St. Clement Elementary School

As a parent who has recently transferred two young children to St. Clement School, I would say the staff is impressive in their commitment. We have had a positive experience, as teachers clearly demonstrate a vested interest in teaching children to learn. Known for its academics, the school backs up high standards with warmth and enthusiasm. The fundamentals are taught with a steady stream of homework, coupled with a positive challenging environment. As a faith based school, we value it for instilling character and moral conduct, which often appears lost in our media centric culture. We value the school; they offer a great foundation for a life of learning.
--Submitted by a parent

As a parent who has had at least 1 child in this school since 2001, i have to say that this school is really terrific. My 2 children were very different from on another. One, while gifted, had dyslexia (actually identified as an issue we should investigate by his 2nd grade teacher at St Clement) and the other very 'in the box' type student behaviorally and academically, have BOTH thrived at St Clement. I could not be happier with the new principal that was brought in last year (in 2010) and use of technology throughtout the school is amazing (all 8th graders have iPad2's and all 6th and 7th graders have their own laptops provided by the school). Tuition is extremely reasonable given the level of education and special programs for the kids.
--Submitted by a parent

I went to St. Clement about 20 years ago. It was a great school. The teachers really cared, even though they were (and might still be) poorly paid. The school was very diverse (not sure if that's still the case). I am now quite successful. Even more so than some of my friends that went to Latin or Parker.

Overall, I am very happy with St. Clement School. Our son just finished third grade (his fifth year) and is thriving academically. He has had excellent teachers since day one so academically our experience has been excellent. My only problem with the school is that a small but vocal subset of the parent community reminds me of high school. Parents of problem children make themselves very visible and if they don't get their way, the pout and complain until they do (usually via over-involvement on committees to ensure they get their way or overdonation). Entitled parents have entitled children and it's evident. As for comments about diversity, the school could be more diverse, but as a neighborhood resident it does (for better or worse) reflect those of us who reside around it.
--Submitted by a parent

St. Clement, while not perfect, is a very good school. For better or worse, it is also a reflection of its largely upper-middle-class parent community. Some of the earlier reviews should be seen in this light. As in any school, there are some stronger teachers and some who struggle, but the overall quality and tone of the education is excellent. St. Clement academics are suitably rigorous and most graduates move on to excellent local Catholic or selective-enrollment public college prep schools. As parents, one of our chief misgivings about the school is that it fails to reflect the diversity of its neighborhood and city. We would also like to see more non-sports extracurricular offerings, particularly in the Fine Arts. I disagree with the earlier reviewer's impression that parents are not allowed a voice. If anything, sometimes they are allowed too much latitude in directly affecting school policy.
--Submitted by a parent

The way they teach is very outdated and the school is very cheap. The textbooks stink and are used. We never buy new books. Uper grade teachers are rude.
--Submitted by a parent

We found the early grades lacking in disciplinary procedure. Policies were unevenly enforced and more tenured teachers did not escalate issues through the proper channels and were not held accountable. We found the atmosphere to be non-supportive when we brought up various concerns. There was an emphasis on decorum rather than children s education and social development. There was a lack of follow-up from the administration when things were brought to their attention. We do not recommend St Clement School.
--Submitted by a parent

St. Clement is not the great school it used to be. The principal s preoccupation with financial matters has resulted in a major shift away from a child-focused environment to one dominated by monetary considerations. The faculty is not held accountable for their failure to provide adequate instruction, and the parent base, while strong, is not allowed much of a voice in academic matters. Do your homework and check out other schools before deciding on this one.
--Submitted by a parent

We visited a number of public and private schools in Lincoln Park and could not be more pleased with our choice - St. Clement. The teachers and staff are very dedicated and genuinely care about each student and their progress. The academic program is very rigorous from Pre-K on and students are driven to achieve. St. Clement's seems to have found the secret to success other schools are looking for and we feel privileged to be a part of such an outstanding educational community and parish. Be forewarned that parental involvement is expected and getting in is difficult in the lower grades.
--Submitted by a parent

This is our daughter's first year as a Kindergarten and we only have great things to say about St. Clement School, her teachers, the principal, and the rest of the staff. The Kindergarten curriculum is academically challenging, interesting, and diverse. They have music, art, sports and plenty of after school activities for students at all levels. The parents are very very involved and very welcoming. It's a great parish, school and community.
--Submitted by a parent