Holy Name of Mary School

Holy Name of Mary was a wonderful school. Things changed after the hurricane. Leadership was poor. Some people were unprofessional. Excellent teachers left. The school was never the same.
—Submitted by a parent

It disheartens me to see the changes that have taken place at Holy Name of Mary. Why is it that the principal gets to make his own rules and not follow the rules of the archdiocese. I find it amazing that they still have students there. The teacher who left have nothing to do with why the school is struggling. It is due to poor administration and a lack of comittment. The pastor hasn't made himself present either. I hope things get better for everyone involved.
—Submitted by a teacher

Those wonderful teachers left HNM and are blessing children at other schools. HNM is not the same school we all once knew and loved.
—Submitted by a parent

My children had the best education at Holy Name. Mrs. Thompson, Vidrine, and Mr.Conrad and Gains are excellent teachers. If your child ever gets the chance to have them as teachers you have been blessed.
—Submitted by a parent

I am new to your school so thank you for the opportunity to attend your facility, however I guess I had my expectations too high for this school to measure up to. Let's start with the Principal who, I believe is clearly out of touch with people and how we deserve to be treated. I went to Orientation there and was completely uphauled by the way he addressed the parents who chose to trust this school with their child's education. His attitude and the way he oversees this school is clearly unacceptable and my child will not return next year if he is the principal. In conjunction with the principal I guess lack of leadership flows from the head down, the teachers have poor follow through and are not on one accord with the parents. I believe you can do better Holy Name of Mary! Let's see it.
—Submitted by a parent

The school year was really off to a great start before the Hurricane threat. Bright new teachers,new extra classes and a whole new attitude.My child can't wait to go back to school.
—Submitted by a parent

We will not return because the voucher system will not work for this school. There are too many openings and my child will suffer. This was a Catholic School and now it is not. In the last few years there have been too many bad changes.
—Submitted by a parent

We are not returning. The leadership is unacceptable. It is difficult to trust what is told to parents, teachers, and students.
—Submitted by a parent

My son just completed the pre-k program at Holy Name of Mary and won't be returning for Kindergarten. This school needs competent teachers. I love the environment but academically they are not measuring up.
—Submitted by a parent

I was happy to see the picture of Grandparents day in the newspaper. It was a great day for all of us - I know my mom and dad really enjoyed it because they keep talking about it and can't wait to get their pictures back. The choir did a great job, the kids read wonderful poems, and it was just great to be at the school. The principall is doing a great job!!
—Submitted by a parent

My son is a pre-k students @ Holy Name of Mary. Ms. Dana is an excellent teacher. I am very pleased with the pre-k program, however I'm not sure he's returning. I'm concerned that academically the school isn't up to standard for the cost of tuition.
—Submitted by a parent

Many improvements have been made and are in the process of being made. As with anything, progress takes time. The front of the school has received new sod, the old fence was removed making the building look more inviting, the office is being moved to a better location, and enrichment teachers have been added. The enrichment classes now include Art, Music, and Spanish. The process for SACS Accreditation is underway. After school programs now include tutoring, music lessons, Art and Photography, and Dance Class for students. The faculty is still diverse and there seems to be a real sense of community among them this year. I am excited and I know others are too.
—Submitted by a teacher

This was my grandchild's first year at this school and he enjoyed it very much. He is returning. I found the principal to be very involved in trying to improve the school. I don't know how the school was before Katrina but I found the teachers and principal to be very interested and concerned about the children, their welfare and the school. The schol was highly recommended and I am happy that he is attending Holy Name of Mary.
—Submitted by a parent

I was especially displeased with the academics. That warm and friendly environment is gone.
—Submitted by a parent

It saddens me to say that in reading the reviews here, the school is hanging on by a thread. The school was a workable and successful school for many years with great success stories in the achievements of the graduates. (Two Saluatorians and a perfect score on the SAT to mention a few) The current administrative staff is failing to measure up. This school no longer provides the top notch education it had in the past. A VERY concerned parent!
—Submitted by a parent

I too am saddened by the lack of teacher involvement since Katrina. My child has attended since kindergarten and parent/teacher communication was plentiful. Since my child entered 'middle school' all parent teacher communication has stopped. I understand the teachers want the children to be responsible for their own actions but it appears that the teachers have become distant and not dedicated to the individual student. I am going to place my child in another local private school to complete grade school.
—Submitted by a parent

I have been very happy with HNM this year. It is a small school and that was the main reason for sending my child to this school. I think this school has great things yet to come. I have faith in the principal's leadership and in my opinion, he is doing a great job. I look forward to next year, and the next. The staff and faculty all seem to be very nice and helpful. However, it seems some people do not do well with change. And I think that is where all of the negative comments are coming from. HNM is a really good school and will continue to be.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have attended Holy Name for a total of 8 yrs together, I can remember the first time we toured Holy Name it was a small school with little extracurricular activities, but that didn't matter I was most impressed by the loving caring environment that we were immediately greeted with. By the end of the first week of Pre -K every teacher knew my child . My husband and I were also very impressed by the traditions that were still being held since my mother had graduated in 1951. That has all changed now although MRS. MO is still there,(Love you), the foundation we enrolled our children for has been long gone since Katrina.I must say I very much appreciate the enthusiasm the principal has for moving the school forward.
—Submitted by a parent

I am so sad to see the things that are being said. I love HNM and hope to have my kis there for many more years. In fact as it looks now I have 15 more years with HNM. Like so many other schools, we all suffered after Katrina, but HNM has done so well to get back. As for the comment about parents participation, yes it is down, but if there are this many concerns maybe we need to get more parent participation to help resolve the issues some feel. All I have to say is I am happy, the staff and teachers as well as the students are all great.
—Submitted by a parent

It's apparent that the parents that are bashing HNM have not given the school a chance to see the improvements that the new leadership have made. I'm a parent of a 9 yr old there, and I can see the care and compassion that the teachers and principal have for the kids. They're are also many projects in the making that will get HNM to the 21st century. Give the new leadership and staff a break. Keep up the good work.
—Submitted by a parent