Pope John Paul II Academy

This is a good school academically. However it struggles administratively and from lack of leadership. They do not applying the same rules to all, often pandering to the wealth. It hasn't yet enforced a "no tolerance" drug policy. Often upper school student are left unattended for extended periods of time. Once I walked through the hall on the way to my son's class and looked into a room to find a 12th grader sleeping on the floor, a group having coffee and one student with a book open. Students were often pulled from class and taken off campus to drum up donors-- many educational hours lost doing the administrations job. We had a several issue with report cards. The report card that were submitted to my child's new school didn't match the original document the school issued me. Grade were off in some subjects by an entire grade. I was told that the school had lost all the grades for that year. The reissued report card was based on the "best recollection of the headmaster." Clearly, maintainence of records is spotty. We no longer send our child here because of what we saw and experienced. We wanted more structure and guidance for our child.
—Submitted by a parent

What makes JPG Academy so special is its leadership: both in the classroom and in administration. Young Catholic men teaching in the classroom makes a HUGE difference for my sons. They have been at JPG now for 4 years and they are showing so much character and work ethic. Secondly, JPG is free to make its own decisions about its academic pursuits, which translates into innovative methods of helping students get engaged into their learning. Socratic questioning, seminar classroom setup, and study of the great books are just a few of its offerings that really work. Since I am a teacher myself, I am concerned about whether or not JPG is continuing to improve, so I check on this each year. JPG refuses to be satisfied with the status quo in Catholic schooling. They are making a path of their own, and this scares a lot of parents, but we aren't worried. The proof is in our children getting the best of both worlds: Catholic morals and ethics (in action), alongside challenging academics.
—Submitted by a parent

Our family makes a lot of sacrifices so that we can send our children to JPG. Our experience with teachers in each division of the school, and with the leadership of the school, has not only been perfect, but inspiring. We have not seen another school in this region that is so dedicated to helping each child. Our children are always eager to get to school to interact with their friends and with their teachers; it's such a positive, joyful place. The fact that the academics are outstanding makes the situation ideal for us.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a dad of three children at the school. I think the Academy is awesome. For me, the spiritual formation is most important. How can you wrong with a place that tries to teach kids Christian morals? They have four or five seminarians already, and have nuns who live on campus. In terms of academics, we couldn't be more pleased. Our kids learn Latin, great history, and enjoy a very advanced math and reading program. And I know from friends that the school has several graduates on TOPS at state schools. JPG IS AWESOME!
—Submitted by a parent

I have three children, all in high school, and am very pleased with the school. I find the school to be solid in its teaching of the Faith, and that is the most important factor for me. Academics are second. That being said, I really can't fault the school for its academic program, either. I have had my teens in Catholic schools for most of their lives, and the academics at John Paul the Great are better that what they had before. In fact, one of my children who always struggled academically has shown consistent improvement on standardized test scores since being here. I'm happy and grateful to be part of this school.
—Submitted by a parent

First impressions are not always lasting ones. In the beginning we thought we were impressed with he school. Their lack of professionalism, organizational skills, and consistency leave a lot to be desired. It leaves a child with a lack of proper education. Their claim to be a catholic school is only partially correct, what they fail to mention is how political they really are. Two things that should not be mixed is God and politics. Their lack of ability to work with children as well as their lack of knowledge on many importances make this school one you want to run away from. Do your homework before you enroll your child in a school, inquire about their educational history to assure they are qualified to teach and work with children.
—Submitted by a parent

If a prospective parent is looking for authentic Catholic education, challenging academics, and a nurturing environment, they should look no further than PJPA. The school is, in fact, accredited by the State, so one of the previous comments must be 'sour grapes.' We love the school, its teachers, its administrators, and its families.
—Submitted by a parent

This is school is a Godsend. The teachers, parents, and students truly strive the live life Christ has called us to in this world. The small class size and the classical curriculm are some of its academic pluses. The kids of all ages work well together since they are on a single campus for grades k-12. It is awesome to see the older kids mentoring the younger ones eagerly with postive affirmation not the negative. When comparing this school to our previous one which was single gender I give it an A+ in all areas. This is the school is a model for what Pope Benedict described in his address to educators when he was in the US earlier this year.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is awesome. I've got two kids there. 2nd and K. This school upholds and encourages the values that I want my children to develop as they grow. The academics are great as well. This school follows a classical curriculum which exposes children to the great books of Western Civilization and teaches them logic, critical thinking and oratory skills.
—Submitted by a parent