Research St. Catherine of Siena Elementary School Private Schools in Boston, Massachusetts

“I also agree with the June 1 review and I have also considered pulling my child out. Every year I'm on the fence and my worries about what kind of education he is receiving increases each school year. Now that he's entering the junior high, I can't help but think I'm doing him injustice. If all these parental reviews are concerned with administration, has anyone approached the Monsignor or the Archdiocese about the direction of SCS. Enrollment is down, teacher turnover in the junior high is embarassing and those teachers that remain are not good educators. I'm putting SCS on probation when my child enters the junior high in September. If there's any funny business, he's gone!”

“As a parent of an scs student (I am considering pulling out this year) I cannot help but concur with the last review. Something is very wrong withthe administration of this school. The principal seems false and full of (fake) religious zeal. Teachers leave mid-year -usually the better ones. Important issued brushed aside and not addressed. Hypocrisy and low standards rule.”

“The administration is sadly lacking. Morale is down. The is no teacher continuity in the middle school. Rules and regulations are made up at whim. It is not a good environment. Three children are now done and I am so glad to be leaving the school community.”

“SCS is a great school. Teachers care about their students as does the staff. How can one Principal attend to 400 families personal needs? I find the negative comments not surprising. People want to choose what teacher their student has, they do not follow the rules then wonder why they are being spoken to. People want to complain but rarely do you see these parents volunteer. One does not need to pay the $500 volunteer fee if one fulfills their 32 hours of volunteer service. They talk about a clique and whatever other nonsense. To make a difference one needs to be involved, not just standing back pointing fingers. I highly recommand this school to any family that wants a good education and instill values in their children that will last a lifetime”

“I am a current parent at SCS of three children When I read all the negative comments I can't help but to agree with all of it. It sort of puts my mind at ease because I thought I was alone and always asked myself 'doesn't any one see what I see' The bullying the lack of good teachers, teachers leaving, the lack of a good education, the bullying by adminastration. The lack of feeling like school community exists (the very issue that is preached in morning prayer) 'see Christ in others' Adminstration should try listening to there own preaching. Now the question still remains about the principal and the priest, What is going on there? Teachers leave midyear or don't return.It's not the pay, admin.sensors everything.I am forced to stay there, The schools education level is not equal to the testing that is needed to advance to other schools.”

“My child has been attending SCS for six years. The staff is wonderful, teachers as well. The only problem I have found here is there is bullying going on, that the staff and the teachers are not aware of, or do not notice what is going on with children that treat other's like they do not belong in their click or they are better than... Even at gym, the course there should not be having the children select their partners for an activity, it should be up to the teacher, I feel many children would not feel left out that way, or have low self esteem because of the feeling that is left with them that they do not Fit In. Notice a child that is shy, or is not picked for in class projects, this is one clue to the treatment they are receiving from their peers.”

“As a parent of two students at SCS I am so grateful to have this wonderful school in my children's lives. We pulled our oldest out of public school and immediately felt a sense of relief to be able to place her in a much better environment. Her teacher called us at home on her own time and outlined the specific areas she needed to study to catch up with her classmates that had a better foundation. Her younger brother is thriving there and they both feel a real sense of community. Fr Currie and Mrs Hawley are excellent role models. They are patient, understanding and have shown tolerance when they did not have to. They honestly have our children's best interest at heart. God Bless SCS!!”

“Updated review from 05. For 1 child SCS was not the best fit & I enrolled him in public school. In no way was this decision based on the lack of anything at SCS. All schools have bumps, as do all administrations. I think some of the negativity that I've read here makes me feel like I'm reading about a different school. My kids have thrived here; even the one that I took out still carries with him the basic principles he learned while at SCS. I don't think things are perfect; nothing is. I have had nothing but support over the many years I have been involved with this school. I may not always like what I get for an answer to something but I have always felt listened to. Our principle has personal high standards and also high standards for our children. Would you want less for your child?”

“I have had 2 kids at St Catherines for the past 5 years. I have been extremely happy with the teachers, the discipline and the school in terms of teaching. My kids are happy to go to school everyday and have never complained of being treated unfairly. The staff has always been helpful. The principal has worked hard in getting good scores and great results from the students. I've attended school meetings where results have been discussed and I have felt I made the right decision of enrolling the kids here even though we are not Catholics. I do wish they would have more extra curricular activites and the extended day program should cover days off. That is the big challenge for working parents to find alternative care on those days.”

“You get what you give! All schools have issues and no one is going to be 100% happy. Sure, we could definitely use more extra curricular activities, but will people want to pay more...or volunteer to help? I see the same faces all the time when it comes to volunteering and supporting the school at various functions. All in all, I am VERY happy with the education my children are receiving. I think the numbers of children moving on to private high school (which high schools and at what levels) speaks for itself. SCS is a good bang for the buck, I feel as if my money has been well spent.”

“My child had a horrible experience. The principal was not helpful when contacted regarding these concerns.”

“As the parent of a recent graduate, this school has great promise, but poor management. It is unfortunate that every time this institution begins to right itself, the pastor (under pressure from his assistant whose motives are unclear) changes the management at the school, and all progress stops, and good teachers, along with frustrated families leave.”

“I am a former student. My parents took me out of St. Catherine's 6 years ago because of the poor atmosphere and quality of education there. But, with the new direction the school is taking, I doubt if we would even have considered leaving. It angers me to see the principal maligned by people who don't know what they're talking about. She has reversed the downward trend in enrollment of previous administrations to the point that some grade levels are filled to capacity. Teachers are now required to have certification and degrees (something not required under previous administrations and perhaps the reason for some departures?).”

“My Child was at St. Catherine for 9 years. The experience was not enjoyable for him. Everyday he would talk about messing around in class rather than learning, he would also talk about the principle in a negative way. I really don't think the kids respect the principle. I know I don't. She never seems to help them in any way, all she does is threaten to take away privileges for one person's mistakes. The children never seemed to look up to her for advice, my son said that most students instead of going to the principle instead went to the science teacher. He said she was the only teacher in the school that he respected. The after school activities were few and far between, but they consisted of a school play directed by the principle, and as far as I know that was the only real activity my child liked.”

“My children have attended school here up and until the current administrator. The atmosphere at the school is depressing. The principal is neither warm nor nurturing towards children. Father Currie and she are quite a pair. I strongly suggest you look elsewhere!”

“We have had a very positive experience at St. Catherine's so I am amazed by some of the negative commentary. my wife and I have been impressed by the dedication of the staff, the competence of the principal, and the strong academic and spiritual environment at the school. We are excited about our child's experience and the education he is receiving.”

“I have to say that the truth often lies in the middle of overly positive and utterly negative comments.Does SCS have issues?Yes,but I have yet to encounter a teacher or a principal there unwilling to try to resolve them.My kids have been thru 3 princ and 6 grades so far.Each yr I have seen improvement in curriculum.What is needed is constructive criticism and ideas on how to solve problems.Negativity begets negativity.My children love their teachers and greet the challenge of learning each day.”

“We had a wonderful experience in Kindergarten but an absolutely miserable one in First Grade. While the principal was generous with her time, we received very little assistance and guidance. We have made the decision to leave for a more nurturing environment for both child and parents.”

“As a current educator at SCS, I teach for the love of it and for the kids, not the money. While I believe in a strong Catholic education as a critical component in a childs academic development, I am deeply saddened by the current state of SCS and the administration. Leadership, teamwork and camaraderie is lacking. Enrollment is down. Censorship is prevalent.”

“Sadly, many of the parents who are paying attention to what is happening to this formerly great school are doing exactly what the recent reviewer suggests--they are leaving. The most frequent positive comments seem to relate to how hard the administration is working, which may be a fact. However, working hard is not a substitute for planning and executing strategies to improve performance. As for turnover, money is not the primary reason teachers leave after only a year; but assuming some teachers may be lost to higher paying positions, the current administration cannot blame the archdiocese for its own conscious choice to limit salary increases, which prior to the current regime had been moving in a much more competitive direction. Finally, the recent graduates who are doing well in high school are products of a long tradition, which unfortunately is now eroding each year. Future graduates may struggle.”

“As a parent who has been in the SCS community for 11 years I find it very sad and surprising that anyone could have such a negative attitude about the school based on their personal opinion of the principal. Two of my 3 children have graduated recently from SCS and both have gone on to high school with the quality of SCS academics quite clear in their success. The school has changed quite a bit but change, although not always easy to accept, is generally needed to keep the school running the best way it possibly can. No matter what school you attend you will never find any administration perfect but at SCS you will find the administration doing its absolute best for your child. Will you agree with all decisions made? Probably not but in what situation does anyone agree with all decisons made?”

“I have been involved in this school for about 13 years. Sadly I can't say anything good about the present administration. Lack of experience in the principal with children and families has plagued the school community. Students are disciplined unfairly. She seems to think that one side of the story is all she needs to hear. I agree with the negative testimonials on this page and would never recommend the school. This is a complete turnaround for me considering if you asked me five years ago I would have told you that the past principal, Mrs. Levesque, was a lady and had respect for students education and there was a real sense of community.”

“This past academic year at Saint Catherine's was my first and I'm happy to say my last. The overall morale of the teachers was rock bottom and absolutely no camaraderie existed. The turbulent environment contributed to unhappy kids and low test scores. I would not recommend Saint Catherine's to any academic professional or parent.”

“It is unfortunate that some parents will no longer support this school. The teachers at SCS work long, hard hours to provide the students with an excellent education. While the leadership and administration may not be the ideal fit for everyone, they are certainly working hard to accomodate every student possible. It is a shame to see only the negative views written here and not the praise the school and teachers deserve.”

“This school is lacking in it's ability to produce well educated students. The academics are weak. It is clear that the teachers are not being guided appropriately by the principal. Many teachers have left and unfortunately the new teachers are too new to improve the quality of the education. It will not surprise many if this school closes within the next five years if the current leadership remains. Knowing that the principal has only been a music teacher prior to this position does not make many parents at ease with the leadership of this school. The leadership lacks experience and knowledge and personality. I would not recommend this school to anyone.”

“As a long time parent of St Catherine s it is with regret that I give this school a very poor rating. Over the last several years the administration has lacked the ability to perform on there on, and has been assisted by a Parish Priest. There is no since of self pride in the students, and the teachers go day to day wondering about there job(19 teacher/staff turnovers in two years). Enrollment is down and the costs are going up and up, with budget shortfalls? Time to look for a different school.”

“As a SC's parishioner for 15 years and active parent within the school system, SCS is no longer the premier school I feel in love with years ago. I'm sorry but a total of 19 educators and school staff members have left SCS within the last two years. Yes, 19! Haven't seen that much desertion since the Gulf War. That's one dysfunctional family that can only be contributed to poor leadership. Additionally, there are many activities occurring at SCS which unfortunately will never be transcribed here which is regrettable. Many outstanding teachers have departed on their own accord and many others were asked to leave which is sending a concerning message. With that much turnover, how much longer can the school function properly and worst of all, what about the kids? The principal has a dictatorial demeanor to impose her absolute agenda and is forgetting about the kids.”

“Very simply - The principal should resign. Extremely unhappy with the schools handling of a number of issues last year particularly towards the treatment of teachers. Don't beleive all the fluff.”

“As a past educator of this school I have found nothing but positivity in this loving catholic environment. I don't know where the parent in the 'April 2004' review got their facts/info, but having taught there,I can honestly say that students are getting an amazing education as well as a spiritual upbringing. This is the most amazing school I've taught in and I am sad to leave the environment due to relocation. St. Catherine's is an honest and loving environment to all. The faculty and staff are amazing, talented people with much love and compassion.”

“This is a great school. It isn't perfect but it is getting better every day. The new principal has been part of the school for many, many years. She is strong and clearly states how important it is that St. Catherine's keep 'Catholic Identity' as central. This was clearly and strongly re-inforced by the pastor at a recent parent's meeting. I have three children currently attending the school. The families truly make it a family institution and the three priests assigned to the parish are always present to the students, the faculty and the families.”

“My child used to love school, but now hates it. The Mission Statement is to provide a 'safe & trusting environment, with an emphisis on mutual respect,' but permits a chaotic one where bullies take over to mutilate egos and humiliate, intimidate the underdogs. A student was asked to stand and read in front of class and was later told by fellow classmates, the teacher was making faces behind his back. If teachers aren't respecting students then students won't respect each other no matter what their mission statements are.The teachers are unapproachable and the rudest, incompetent human beings I've have ever encountered. Third new principle in four years.”

“My child has virtually given up on the school because there is no sense of community, or friendships. I will be glad to leave.”

“Very unhappy with the administration. My children will not be returning next year.”