St. Monica School

I am a former student of this school that cannot believe the high ratings many parents are giving. I found the staff to be inflexible and judgmental regarding anything that disagreed with the school's religion. I had many questions about the religious material they were teaching that went unanswered and I was punished and penalized for thinking critically. This is not a school to send your kids if you ever want them to develop skills in the actual SCIENTIFIC world. I still believe in God but I am glad my parents sent me to a non-catholic high school afterwards because this school has extreme bias towards the bible and against science. If you want your kid to read the bible without questioning anything, and have no individual understanding of their own faith, then this is a good school. Academics are average. But if you want your kid to develop critical thinking skills, go elsewhere, this school punishes that and I am two grade levels below my high school classmates in math and science because of St. Monica's bad program. LOOK ELSEWHERE.

I ve found St. Monica s to be a great all-around school well run with strong teachers and a committed parent community. Teachers and staff are responsive to parent requests. They work hard to understand each individual child s strengths and needs, and tailor teaching accordingly. In addition to a solid curriculum the school emphasizes values such as treating one another with respect and helping those in need. There are excellent skill-building opportunities such as the science fair and public speaking during Mass. The school is part of the CYO sports league so there is plenty to choose from when it comes to sports. The campus is relatively new and modern a good library and well organized classrooms. We live in Bellevue the majority of the student body is from Mercer Island but there are a fair number of off-island families from Seattle, Sammamish, Newcastle, and more. We looked at several public and private schools before settling on St. Monica s and found they are all unique. We chose St. Monica s because of the professionalism there and strong academic commitment it has turned out to be a great choice for our kids.
—Submitted by a parent

Wow this school is impressive, having been at Islander and seeing what they have here. Excellent teachers, plenty of homework and emphasis on writing and math, remarkable environment stressing morals and developing 'self', good speech team and CYO athletics. Parents very involved and kids well-behaved in and out of classroom, unlike other schools. Strong sense of community which empowers students to be their best.
—Submitted by a parent

This school cares about each child, both academically and emotionally. My child says the classroom is full of conversation and discussion and that the teachers and students really get to know eachother. The students are encouraged to reach their full potential. The environment is warm and caring. All the teachers are excellent, but it should be mentioned that the sports teacher is great, the art teacher is amazing and drama productions are wonderful and the speech team is award-winning as well as fun for the kids. I am so impressed by the school and so happy to be part of this wonderful community.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is amazing! The teachers and staff are outstanding. The school 'family' groups foster a unique relationship, crossing all grade levels. The curriculum challenges the kids to always strive to do their very best. Excellent parent involvement and a loving and supportive community.
—Submitted by a parent

Great school. The programs are strong as is the discipline.
—Submitted by a parent

St. Monica School is an excellent choice for a top quality catholic education. A small school with a loving and moralistic environment makes the children and parents proud to be a part of this school community.
—Submitted by a parent

St. Monica school has been a wonderful experience for my children- dedicated teachers in a positive learning environment, warm community. I have been a school parent for 11 years. My kids have been well prepared for high school and beyond.
—Submitted by a parent