Catholic Parish Schools: Bethesda/Ch Ch/DC/Potomac/Rockville and others

[Anonymous]

I realize that these schools are considered to be undesirable by many on this list either b/c of the religious aspect or b/c of the perception of low quality academics. However, there is really very little information about the character and personality of these schools out there. They must be different from each other in distinct ways. Surely, each has its own relative strengths and weaknesses (acknowledging that none have facilities to compete with say, Norwood or Sidwell). But can we discuss how they differ from each other and what each has to offer?

So far, I've heard that deChantal has the strongest athletic program, but large classes (30+) Blessed Sacrament is supposed to be impossible to get into unless you are in the parish AND active in the parish (is it really THAT good?). I've heard St. Elizabeth's is strict and observant. St. Bart's is small and cozy, more flexible in grouping but instruction is boring: drills, worksheets, etc.

Here are some others I'd like to know more about: Mercy, Little Flower, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Ann's, St. Raphael's, Holy Cross, Holy Redeemer, Our Lady of Victory or any others, really. Are there any good ones across the river in VA? I'm open to hearing about it.

Can we dish on the Catholic school scene? Or does this list lack the critical mass (no pun intended) necessary?

[Anonymous]

Our friends are very happy with St. Ann's. But I don't know anything specific.

[Anonymous]

Regarding Blessed Sacrament and impossible to get into....their website says they are still taking kindergarten applications due to a smaller sibling pool. I think it varies year to year--sometimes it is hard to get into, but for fall '09 seems easier.

[Anonymous]

I love the St Ann's people I've met. It seems like a demographically-diverse school with a very engaged and well-integrated community. Don't know about the academics (though the artwork in the halls was great).

[Anonymous]

Also Blessed sacrament has very reasonable class sizes - around 20 for K and 21/22/23 for 2,3,4,5th graders

[Anonymous]

Interesting topic. Here is what I know from friends and family in catholics (parish & private) and private schools. I have empathy with the challenge to ground in (Catholic) values and get a strong education.

Here is the sense I have on two:

Blessed Sacrament. Strengths: very strong community. Large parish. Very popular school. New resources to build a field. Academics traditionally not seen as a high strength. Facilities a bit dated. new head of school, which probably is good. Loses boys - they say its to mater dei, but mater dei is very small and extremely competitive to get in - near impossible unless legacy / siblings

Little Flower: Blue Ribbon school this year. smaller than Blessed Sacrament. very tight community. Facilities decent. traditional kids seem to do well there. out of the box, or very bright, are known as not so much - in some grades? Monsignor very very good. Local public is seen as extremely good so it pulls parishoners there.

[Anonymous]

My kids are in Catholic school so here's what I hear on the ones you mention:

Mercy - can also be hard to get into because of lots of alums, very affluent parish, strong high school outplacement, I like their uniforms!

Little Flower - nice campus, great field, strongest clergy presence of all the schools, solid traditional instruction

Our Lady of Lourdes - more diverse than other Bethesda schools, more of a "city feel" to it's campus, one of the few with a 3 yo nursery program

St. Ann's - never hear much about them

St. Raphael's - newest school in area, only goes through grade 2-3 currently, spinoff from St. Elizabeth's

Holy Cross, Holy Redeemer, - don't know them

Our Lady of Victory - smaller than I thought, strong reputation,

Others areound are Holy Trinity (hard to get in and more expensive than others) and Annunciation (very small classes because of low enrollment)

[Anonymous]

bump

[Anonymous]

VERY much loved Our Lady of Victory....great little school.

Little Flower was too small and traditional...freaked me out a little.

BS is not that strong academically, but the community is super tight.

I know nothing about St. Ann's and wish I did!

[Anonymous]

Which St. Ann's - the one in Tenleytown?

[Anonymous]

Does St. Bart's in Bethesda have a school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Little Flower was too small and traditional...freaked me out a little.

quote]
Interesting because that's exactly why we liked it. I can see why having more than one class per grade could be good though. We just didn't want our enormous public school and we definitely want traditional.

[Anonymous]

St. Ann's is known to be an extremely pleasant community, but from what I have been told the academics are not all that strong.

[Anonymous]

What about Sacred Heart in Mt. Pleasant/Columbia Heights? It is a bilingual Catholic elementary school - I think one of the few in the nation. I've heard some good things about it but don't know anyone who attends.

[Anonymous]

St Bart's does have a school: http://www.stbartholomew.org/school/default.htm

I don;t know anything about the school personally, but one of our new neighbors sent her children there and was very pleased with the community and the academics.