St. Jerome Catholic School

We love St. Jerome; ,Safe, community oriented and academic, this school is small and has it all. It might be the best kept secret in the area. My third grader adores his fabulous teacher who not only teaches personal responsibility, but does math and spelling drills as well. We have forged strong relationships in an out of the school (play dates galore!). The caveat is this IS a Catholic school and while not all students are Catholic, all students are expected to behave respectfully, not emulate violence on the school yard (it is not permitted, and be inclusive of all students. Parents are very involved and spend lots of time helping out. The teachers are very well educated, three specialize in math and science explicitly. The religious aspect is not preachy, science is taken very seriously, but etiquette is adhered to. P.S. the new principal is wonderful, fun and the kids and parents all love her!
--Submitted by a parent

St. Jerome is a great school! We are new to the school, and have been pleased with our decision. We see our child thriving both academically and socially. We like the community feel; the student body, faculty and parents gather on the yard every morning for prayer and announcements, like a family starting out their day. We like that they have morning/after school care. And in this crazy economy, we feel like our child is getting a top notch education at a reasonable price (in comparison to other private schools in the area.) I think it is also worth mentioning that the principal, who is also new this year, is wonderful - caring, supportive, and has done a great job revitalizing the school from what we have heard.
--Submitted by a parent

We spent over 12 years at St Jerome's with 2 kids. They had a great start, solid academics, & great life values. Since there is no separate middle school they did not have to "grow up too fast" and learned they are responsible for the younger kids too. (I love the student family projects with kids from every grade put into groups.) With a new principal coming for 2011-2012 and renewed energy amongst the parents, I hope families will see SJ's strengths - a very diverse environment and a safe place for kids. My kids have gone on to great high schools and college. All through SJ, I got compliments from EVERY summer camp my kids went to about how well behaved and helpful they were. SJ fostered that!! And, at the student awards for freshman this past spring at my kid's high school, 5 ninth graders who had gone to SJ were awarded for MULTIPLE achievement awards. Not just for solid academics, but for being the "sparkplug" in the classroom - true contributors. Two of the 5 were transfer students into SJ. Every school has strengths and areas to improve on. SJ knows what it needs to do to move to greatness. Teachers are dedicated & office staff makes families feel very welcome.
--Submitted by a parent

St. Jerome is on the rebound and will have a new principal for 2011-12. Spanish, P.E. and music will remain in the program. I have 4 children attending St. Jerome and am very happy with the education and environment. My oldest came from another school and was able to quickly make friends -- the teacher really helped integrate him into the existing social structure. The teachers are caring and are able to connect with children in special ways. Due to drops in enrollment (caused by the economic downturn) the class sizes are quite small and the teachers are able to provide individualized attention and to provide parents with a complete picture of how their children are doing. The cost is very low compared to other private schools and is money well spent. The school is entering a new phase as parents step up and express their needs and desires for the future -- together we will build something enduring for the community. St. Jerome has a proud history and its graduates are accepted into their high schools of choice and speak fondly of their days at St. Jerome's. I am staying put and hope that more families will come and join.
--Submitted by a parent

Our daughter has attended St. Jerome Catholic School, kindergarten through second grade. We are very pleased with the caring, friendly atmosphere created by the wonderful teachers and staff. There is a high expectation of positive, constructive, behavior. Our daughter loves to go to school everyday, and is making great progress. We are very happy with our decision to send her there.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter has attended Saint Jerome for seven years, and my son for four. Saint Jerome provides a loving environment that adheres to an ethical standard of conduct that imparts important values to young minds. Their teachers and educational curriculum is top notch. I am very grateful for the wonderful learning environment they have provided my children, and I would strongly recommend Saint Jerome as a wonderful place to send your children.
--Submitted by a parent

I was disappointed in St. Jerome School, overall, for the education on my two children. I agree with another reviewer who said that it is very difficult for children to enter this school from another school. It was my experience that the teachers did not help to control the cliques or to try to help students who were not having an easy time assimilating into the existing social structure. The school is so small that it is hard for children to meet a variety of other children to find friends and the teachers do not help. One of my children had a positive social experience and the other had a terrible social experience. The teachers are OK, some very good, others mediocre. At first I respected the principal's strong sense of discipline and tried to support it but in the end I found it to be somewhat random and frustrating.
--Submitted by a parent

The principal really makes children feel small and intimidated. Its a really good school its very warm and welcoming, and the teachers are welcoming.
--Submitted by a parent

There is a family feel to the school, but the students there don't accept new students from other school well, the students that have been there for a number of years make it difficult for new students. My granddaughter is a year ahead of class in every subject.

the school's acedemic program is its strong part, yet its still not as good as other local private or public schools. I wouldn't select this school for your child.
--Submitted by a student