St. Joseph School at 2238 Manhattan Street, Erie, MI 48133 US - Parent to Parent
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Parent to Parent |
Like everyone right now, we had to seriously consider the financial aspect of sending my daughter to a private school as opposed to a public school as Pre-Kindergarten was nearing its end. It would take some sacrifice, would it be worth it for her?? ABSOLUTELY!! Besides the "expected" benefits of attending a Catholic school, I have been most pleased with the genuine caring and concern my daughter and family have received from St. JosephSchool, and staff. My daughter suffers from a severe peanut allergy. This was handled very well during her year in pre-K, the teacher and principal made it a priority to educate themselves on her needs and the specifics of her case. We had no incidents. This year, she started Kindergarten, and this opened up a whole new array of issues. Now my daughter would be attending school all day, including LUNCH!!, and she would be exposed to a number of other classrooms. Time is shared with the Pre-K, grade 1, and her grade 4 Mass “buddies”, as well as the playground. I was a nervous wreck, but again, after meeting with Sister Jean and Mrs.Mercurio, we were assured everything would be taken care of. It WAS, and then some!! A meeting was held with ALL the teachers so they could explain the severity of the situation to their students and parents. I received several calls from the Lunch Chefs regarding various issues with the menu, and what was considered safe. All this was initiated by the school staff, I hadn't thought of ANY of this. My wife and I get calls all the time regarding special parties or outings so we can address any potential issues ahead of time. Many parents approach us all the time to see what is safe, or not. We are treated like FAMILY, and the concern is GENUINE!! I don't believe for a minute, that we would possibly be able to get this kind of treatment from a public school, simply because of the logistics. But when you factor in a group of faculty who truly cares as much as ours does, and the group of parents we are blessed to have, with the same moral beliefs and expectations as we have, I feel completely safe every morning when I drop my daughter off that she will be safe, and well looked after. There is no price that can be put on that peace of mind!! No matter what it takes, my daughter will be a student at St. JosephSchool until her graduation, and I will rest assured that it was one of the best decisions my wife and I could have ever made for her physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. 
Our parents were asked,
“How is the Catholic school education and academic programs offered at St. Joseph helping your child to grow in their faith and knowledge?”
Manny, Temperance, father of student in Kindergarten
I am a parent of three Saint Joseph School Alumni, and I also have a son currently attending Saint Joseph School. Teaching the Catholic faith and living it out by good examples are priorities at St. Joseph School. For example, a daily Religion lesson guides students to learn more and daily prayer time occurs first in the morning, next at lunch time, and then just before dismissal. Sister Jean, our Principal, is an excellent leader. She is deeply religious, very consistent in her decisions, and is truly a blessing for our school. Saint Joseph School teachers are exceptional. They care deeply about their students' needs and their academic success. They set high expectations for their students, but also offer extra considerations for the students that need extra help. I am extremely pleased with the education and values my children have received and I am thankful that one or more of my children have attended this school for the past sixteen years. I would highly recommend this school to anyone.
Barbara, LaSalle, mother of student in grade 3
I feel that Catholic school education and the programs offered at St. Joseph have helped my children in many ways. It has prepared my older children for the success they are having in Catholic high schools. Not only in the classroom but on the athletic fields as well. The programs offered at St. Joseph have taught my children how to live a sacramental life, to respect authority, to prepare for academic challenges, and how to exhibit sportsmanship on the playing fields. I feel this is a great testament to the dedicated staff at St. Joseph. St. Joseph is truly one big happy family.
Mark, Erie, father of student in grade 8 and two alumni
Our two granddaughters have attended St. Joseph school for 11 and 7 yrs. respectfully. They are receiving an excellent education. Our eldest granddaughter struggled in the lower grades, but with the help of the dedicated teachers, has now achieved a strong grade point average. She is a Mass server, and takes her religion very seriously. We have many talks around the dinner table which gives us a window into what the girls are learning. Our younger granddaughter is doing nicely academically. She is eager to learn and shows great interest in her subjects, especially math. They are both active in sports and display good sportsmanship toward the other children. The teachers are quite familiar with their students and families. The school, both students and teachers, are like an extended family for the kids. The teachers have known these children from the beginning of Pre Kindergarten. through the eighth grade. Our daughter and son-in-law sacrifice much to have the girls attend St. Joseph. They are very active in the parish and school. This family has put their priorities of Catholic values and education, before all else. For this we are grateful to God as He continues to guide them in the right path. They have set their goals high with SMCC in the near future. We love St. Joseph's, and our faith community. We would do everything we can for St. Joseph's!
Tom and Judy, grandparents of students in grade 5 and 8
After much research and prayer, we chose to switch our daughter to St. Joseph School this year (2008-2009). Being a teacher myself (Jennifer), I have very high standards when it comes to education. St. Joseph has exceeded all of my expectations. The curriculum at all grade levels has been aligned with the Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations, so we are confident that our daughter is being prepared for the future. Also, all of the classroom materials are updated. It has been apparent to us that the teachers at St. Joseph not only make an effort to provide extra help for those students who need it, but also challenge students to reach their highest potential. We have also been impressed with the family environment. We enjoy participating in the movie nights, skating parties, field trips, and many other activities larger schools are not able to provide. Being matched with another family from the school has given us the feeling of a warm and welcoming environment. Most importantly, St. Joseph School is providing our daughter with a rich, spiritual experience. Her faith has been made stronger. We look forward to many more years with our new St. Joseph family.
Jennifer and Gary, Temperance, parents of student in grade 2
John, Temperance, father of students in grade 4 and 8
I would like to attest to the wonderful academic education my two daughters are receiving at St. Joseph School, Erie. We have been involved with the school for 10 years now - Pre-school (age 3) through 7th grade. I feel exceptionally strong about the teachers, the academic curriculum, the religious education and foremost the parent involvement. My oldest daughter, with the help of the teachers, has matured academically. When she gets up on Friday's during the student masses to read the scripture readings, she does so in a loud, clear, faithfilled voice. There is no denying the wonderful education and spiritual growth of St. Joseph School. Our school community is very strong here. The students know one another, whether they are in 8th grade or Pre-Kindergarten. On the playground, all the kids play with one other!
I feel both of my children are well prepared academically for any challenge at any high school.
Penelope, LaSalle, mother of students in grade 5 and 8
My girls, ages 8 and 6 were both painfully shy in Pre-Kindergarten. By having Mrs. Christine Mercurio as their teacher for both Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten it allowed them to bloom and become confident in their academic and social endeavors. By having the same teacher, they were given a sense of trust and stability in their environment and the grownups with whom they would interact. Mrs. Mercurio was able to get to know my girls in the Pre-Kindergarten year to build upon their strengths and help them to overcome their short falls in Kindergarten. My five-year old is a young five. Due to the small class size, Mrs. Mercurio has been able to work with her to gain the skills she needs to be successful in 1st grade. It has been beneficial for her to spend time in the afternoons in a "paired reading program" with the first grade. This opportunity allows her to get to know the first grade teacher and vice versa. On the other extreme, my seven-year old is an old seven and needed to be challenged academically above the Kindergarten level. Mrs. Mercurio was able to obtain extra reading books and work pages from the first grade teacher to help keep her challenged.
Jennifer, Toledo, mother of students in grade 1 and 2
Ann, Erie, mother of students in grade 5 and 8
My forth grader attended St Joseph School for Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten. I sent her to another school a couple of blocks from my home for Kindergarten. I was greatly disappointed in her education there. With nearly 30 students in the class, she was lost in the shuffle. I returned her to St. Joseph's for first grade where my daughter and I were more comfortable with the teachers, other students, and families.
Andrea, Point Place, mother of student in grade 4
I'm very thankful to have found St. Joseph School just over three years ago when we moved to Erie. My son had previously attended a large public school were he was considered just a number. He wasn't interested in school work, in fact he didn't even like going. I was very sceptical of sending him to another public school district. I was driving by St. Joseph's and saw an open house sign which we attended and were very pleased with the small class sizes. When my son started at St. Joseph's I was very nervous about being the new person in such a small school. This was never an issue. I was pregnant and experienced difficulties requiring hospitalization. The school was very helpful and offered support with different people picking him up or making sure he got on the bus. Sometimes it would change daily. Parents jumped in and helped with rides so we wouldn't have to take the baby out. My son is now an A, B student. I don't believe this would have ever happened at a public school. He is a fluent reader and received perfect attendance several quarters. I'm so thankful to have found St. Joseph's and I plan to send my other two children there as well.
Julie, Erie, mother of student in grade 4