St. Monica School

St. Monica is a great school with wonderful teachers and families. Our children have been attending school there for more than six years, and we have been very happy. The teachers are very nurturing and attentive to the needs of every child. Our children are happy to go to school every day, and they are progressing well academically. The families at the school are amazing with their generosity of time, talent and treasure, and we feel lucky to be part of such a great community.
—Submitted by a parent

Unfortunately, the information provided in the remarks made by the parent of the December 12, 2012 review are inaccurate. Not only do St. Monica student go on to high school taking Honors Math and English, they do so both in the public sector as well as the private sector of the Catholic high schools of Divine Savior Holy Angels, Marquette and Dominican. SMS curriculum and academic rigor are on par and in some cases exceeds that of the public sector as our test scores clearly reflect. Finally, SMS is in complete compliance with its implementation of Common Core Standards in all core subjects. Unfortunately the comments made in the previous review are made without knowing all the particulars and therefore reflect an inaccurate and unfair picture of St. Monica School.
—Submitted by a parent

I have three children who currently attend SMS. They will not next year. The actual enrollment is around 385, not the 419 that is reported here. That number is down from 435 two years ago. This signals a problem, to me. The total lack of leadership is taking its toll. The current principal has been in the job for two years, and will not return next year, and the previous principal was in the job for only 3 years. We have significant concerns about the quality of teaching and the rigor of the curriculum, especially as compared to our Public Schools, and particularly with the adoption of the Common Core State Standard there. There is no curriculum plan for the transition to the Common Core, which, particularly in math is an tremendous change. There is no continuity of curriculum in Reading & Language Arts in transition from lower to middle grades. The new curriculum was arbitrarily chosen by one 1st grade teacher, and after she chose it, the middle grade teachers refused to teach it, and will choose a different one. I have recently come to learn that in the past 5 years, not one graduate from SMS has been admitted to honors math or English at our local public high school.
—Submitted by a parent

i have had my son there since k-4. i don't wish to say what grade he is in now to protect his privacy (the school is small). every year i kept telling myself: next year will be better. it has not gotten better. my child went into this school at k-4 with much more information; i spent a great deal of time with him up until this point with him at home teaching him. he has lost so much of that information. i don't want to discuss our specifics any further because i would be giving to much away. but trust me- if you live in whitefish bay or shorewood, DON'T WASTE your money. if you live in mke, then send your child somewhere else. the quality of education is terrible- especially when you consider how much your paying. heck, even if the education cost me $1 per month it would be a waste.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is fantastic! If you are a parent that views technology as an important skill for your child and his or her future, the computer program is absolutely magnificent. Linda Weckwerth heads the program and is an outstanding teacher. Her laid back style keeps the children interested while truely preparing them for not only high school, but the world.
—Submitted by a parent

We have 2 children at St. Monica in grades 1 and 4. Both have been blessed with excellent teachers each year. The school's emphasis on academics and Catholic/Christian values is what brought us in and we are so happy with our children's development both as students and as people of faith. One of our favorite aspects of St. Monica is the school's Multicultural Arts committee, a diverse group of parents striving to weave multiculturalism into the school community and the curriculum at St. Monica. We have meet such quality, well-grounded people through our work with the Multicultural Arts committee. The school is very receptive to the committee's ideas and suggestions. St. Monica has a partnership with All Saints Catholic school, about 2 miles away. This church-- very multicultural, with a majority of African Americans-- does not have a school. Parish members at All Saints can attend SMS for in-parish tuition rates.
—Submitted by Bill and Annemarie, a parent

We had children enrolled in St. Minica's School for eighteen years and miss being at the school since our fourth child graduated in Spring of 2004. The k-4, Mrs. Kihslinger and k-5 teacher,Ms. Mullaney are beyond compare. They nurture a child's eagerness and conficdence to learn which is a wonderful beginning for anyone. Several teachers 1-8 were dynamic and very nurturing. The english department was fabulous with the tremendous effort of all the teachers particularly Ms. Rice and Mrs. Clapier. The Catholic(Christian) atmosphere was consistently wonderful and we feel that our children gained all that we had hoped. We are ardent believers in allowing God to dwell within the walls of a school and believe it is the best way to learn!
—Submitted by Laura Rees, a parent

Wonderful does not even begin to describe St. Monica School. We have been part of the school family since 1994. We switched my daughter from a private school to St. Monica and we never looked back. My second son graduated two years ago and is enjoying a wonderful education at a private Jesuit school, fully prepared for high school. Our youngest is in 3rd grade, all the teachers are great, the building is beautiful, and technology is top-notch, and the caring community of teachers and families is wonderful. St.Monica is a great school with teachers who care about the students. P. Spaeth
—Submitted by a parent

St. Monica School has provided excellent education for my children. My oldest three graduated from SMS and were very well prepared to perform to the high expectations of the Jesuit college prep high school they attend. My oldest is now in college and realizes that his educational foundation is so strong because of what he learned at St. Monica. Even more important than the excellent academics at St. Monica, my children have been part of an extraordinary community here. They are not just taught, but nurtured by the teachers and staff. They experience love and caring from each other, and are open to share their own love and care for others. The exceptional staff is open and accepting of parental involvement at the school and the entire community benefits from sharing all our talents. As my sixth child embarks upon her time here I am proud to be part of SMS!
—Submitted by Norma H., a parent