St. Gabriel's Catholic School

We're proud, parent alumni's from St. Gabriel's Catholic Elementary School. We now have two girls who are graduates and because of the education, spiritual guidance, and support of past principal and teachers, they've become successful individuals in our society. They've learned how to reach out to others because of St. Gabriels outreach to the community. They have a deep spiritual life because of their weekly masses and the Christian influence in their education and have been successful in their academics due to staff support and challenging course work.
—Submitted by a parent

When our family moved to Austin a little over two years ago, my husband and I knew as soon as we walked through the doors that St. Gabriel's was the right school for us. Since then it has exceeded our expectations for our three children. It is a true gift to have an environment that meets all of our children's needs (including a son with dyslexia) in an environment that is both academically challenging and nurturing at the same time. We have found a close-knit and caring community not only for our children, but for our whole family.
—Submitted by a parent

We are very happy with our choice to move to St. Gabriels's from another Catholic school in Austin. The quality of the curriculum and the strength of the faculty have provided excellent learning opportunities and challenges for my child. The sense of community and the friendliness of the students have also proven beneficial for the transition. I would definitely recommend the school.
—Submitted by a parent

We wanted a school where our children would thrive and we found that through St. Gabriel's Catholic School. We have two children who have both been enrolled at the school since PK. We have now been at the school for seven years and are overwhelmed by the wonderful community of families, faculty and staff. We are blessed to have found a wonderful environment for our entire family.
—Submitted by a parent

One of the best decisions we ever made was to send our children to St. Gabriel's. Having a Master's in Educational Curriculum and Instruction, I knew what I was looking for in a school. St. Gabriel's really fit the bill. The first thing I noticed were the smiling faces of the children when I entered the building. I knew it was a happy place. The atmosphere is such a welcoming one. Not only is the curriculum impressive, the teachers really know each child individually. My children feel the love that the teachers have for them and that is crucial to making them successful in their studies. The administration is truly an amazing group that has done such a wonderful job in making St. Gabriel's the exceptional place it is today. The children are well mannered, intellegient, and kind people who know the importance of their faith in their every day lives. Students even take part in community service projects. St. Gabriel's knows that in addition to academics, the development of the whole person is necessary for each child to flourish in life. St. Gabriel's Catholic School is the total package.
—Submitted by a parent

A class act. We greatly appreciate the school's focus on the development of the whole person. Students, parents, teachers and administrators are respectful and optimistic. One can feel the positive energy and sense of community upon entering through the front doors. We feel blessed to be a part of the Saint Gabriel's community.
—Submitted by a parent

Tessa and I moved to Austint in 2003 with Alec who was 10 and Avery who was pre-k. Most people look for neighborhoods they like and we were no different but we also had heard about St Gabriel's school and knew we wanted our boys to go there. We placed our name on the waiting list and were accepted not knowing anything about the school but their reputation as an excellent school. We were not disappointed in any area, from academics to athletics to religion St Gabriel's has exceeded all our expectation and then some. We have seen our boys developed into very fine young men both academically and spiritually and we owe a lot of that To the quality of the faculty and staff at St Gabriel's. When Alec graduated from St Gabriel's he could have gone to any high school in Austin because he was so prepared and he chose St Michael's another excellent private school. Teachers at all the schools love to have kids from St Gabriel's because they are so prepared for the next level. I would never hesitate to recommend St Gabriel's to any family who are seeking the best for their child because I truly believe it is the best. Ron and Tessa lewis
—Submitted by a parent

Challenging Curriculum and Nurturing Environment at SGCS. We've had our two daughters in the school since PreK. They are now in 3rd and 4th. We knew we wanted a Catholic school and are so pleased that the academic environment and social environment is healthy and challenging. We are very pleased with the new Head of School, Mr. Balak and the staff and administrators he has hired. The school has really "grown up" over the last three years and has lost a lot of those "young school" growing pains. I'm especially pleased "special" areas of the curriculum such as art, science, computers, library, music and PE. I'm also impressed with the amount of writing my kids are required to do across the whole curriculum.
—Submitted by a parent

St. Gabriel's has been the most outstanding experience for our family! We have two children -- one in 7th and one in 1st grade. I can not say enough about how the whole community (leadership, teachers, parents) overflows with a sincere love of children and the genuine passion for helping each child to be the best of themselves to grow, to learn, to lead, to serve. The academics have been wonderfully challenging, and my son, now in the 7th grade is among the many in his class that were invited to participate in taking the SAT as a 7th grader. This is part of the Duke Tips program and is an honor that comes from placing in the 95th percentile in the nation in at least one subject. My daughter was a little bit shy when she started in preK but now, as a 1st grader she has the confidence to stand in front of the entire lower school and speak into a microphone. This is a place that does not just move students through from worksheet to standardized test. This is a place that nurtures, supports, encourages, and teaches children to love learning and to find their own way to shine. I highly recommend St. Gabriel's for its uplifting community, academic achievement and value formation.
—Submitted by a parent

Highly recommended school. In 2008, my wife and I informally interviewed about a dozen parents who have kids attending St. Gabriel's and we toured the campus 3 times. After further research, we moved from the NW Austin Arboretum area in 2009 and moved to the West side so that our children could conveniently attend this specific school. Big validator the past 2 years: our two boys smile going to school and smile as pick them up. Both boys are thriving, academically and socially. St. Gabriel's certainly delivers an academic advantage, actively presents virtue as a cornerstone, and calls each student to lead. While school administrators are positively engaged, the parents of St. Gabriel's deliver the solid foundation. From there, St. Gabriel's attracts and retains the highest quality faculty and maintains a very low teacher to student ratio. Having a choice, my wife and I choose St. Gabriel's Catholic School. Giving back, we accept every volunteer opportunity at this fine academic school.
—Submitted by a parent

We wanted a challenging academic environment, but still wanted a place where our children would have fun, feel safe and be surrounded by the values we believe are so important. We found it at St. Gabriel's! The teachers are exceptional. The families are actively involved and welcoming. The art and music programs are stellar. My lower school student has PE every day. We love the world geography, robotics and one-to-one computer programs in middle school. In a world where bullying is prevalent, when things have happened with my kids, as will happen in any school, the teachers have always been very responsive to my concerns. My kids are being taught not only that bullying is wrong, but silence when observing bullying is too. It was also important to us that our kids were in a diverse environment, and in just the two grades our kids are in, we have Asian, African-American, Hispanic, European and Indian families, as well as families throughout the school who are Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim. I would highly recommend St. Gabriel s to any family looking for exceptional academics, a faithful community, and an emphasis on positive values.
—Submitted by a parent

My child attended this school for several years before we transferred to another (much better) Catholic school. St. Gabriel's has beautiful facilities, but once you are done with that wow factor, there is not much other than that. Rules are inconsistent and there is a lot of bullying by both boys and girls. Students who have parents that make sizeable donations to the school tend to be disciplined under a different set of rules. There is an elitist attitude by many parents that very clearly trickles down to their children. There is very little diversity and my child overheard and was subject to very unsavory comments regarding the races of other families. If the learning and teaching was good, we couldn't tell because of terrible distractions such as these.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have attended St. Gabriel's for the past 4 years (they are currently in 5th and 1st grades) and I couldn't be more pleased. The teachers are amazing - in my experience they are very caring, patient and approachable. The curriculum is tough, but fair, and I feel that my kids are getting a fantastic education. I also like the emphasis on public service and the many opportunities families and kids are given to reach out and help the community. Highly recommended!
—Submitted by a parent

SGCS has excellent teachers and challenging academic programs. All three of my children have attended since 1st grade and have grown to be lifelong learners and well rounded students. SGCS has great extracurricular opportunities and a strong sense of community.
—Submitted by a parent

My child is attending this school and we are happy that the teachers and the principals do listen to parents concern and made every effort to provide more challenging works for those children who are above average. However, we were not happy that the majority of the children there are rude, a sense of entitlement and this is reflected as the majority of the parents are the same as their children. For a catholic school, which supposedly represents of kindness and concerns for others we find that this is not so and there are also a lot of bullying going on which the school will nip it in the bud if the parents brought it up to the teachers and principal.
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent school. Had two daughters graduate from this school..continued to public school-excelled in all AP courses-both girls had great study skills which they learnt at St. Gabriel's
—Submitted by a parent

Academic Excellence!...These aren't just words at St. Gabriel's. The curriculum is tough but your student will be very well prepared for high school! There are teachers at St. Gabriel's who have a true passion for teaching...My son graduated in May 2009 and often says he misses his teachers! Great place to learn and build long-lasting friendships.
—Submitted by a parent

I strongly disagree with a previous review. I have two kids in school, grades K and 4. My kids are happy, the teachers are very professional, and the level of education is much better then in any public school I had experience with. By the way there were only 17 kids in each Fourth Grade class this year. Also never had any problems with viewing grades on school's web site. They were updated every 2-3 days. We absolutely love the school!!!
—Submitted by a parent

While this school has many positive aspects it might not be the best fit for everyone. The Kinder, 1st and 2nd grades all have excellent teachers. Beyond 2nd grade the academic experience doen't seem to be any greater than public school. Class sizes are 22-24 and the drop out rate each year seems to increase more. The school appears to be stuggeling financially and has recently let go of several teachers. There has been no consistant technology teacher for over seven weeks for the elementary school and no grades posted since March. The school seems to be in a state of flux. New teachers hired in the past seem to have very little teaching experience and as is the case in most private schools no teaching certificates are required.

This school is more than an education, it is a home. A true family.
—Submitted by a parent