St Marys versus St Louis

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the weirdest thread I’ve ever read. The school at issue here apparently has systemic problems — massive turnover in staff and teachers, kids leaving the middle school (some even for public!), etc. Yet nobody is allowed to question the status quo or propose new ideas or changes? Bizarre.

I suspect many of these posts are just trolls.

Cancelling Mass at a Catholic school is the big idea for change? I suspect the poster hammering away and calling weekly Mass at school “weird” is the likely troll.

You’re right. All the other brilliant ideas offered are much better. Here’s an idea: have Latin mass 5x a week and just rely on osmosis for academic learning.

Latin Mass is a brilliant idea! Thank you for suggesting this. What a wonderful way to introduce students to a language so pivotal in the development of Western Civilization; not to mention, by introducing the Latin Mass, you could start correlating where certain practices arose, the ties to how Jews worshipped in the Old Testament. I’ve never attended a traditional Latin Mass, but really what wonderful way to broaden horizons, give students culture context.

lol. Other schools are teaching AI, coding, robotics, critical thinking, writing, etc. But let’s focus on this.

The funny thing is, the best way to actually honor and worship God is to learn about and understand His creation and strive to innovate, discover, learn science, etc. Not sit around for hours and replicate Sunday mornings.

Of course, teaching is HARD and takes $$$. So it’s much easier/cheaper just to focus on other things and rationalize it, and then yell at anyone who dares to question that approach or proposes change. I get it.

Go to a different school. This is absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the weirdest thread I’ve ever read. The school at issue here apparently has systemic problems — massive turnover in staff and teachers, kids leaving the middle school (some even for public!), etc. Yet nobody is allowed to question the status quo or propose new ideas or changes? Bizarre.

I suspect many of these posts are just trolls.

Cancelling Mass at a Catholic school is the big idea for change? I suspect the poster hammering away and calling weekly Mass at school “weird” is the likely troll.

You’re right. All the other brilliant ideas offered are much better. Here’s an idea: have Latin mass 5x a week and just rely on osmosis for academic learning.

Latin Mass is a brilliant idea! Thank you for suggesting this. What a wonderful way to introduce students to a language so pivotal in the development of Western Civilization; not to mention, by introducing the Latin Mass, you could start correlating where certain practices arose, the ties to how Jews worshipped in the Old Testament. I’ve never attended a traditional Latin Mass, but really what wonderful way to broaden horizons, give students culture context.

lol. Other schools are teaching AI, coding, robotics, critical thinking, writing, etc. But let’s focus on this.

The funny thing is, the best way to actually honor and worship God is to learn about and understand His creation and strive to innovate, discover, learn science, etc. Not sit around for hours and replicate Sunday mornings.

Of course, teaching is HARD and takes $$$. So it’s much easier/cheaper just to focus on other things and rationalize it, and then yell at anyone who dares to question that approach or proposes change. I get it.

So, in your SAHP filling the gaps role, I assume you are teaching robotics, coding, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the weirdest thread I’ve ever read. The school at issue here apparently has systemic problems — massive turnover in staff and teachers, kids leaving the middle school (some even for public!), etc. Yet nobody is allowed to question the status quo or propose new ideas or changes? Bizarre.

I suspect many of these posts are just trolls.

Cancelling Mass at a Catholic school is the big idea for change? I suspect the poster hammering away and calling weekly Mass at school “weird” is the likely troll.

You’re right. All the other brilliant ideas offered are much better. Here’s an idea: have Latin mass 5x a week and just rely on osmosis for academic learning.

Latin Mass is a brilliant idea! Thank you for suggesting this. What a wonderful way to introduce students to a language so pivotal in the development of Western Civilization; not to mention, by introducing the Latin Mass, you could start correlating where certain practices arose, the ties to how Jews worshipped in the Old Testament. I’ve never attended a traditional Latin Mass, but really what wonderful way to broaden horizons, give students culture context.

lol. Other schools are teaching AI, coding, robotics, critical thinking, writing, etc. But let’s focus on this.

The funny thing is, the best way to actually honor and worship God is to learn about and understand His creation and strive to innovate, discover, learn science, etc. Not sit around for hours and replicate Sunday mornings.

Of course, teaching is HARD and takes $$$. So it’s much easier/cheaper just to focus on other things and rationalize it, and then yell at anyone who dares to question that approach or proposes change. I get it.

So who did you talk with at the school about the changes you propose?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the weirdest thread I’ve ever read. The school at issue here apparently has systemic problems — massive turnover in staff and teachers, kids leaving the middle school (some even for public!), etc. Yet nobody is allowed to question the status quo or propose new ideas or changes? Bizarre.

I suspect many of these posts are just trolls.

Cancelling Mass at a Catholic school is the big idea for change? I suspect the poster hammering away and calling weekly Mass at school “weird” is the likely troll.

You’re right. All the other brilliant ideas offered are much better. Here’s an idea: have Latin mass 5x a week and just rely on osmosis for academic learning.

Latin Mass is a brilliant idea! Thank you for suggesting this. What a wonderful way to introduce students to a language so pivotal in the development of Western Civilization; not to mention, by introducing the Latin Mass, you could start correlating where certain practices arose, the ties to how Jews worshipped in the Old Testament. I’ve never attended a traditional Latin Mass, but really what wonderful way to broaden horizons, give students culture context.

lol. Other schools are teaching AI, coding, robotics, critical thinking, writing, etc. But let’s focus on this.

The funny thing is, the best way to actually honor and worship God is to learn about and understand His creation and strive to innovate, discover, learn science, etc. Not sit around for hours and replicate Sunday mornings.

Of course, teaching is HARD and takes $$$. So it’s much easier/cheaper just to focus on other things and rationalize it, and then yell at anyone who dares to question that approach or proposes change. I get it.

So who did you talk with at the school about the changes you propose?

He/she probably doesn’t want to be excommunicated.

[Anonymous]

Im going to give a little input from the neighborhood rumor mill. I do Not have a child at the school. I have A middle schooler who goes somewhere else. The word is that the middle school boys are struggling. The new conservative principal came in promising a new initiative to cater to boys- to create leaders out of the boys. He sold a very conservative agenda that spoke to the parents of boys. The school wants to give boys more leadership opportunities and teach to their needs because they are worried that modern curriculum has left boys behind. (I could Not roll my eyes deeper into my head) however, bullying and behavior problems amongst the boys especially via text message and in video game chats is insane (calling kids gay, making fun of their bodies, luring them into group chats to bully them, very sexualized verbal attacks, racism against Asian children) m. The stories I’ve heard from parents of st Mary’s kids about the bullying their kids endure are terrifying. However, the school believes in “peer feedback” meaning if a child is being bullied like being called fat or being called annoying, they need to hear this to motivate them to change. The administration does nothing about bullying amongst boys. In fact, if a child is dorky or an outcast or suffers bullying, they let the bullying persist without intervention until the parents remove the child from the school. Several middle school boys left mid year for commonwealth academy. The class sizes are way too big. There was a flood of “woke” but “nimby” parents during the pandemic who want accommodation and differentiated curriculum and a curriculum for the whole child and mental health and anti-bullying but they are paying bargain basement prices. They are shocked to find out that Catholic Church serves the goal of creating more Catholics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Im going to give a little input from the neighborhood rumor mill. I do Not have a child at the school. I have A middle schooler who goes somewhere else. The word is that the middle school boys are struggling. The new conservative principal came in promising a new initiative to cater to boys- to create leaders out of the boys. He sold a very conservative agenda that spoke to the parents of boys. The school wants to give boys more leadership opportunities and teach to their needs because they are worried that modern curriculum has left boys behind. (I could Not roll my eyes deeper into my head) however, bullying and behavior problems amongst the boys especially via text message and in video game chats is insane (calling kids gay, making fun of their bodies, luring them into group chats to bully them, very sexualized verbal attacks, racism against Asian children) m. The stories I’ve heard from parents of st Mary’s kids about the bullying their kids endure are terrifying. However, the school believes in “peer feedback” meaning if a child is being bullied like being called fat or being called annoying, they need to hear this to motivate them to change. The administration does nothing about bullying amongst boys. In fact, if a child is dorky or an outcast or suffers bullying, they let the bullying persist without intervention until the parents remove the child from the school. Several middle school boys left mid year for commonwealth academy. The class sizes are way too big. There was a flood of “woke” but “nimby” parents during the pandemic who want accommodation and differentiated curriculum and a curriculum for the whole child and mental health and anti-bullying but they are paying bargain basement prices. They are shocked to find out that Catholic Church serves the goal of creating more Catholics.

You sure have a definite opinion as someone who isn’t actually in the school.

[Anonymous]

About St. Louis…

[Anonymous]

How much of a nerd do you have to be to bully people on video games?? Nerds bullying other nerds?? Hilarious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:About St. Louis…

Chiming in again to say we are in the middle school at St. Louis and happy. Teachers are, on balance, good. Kids seem well behaved (for middle schoolers). Discipline is definitely handed out, no worries there. Overall, it's been a great place with good people. Sounds like we made the right choice between here and St. Marys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Im going to give a little input from the neighborhood rumor mill. I do Not have a child at the school. I have A middle schooler who goes somewhere else. The word is that the middle school boys are struggling. The new conservative principal came in promising a new initiative to cater to boys- to create leaders out of the boys. He sold a very conservative agenda that spoke to the parents of boys. The school wants to give boys more leadership opportunities and teach to their needs because they are worried that modern curriculum has left boys behind. (I could Not roll my eyes deeper into my head) however, bullying and behavior problems amongst the boys especially via text message and in video game chats is insane (calling kids gay, making fun of their bodies, luring them into group chats to bully them, very sexualized verbal attacks, racism against Asian children) m. The stories I’ve heard from parents of st Mary’s kids about the bullying their kids endure are terrifying. However, the school believes in “peer feedback” meaning if a child is being bullied like being called fat or being called annoying, they need to hear this to motivate them to change. The administration does nothing about bullying amongst boys. In fact, if a child is dorky or an outcast or suffers bullying, they let the bullying persist without intervention until the parents remove the child from the school. Several middle school boys left mid year for commonwealth academy. The class sizes are way too big. There was a flood of “woke” but “nimby” parents during the pandemic who want accommodation and differentiated curriculum and a curriculum for the whole child and mental health and anti-bullying but they are paying bargain basement prices. They are shocked to find out that Catholic Church serves the goal of creating more Catholics.

This thread has gone off the rails...

St. Mary's does have serious teacher quality issues, but doing away with school mass is not going to make teachers magically improve.

As a school with a lot of wealth, but Lord of the Flies it is not. Perhaps favoritism shown to prominent families, but that happens everywhere even Sidwell..gasp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im going to give a little input from the neighborhood rumor mill. I do Not have a child at the school. I have A middle schooler who goes somewhere else. The word is that the middle school boys are struggling. The new conservative principal came in promising a new initiative to cater to boys- to create leaders out of the boys. He sold a very conservative agenda that spoke to the parents of boys. The school wants to give boys more leadership opportunities and teach to their needs because they are worried that modern curriculum has left boys behind. (I could Not roll my eyes deeper into my head) however, bullying and behavior problems amongst the boys especially via text message and in video game chats is insane (calling kids gay, making fun of their bodies, luring them into group chats to bully them, very sexualized verbal attacks, racism against Asian children) m. The stories I’ve heard from parents of st Mary’s kids about the bullying their kids endure are terrifying. However, the school believes in “peer feedback” meaning if a child is being bullied like being called fat or being called annoying, they need to hear this to motivate them to change. The administration does nothing about bullying amongst boys. In fact, if a child is dorky or an outcast or suffers bullying, they let the bullying persist without intervention until the parents remove the child from the school. Several middle school boys left mid year for commonwealth academy. The class sizes are way too big. There was a flood of “woke” but “nimby” parents during the pandemic who want accommodation and differentiated curriculum and a curriculum for the whole child and mental health and anti-bullying but they are paying bargain basement prices. They are shocked to find out that Catholic Church serves the goal of creating more Catholics.

You sure have a definite opinion as someone who isn’t actually in the school.

I guess the weekly mass is working wonders for these kids. Forcing 14 yos to attend mass TWICE a week (Friday and Sunday) is a wonderful idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im going to give a little input from the neighborhood rumor mill. I do Not have a child at the school. I have A middle schooler who goes somewhere else. The word is that the middle school boys are struggling. The new conservative principal came in promising a new initiative to cater to boys- to create leaders out of the boys. He sold a very conservative agenda that spoke to the parents of boys. The school wants to give boys more leadership opportunities and teach to their needs because they are worried that modern curriculum has left boys behind. (I could Not roll my eyes deeper into my head) however, bullying and behavior problems amongst the boys especially via text message and in video game chats is insane (calling kids gay, making fun of their bodies, luring them into group chats to bully them, very sexualized verbal attacks, racism against Asian children) m. The stories I’ve heard from parents of st Mary’s kids about the bullying their kids endure are terrifying. However, the school believes in “peer feedback” meaning if a child is being bullied like being called fat or being called annoying, they need to hear this to motivate them to change. The administration does nothing about bullying amongst boys. In fact, if a child is dorky or an outcast or suffers bullying, they let the bullying persist without intervention until the parents remove the child from the school. Several middle school boys left mid year for commonwealth academy. The class sizes are way too big. There was a flood of “woke” but “nimby” parents during the pandemic who want accommodation and differentiated curriculum and a curriculum for the whole child and mental health and anti-bullying but they are paying bargain basement prices. They are shocked to find out that Catholic Church serves the goal of creating more Catholics.

This thread has gone off the rails...

St. Mary's does have serious teacher quality issues, but doing away with school mass is not going to make teachers magically improve.

As a school with a lot of wealth, but Lord of the Flies it is not. Perhaps favoritism shown to prominent families, but that happens everywhere even Sidwell..gasp

What sort of “favoritism”? Student of the Month? Who cares?

Btw, they get favoritism not bc they’re “prominent” but bc they donate $$$. Spurious correlation. Trust me — donate 5 or 20 grand and your snowflake will get favoritism too, even if nobody’s heard of you.

[Anonymous]

Commonwealth Academy had better be 4x better, to justify the tuition difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About St. Louis…

Chiming in again to say we are in the middle school at St. Louis and happy. Teachers are, on balance, good. Kids seem well behaved (for middle schoolers). Discipline is definitely handed out, no worries there. Overall, it's been a great place with good people. Sounds like we made the right choice between here and St. Marys.

NP. We also have a child on the older end of the St. Louis middle school. The discipline is appropriate. Some of the MS teachers are quirky, but my child’s standardized test scores have gone way up, so they must be doing something right. Overall, the families in the community are great.

I actually picked St. Louis by taking a tour and watching how the teachers treated the students. The kids there seemed happy, even the older boys. Much happier/more at ease than other parochial schools I visited.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im going to give a little input from the neighborhood rumor mill. I do Not have a child at the school. I have A middle schooler who goes somewhere else. The word is that the middle school boys are struggling. The new conservative principal came in promising a new initiative to cater to boys- to create leaders out of the boys. He sold a very conservative agenda that spoke to the parents of boys. The school wants to give boys more leadership opportunities and teach to their needs because they are worried that modern curriculum has left boys behind. (I could Not roll my eyes deeper into my head) however, bullying and behavior problems amongst the boys especially via text message and in video game chats is insane (calling kids gay, making fun of their bodies, luring them into group chats to bully them, very sexualized verbal attacks, racism against Asian children) m. The stories I’ve heard from parents of st Mary’s kids about the bullying their kids endure are terrifying. However, the school believes in “peer feedback” meaning if a child is being bullied like being called fat or being called annoying, they need to hear this to motivate them to change. The administration does nothing about bullying amongst boys. In fact, if a child is dorky or an outcast or suffers bullying, they let the bullying persist without intervention until the parents remove the child from the school. Several middle school boys left mid year for commonwealth academy. The class sizes are way too big. There was a flood of “woke” but “nimby” parents during the pandemic who want accommodation and differentiated curriculum and a curriculum for the whole child and mental health and anti-bullying but they are paying bargain basement prices. They are shocked to find out that Catholic Church serves the goal of creating more Catholics.

You sure have a definite opinion as someone who isn’t actually in the school.

I guess the weekly mass is working wonders for these kids. Forcing 14 yos to attend mass TWICE a week (Friday and Sunday) is a wonderful idea.

If this is such a problem, why are you at a Catholic school? Attending Mass as a school once a week is part of the culture. Is it that you are too cheap to pay for a secular private?