Differences Between Alexandria Parochials St. Marys, St. Ritas, Blessed Sacrament?

[Anonymous]

We are another split-religious household and are thinking about St. Mary's and Blessed Sacrament for our DS. I am Catholic, DH is Jewish. Our DS is baptized Catholic (sort of against wishes of DH). Would DH feel completely out-of-place amongst the community? Although I am Catholic, I am not particularly conservative or devout - some would say I am a "fake" Catholic. Wondering if we would fit in at either of these two schools. We like the Catholic form of education, even if we are not particularly religious either way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are another split-religious household and are thinking about St. Mary's and Blessed Sacrament for our DS. I am Catholic, DH is Jewish. Our DS is baptized Catholic (sort of against wishes of DH). Would DH feel completely out-of-place amongst the community? Although I am Catholic, I am not particularly conservative or devout - some would say I am a "fake" Catholic. Wondering if we would fit in at either of these two schools. We like the Catholic form of education, even if we are not particularly religious either way.

As a pp stated, these schools are proud and unapologetic when it comes to their teaching. If your DH had objections to baptism, he will most probably have objections to the teachings at these schools. It seems this would be an awkward situation.

[Anonymous]

PP is right. Every subject is catechism-infused. Every gathering of parents groups or school function or concert or official meeting (even CYO basketball) begins with a Hail Mary. These are not "private" schools with a christian orientation...they are big-C Catholic schools that live the Church doctrine every day.

[Anonymous]

Does anybody know which of these schools has before and/or after care, and if there is before and/or after care, how much it costs? I am wondering how feasible any of these options are for a two-parent working family from both a time and budgetary perspective. We couldn't drop off much later than 8:30 (maybe 9), and would be hard-pressed to pick up much before 5:30.

[Anonymous]

There is no before care... School starts at 7:50. Drop off begins at 7:30. After care runs til 6. Cost is approximately $2k a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP is right. Every subject is catechism-infused. Every gathering of parents groups or school function or concert or official meeting (even CYO basketball) begins with a Hail Mary. These are not "private" schools with a christian orientation...they are big-C Catholic schools that live the Church doctrine every day.

The prayers are fine with me. I'm a liberal Catholic and my closest parent friends at St. Mary's are the same, sort of cutural catholics so-to-speak.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no before care... School starts at 7:50. Drop off begins at 7:30. After care runs til 6. Cost is approximately $2k a year.

I think the 6pm plan is closer to $3k, and the 5pm plan is around $2k. DH and I stagger our schedules to make the 5pm pick up work.

I'm a non-Catholic and the prayers at the beginning and end of everything don't bother me at all. If they would make you or your DH uncomfortable, it's definitely not the school for you. PP is right that the religion is woven into nearly everything, at least in the younger grades with which I'm familiar at this point. For example, my K child had a pirate theme this week--read pirate books, pirate-themed math exercises, counting treasure (money), and discussing the treasures that they hope to find in heaven one day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP is right. Every subject is catechism-infused. Every gathering of parents groups or school function or concert or official meeting (even CYO basketball) begins with a Hail Mary. These are not "private" schools with a christian orientation...they are big-C Catholic schools that live the Church doctrine every day.

The prayers are fine with me. I'm a liberal Catholic and my closest parent friends at St. Mary's are the same, sort of cutural catholics so-to-speak.

I'm a liberal Catholic with a child at St. Marys. I must find these liberal parents!!!

[Anonymous]

Do any of the kids from these schools go on to publics after grade 8? While these schools are affordable, there seems to be a sharp increase in price at the high school level (i.e. Visitation, Gonzaga, Bishop Ireton) that may be cost-prohibitive for us with two children. And privates are completely out of the question. Would our DCs feel out of place or bad if they were going on to a public after grade 8?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do any of the kids from these schools go on to publics after grade 8? While these schools are affordable, there seems to be a sharp increase in price at the high school level (i.e. Visitation, Gonzaga, Bishop Ireton) that may be cost-prohibitive for us with two children. And privates are completely out of the question. Would our DCs feel out of place or bad if they were going on to a public after grade 8?

They quoted some 8th graders in the St. Mary's student paper this week, and 2 of 9 were going on to T.C. Williams. Not sure how common it is overall. If you're paying the out of parish rate at St. Mary's (we are), and you're paying for extended day, Bishop Ireton tuition isn't that much more than that total. Obviously Gonzaga and Visi are a different story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do any of the kids from these schools go on to publics after grade 8? While these schools are affordable, there seems to be a sharp increase in price at the high school level (i.e. Visitation, Gonzaga, Bishop Ireton) that may be cost-prohibitive for us with two children. And privates are completely out of the question. Would our DCs feel out of place or bad if they were going on to a public after grade 8?

A lot will go on to TC Williams. This is true across the board for kids who live in the Alex City and attend private in the earl years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do any of the kids from these schools go on to publics after grade 8? While these schools are affordable, there seems to be a sharp increase in price at the high school level (i.e. Visitation, Gonzaga, Bishop Ireton) that may be cost-prohibitive for us with two children. And privates are completely out of the question. Would our DCs feel out of place or bad if they were going on to a public after grade 8?

A lot will go on to TC Williams. This is true across the board for kids who live in the Alex City and attend private in the earl years.

Yes, but do those kids feel badly if they can't apply to schools that their friends are applying to because of cost considerations? I.e., "why can't I apply to Visitation - all of my best friends from St. Mary's are applying there..."

[Anonymous]

For those of you with kids at St Mary's...how is the principal there? I have heard some mixed things and even some negative things about being too focused on discipline. I have heard some say that it is not what it used to be. We are considering for K in fall of 2014.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do any of the kids from these schools go on to publics after grade 8? While these schools are affordable, there seems to be a sharp increase in price at the high school level (i.e. Visitation, Gonzaga, Bishop Ireton) that may be cost-prohibitive for us with two children. And privates are completely out of the question. Would our DCs feel out of place or bad if they were going on to a public after grade 8?

A lot will go on to TC Williams. This is true across the board for kids who live in the Alex City and attend private in the earl years.

Yes, but do those kids feel badly if they can't apply to schools that their friends are applying to because of cost considerations? I.e., "why can't I apply to Visitation - all of my best friends from St. Mary's are applying there..."

Yeah, probably some do. But I know lots of parents with kids in these elementary schools who steadfastly say their child will attend TC so I have a feeling that is communicated to the child early and often so it's not a surprise. I would bet that at least half of every 8th grade graduating class from an Alex private is headed to TC so the kids going are in good company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you with kids at St Mary's...how is the principal there? I have heard some mixed things and even some negative things about being too focused on discipline. I have heard some say that it is not what it used to be. We are considering for K in fall of 2014.

DC is in a lower grade so no long term experience, but our impression is that she's pretty no nonsense, but a good manager of the school, has the best interests of the kids at heart, and is very visible. I know there are those who are unhappy with the bubble classes and fear the school is getting too big, but I'm unsure whether that is her call in the end. Before we started, several parents of older students commented that they liked her because she didn't bend the rules for the VIPs and that the rules were applied fairly to everyone, but I don't have any first hand experience with that kind of thing.