John A Coleman Catholic High School

What a great environment for any student. No worries sending my child off to school each morning and no complaining that she has to go to school. And the students are polite and dresses very nicely. The faculty is strict and they love their students! Past students have had incredible opportunities to go to fabulous colleges. I could not be happier for my children to have such an incredible high school experience. Making friendships that will last a lifetime!
--Submitted by a parent

The best part of Coleman High School is the Theater Program. The theater director is exceptional. In this program the students are taught to reach their potential. As for the academics of the school, it's questionable. My family's experience is that Coleman does not provide an easy transition to higher education. I found state championships are more valuable than the schools motto of 'Respect, Responsibility and Religion!'
--Submitted by a parent

The small classes which means more time for each teacher to spend with each child. The quality of teaching and the standards at which they teach.
--Submitted by a parent

They have high standards and ethics. Academics are excellent. They have a safe environment. I like the fact that students have religion and the dress code is professional.
--Submitted by a parent

Being a student at Coleman I can say it's one of the better schools in the area. It has better AP programs than Saugerties and a lovely student base. The theater program is exceptional I would recommend this school for anyone who wants to have a career in musical theater. I haven't, so far, had a teacher I didn't like, they have high expectations and based on the regents scores if you do the work they say you will get over a 90. The school also has the national honors society program and graduates go to good school. It's a great school and it deserves that recognition.
--Submitted by a student

My daughter graduated in 2000. What a wonderful experience. So I sent my child to Coleman last year. WHAT A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT!!! Everything is about raising money and letting the kids do whatever they want. The kids are happy. The administration ignores all the problems. If you hope to have your child pushed to excellance; spend your money elsewhere. I voiced concerns, only to be ignored. The peer pressure is to party and just slide by. I realized religion is not a basic there anymore. But these are not challenged, respectful leaders of tomorrow. What a shame. It seems a few teachers are trying but just get over-ruled.
--Submitted by a parent

As a former student of Coleman, I can speak about many of the wonderful aspects of this school. First, the teachers are universally wonderful: caring, kind and above all, willing to go above and beyond to ensure that all the students receive an excellent education. Although I did not participate in sports there, I was extremely active in theatre, chorus, and other performing arts, which were extracurricular. Again, the faculty was so incredibly supportive that it felt like it was impossible to fail at anything you tried. Finally, my education at Coleman enabled me to enter Yale University and I felt absilutely prepared to handle the workload at an Ivy League School, thanks to the teachings of all involved at Coleman.
--Submitted by Royana Black, a former student

Academics are fine here! Teachers are very caring. Two foreign languages offered, Art electives and AP stuff. Theatre program is awesome and sports are surprisingly good, although there is no football team. Sportsmanship is a big thing at Coleman and a 'pretty good' athlete who would be overlooked at another school gets a chance to really shine here. Parents are encouraged to be as involved as possible but there isn't a requirement of a certain level of commitment. If your child is presently in a public school you will be absolutely amazed at the difference here and you will wish you had discovered it sooner. This is the way you hope a teen will spend 6/7 hours of his day. The expectations (with regard to behavior) are high, but the resulting atmosphere is very good.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a former student, and know current students. The feedback is all the same. It is strict program, but I get a feeling that the teachers actually care about their students. Parent involvement is high, always has been. The only draw back is that they are limited in the courses offered, it is only the basics. I would have loved the opportunity to take courses such as Shakespeare, poetry, or nutrition. I was very active in sports, field hockey, softball, and basketball. We didn't always have the best team, but we were still a team and I had the best experience of my life. Would I send my child to Coleman? Absolutely!
--Submitted by a former student

Although the information here is slightly out-dated, Coleman is an excellent choice for those seeking a quality education. The faculty are dedicated to the students as individuals and not just as a number. Coleman is independent of any financing (public or religious) but does an excellent job on a limited budget. I live 30 miles from the school but it is well worth the aggrevation of extra transportation. Caatch the sprit & check out Coleman at www.colemanlives.com
--Submitted by Maureen Murphy, a parent