bridget Zimmerman
“Change is always a hard thing. No one likes to do it. Finding a new path is often uncomfortable and filled with unknowns. That’s the place our family was in 2 years ago when we switched schools. At the time, with a 2nd grader and K5 student, we had many years of primary school ahead and we felt like we weren’t getting “enough” out of our children’s education. The prospect of changing our school and parish was daunting, but we felt like it was the right decision.
That’s when we came to St. Mary’s and we’ve never looked back. I guess the simplest way to sum up what our decision was based on was, opportunities. Now that the kids have been here two years, we feel firmly it was the right decision.
Academically, the programs are robust and the study habits they instill in the students is impressive. The curriculum has been challenging and my children are pushed to excel. I consider our school very focused on high school prep. This is validated every time I talk with parents of high school students who confirm how well-prepared their child was for high school (to the point teachers will actually guess that they are St Mary alum).
The resources – staff, technology, specials, faith – are all amazing. The staff are extremely dedicated and truly vested in their student’s development. The extra programing they offer – from music and Spanish to Chess Club and Forensics – is fantastic. So many opportunities to give our kids a chance to experience something new and thrive at it.
There are so many opportunities to be a part of this community and make new friendships and truly challenge your child to excel. We welcome you to visit our school and experience the place we now consider home.”
Jim and Mary Pat Rick
Student Testimonials:
"St. Mary’s has always felt like home. I was a student there from K4 through 8th grade, pretty much my entire life. Never once did I feel overlooked. The teachers were always there when I needed help and guidance. I feel one of the things that people don't always see is that St. Mary always puts faith first. I didn’t always understand it at the time, but now looking back, I see that it shaped the kind of person I am today. I am truly thankful for the opportunities St. Mary has given me and I am happy to say I am a St. Mary graduate."
Luke - Class of 2022
"St. Mary prepared me greatly for the academic challenges I face every day in high school. The teachers at St. Mary prepared me for all types of courses that I take including Honors and Advanced Sciences and Math, as well as College Preparatory English courses that focus on analytical writing. In these classes I have received above average scores which I attribute to the rigorous academics I learned at St. Mary. The staff at St. Mary encouraged me to be challenged in my academics and taught me that mistakes are what make you great." Click HERE to read the full testimonial regarding how St. Mary prepared Sophia for high school.
“I am proud to say that I am an alumni of St. Mary Parish School. I attended St. Mary Parish School K-4-8th grade. Academically, I can say that I was well prepared for High School. I use the study skills that were taught to me by the caring and dedicated staff at St. Mary Parish School every day in high school. They truly wanted for me to succeed. I have also strengthened my values, morals and my catholic values. I have become the person I am today with the great foundation at St. Mary Parish School. Lastly, St. Mary Parish School is home to me. I have met some amazing friends and families through attending school here. I am thankful that I am still close with them as I take on my high schools years. WE ARE FAMILY!”
