Academy of Our Lady at St. Catha

Great school. My daughters have been here for 5 years and I love the school, teachers and principal. They seem to really care about providing a good education in a disciplined environment. They are serious about discipline. The teachers so far are great, some stricter then others, but all of them love their jobs and love the kids. The community is fantastic with the parents helping out to make the school great. The principal tries to really hard to improve the school continuously. I would definitely recommend!!
--Submitted by a parent

Joining this school community has been a terrific experience for our children and for us. The school is small enough for the teachers and Principal to know the kids, but big enough to show care and support for one another. Parents can work together with teachers and staff to make the school experience all that can be. The high academic curriculum is complemented by the school s religious and spiritual program. Our children are excelling in a positive environment that allows them to develop their own character. Standards are high and everyone works to meet them. As in any other school the opportunities for parents to get involved is ever present and many take this opportunity for the well being of every child. Our teachers are approachable and accommodating with parents concerns. Our Principal gets involved with many after school programs for the kids and is always aware of what is going on around the children and their families, one more reason why a small school environment has its advantages. No child gets lost in the shuffle.
--Submitted by a parent

Originally, my wife and I chose Academy of Our Lady as a temporary placement for our children because its location was conveniently located near my wife's place of employment. It didn't take long before we were convinced that no other school, public or private, could possibly compare to the high standards and sense of community that exists at Academy of Our Lady. The staff, from the principal to the janitor, are always willing to go the extra yard to insure that the school community as a whole is above all others. Over the last 7 years, I have watched my child grow both academically and spiritually. In addition to academics, the parents of the students have formed several organizations that raise money in order to keep the building state of the art, making repairs when necessary, organizing volunteers to work at the school in order to keep tuition unbelievably low, decorating the school for Christmas, installing a new gymnasium floor, and even assist other parents who have ran into some of life s many obstacles.
--Submitted by a parent

Academy of Our Lady is a strong school that creates a good Catholic community. The administrators and teachers take the whole concept of family into account in a way that you cannot find in other programs. I have been very happy with our choice.
--Submitted by a parent

As with any school environment, there are always challenges. Yet I am confident that our principal and administration are doing the very best to maintain the academic rigor necessary for our children to succeed. In response to the comment below - younger and more inexperienced faculty is not necessarily the answer as we have seen. The combination of a more spiritual environment laced with a strong academic curriculum is the difference between the public option and the experience we have at AOOL. It is why we are here. As my child advances thru the grades I have seen first hand spiritual growth, maturity, and academic advancement. Unlike public schools, the administration and staff know each and every child they are apart of a wonderful community, their spirits are nurtured and there is unmatched support to ensure their academic success for the years ahead.
--Submitted by a parent

Being a part of the Academy of Our Lady family has been a wonderful experience for me. All of my children will graduate from this school because of its first rate academics, and the loving, caring, Catholic environment. The principal works tirelessly to ensure a safe and positive place for our children to grow. The faculty continues to meet the special needs that some require. Parents are all encouraged to get involved in all aspects of their child's education process. There is no place that we would rather be.
--Submitted by a parent

This school serves its purposes of keeping a religious environment during school hours. Christian values are consistently taught and encouraged, but academically, it is a failure. Teachers are set in their old-fashioned, non-bending ideas which are supported by a very old-fashioned set-as-stone principal that does not like to listen to any disfarovable comment nor to a well-intentioned suggestion while keeps the school decades behind public schools in the town. This school needs new teachers to breath some new life to the it. A new principal may also be in order to take the school out of that pervasive state of stagnation. If you live in Glen Rock, do yourself a favor and enrolled your kids in public schools. Academy of Our Lady motto should be "Do as we say and don't ask any questions for we know all" .
--Submitted by a parent

My oldest child began pre-school in 1999 and is graduating from 8th grade in two weeks. Behind her I have two more, a daughter in 5th grade and a son in 1st. The education that they have all received was exactly what my husband and I were looking for when choosing a Catholic school over the very good public schools in our area. The environment is warm, the teachers are dedicated and the curriculum is stimulating to all levels of learning. After school clubs and sports add to the overall picture that is an Academy of Our Lady education. My daughter is headed to AHA in September, and I know the foundation that has been built for her at this school will carry her through the high school years and beyond.
--Submitted by a parent

This school could draw so many more families if it had more consistent leadership. Bullying? Communion Syllabus? Protocols?and Teacher issues are all ignored. Schedules, rules, and policies all fluctuate at the direction of a loving but whimsical leader. There are several strong parents who do their best to run things but at times they are pushing against the tide of an administration that is chasing its tail half the time. Some of the downtrodden teachers could be reshuffled to perk them up a bit, and the wandering custodian should do more than pick up the main office phone. Many parents stay because it is the only choice. New pre- k classes were added to hide the fact that enrollment is down. This school could thrive under the direction of a firm and organized leader.
--Submitted by a parent

Compared to the opportunities available in the public schools in Glen Rock, Academy of Our Lady falls far short. In terms of the professionalism of the teachers there is no comparison. If your child marches to their own beat there is no allowance made for individual differences. It is very easy to be a square peg in a round hole. Your self esteem is crushed if you display any originality or creativity. I personally found more Christian behavior in the public schools where my children were treated more kindly and fairly by everyone from the janitor to the principal. If your child is active or talks too much it becomes a major problem to the mediocre teachers at the academy. Yet the same child in public school is re-directed and encouraged and the 'problem' behavior that caused so much punishment and tears no longer is a problem.
--Submitted by a parent