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One mom’s quest:
Choosing a Catholic school
By Katie Cobb, Special to The Catholic Sun
January 17, 2008
“Hurry up guys, let’s get in the car!”
It’s my traditional Sunday morning rallying cry, as my husband and I try to get our three kids, Charlie, 5, Caroline, 4, and Jeannie, 2, to church on time. Getting to Mass each week may not always be easy, but we know it is an essential element to developing our children’s faith in Jesus Christ. And it’s part of a parallel effort to provide them with the benefits of a Catholic education.
After relocating to the Valley from Los Angeles last year, I quickly found the right parish for our family. Now I’m on the hunt for the right school for my future kindergartener, who will enroll next fall. As a former journalist, I start my search the best way I know how: interviewing well-placed sources.
“We like being part of a community of families that values a faith-based education,” said fellow parishioner Julie Palmer, mother of Charlie, 5 and Henry, 2. “We know that in a Catholic elementary school we will meet and spend time with families that not only want a great education for their children but also… teaches about God, responsibility, and good morals and values.”
With 29 schools in the Diocese of Phoenix offering Catholic education from kindergarten through eighth grade, there are many choices for parents like Julie and me. But these schools all have one thing in common, according to MaryBeth Mueller, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese. “We want all our children to know and love Jesus Christ, to have a personal relationship with Jesus, and to know that with their faith all things are possible,” Mueller said. “They can go to any school for academics. We do more.”
As the product of a Phoenix Catholic education myself, I can personally attest to the added value, and values, faith-based schooling can instill in a child. To learn whether anything had changed since my grade-school days I visited Maureen Vick, who is principal at St. Theresa, where I attended.
“We still believe it is best to begin teaching a child to know and love Jesus Christ at the early stages,” she told me. “It is a nice building block of what is expected in a Catholic school. We instill values at an early age and continue teaching them in K-8.”
I was delighted to learn that some of my younger siblings’ teachers are still at St. Theresa. The principal credits this tenure for St. Theresa’s strong academic and spiritual environment. Parents like my friend Susie Turner, confirmed this.
“Teachers are in it for more than just a paycheck,” Turner said. “They really put their hearts into their teaching.”
Some Catholic educators recommend children attend school where they attend church. This advice led me to our own parish, St. Thomas the Apostle, where the majority of students who attend the school also belong to the parish.
“It’s hand in hand,” said Sr. Patricia Gehling, SSND, principal of St. Thomas. “For our children, Jesus is fully present in their life. At home, in their school and in their church, it’s all one.”
At the high school level, experts tell me that things change a bit. Once again, I returned to my past to learn more. “Knowing what is best for your child may be critical at the elementary level,” said Sr. Joan Fitzgerald, BVM, principal of Xavier College Preparatory, my alma mater. “But knowing who your child is is critical in choosing a high school.”
Five of the six Catholic high schools in the Valley are run by the diocese (the sixth is private.) Sr. Joan said all of them offer wonderful faith communities. Selecting the right one depends on the individual child.
“Does she like academics? Does he like sports? Is she into performing arts, or does he like small class sizes? Children will fit into any school but not all schools are the right fit for children.”
My friend Julie Lawry agreed. With two children at Our Lady Of Perpetual Help Elementary School, one of whom is choosing a high school for next year, she is taking advantage of high school open houses and shadow days to help her daughter decide.
“My daughter is getting a first-hand look at the students, the teachers and the academics, but also programs in sports and the arts, which are of particular interest to her,” Lawry said.
To ensure that her child has really thought through her decision, Lawry is taking an innovative extra step by having her daughter write an essay about why she wants to attend a certain high school.
Vincent Marchese, director of admissions for Notre Dame High School, supports this kind of family dialogue. “A child won’t be successful if they don’t want to be at a certain school,” he said. “Know your child’s goals and then find the school where he or she can best achieve them.”
With basic tuition costs more than $10,000 at some Catholic high schools, the faith-based education I am seeking is not inexpensive. However, Arizona is fortunate to be the only state with an individual tax credit and corporate tax credit to assist parents financially in sending their children to Catholic schools.
“We recognize the great sacrifices made by many parents as well as administrators, teachers, staff, pastors and parishes to make Catholic education happen. The choice is theirs,” said Superintendent Mueller.
And we are certainly blessed to have many choices here in the Diocese of Phoenix.
Katie Cobb is a mother of three and a member of the Diocesan School Board. She and her family are parishioners at St. Thomas the Apostle.
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