As a parent who sent both my children to St. Amelias, pre-k through 8th grade, I feel like reflecting on my experience at the school for 14 years.
There were some wonderful teachers, teachers who cared, saw the best in the kids, was able to reach them and make a connection. And some who really didn't... teachers who would rather scream than advise, or would chastise than try to understand their students. I debated 100's of times sending the kids to public school or another catholic school, but the kids just loved their friends and I just never took the leap. It is something I will question about my parenting for years to come.
St. Amelias is a good elementary school. Not great, but good. The kids are safe and they are learning. The middle school is a problem. The administration treats the middle schoolers like little kids and they in turn, do not rise to the occasion. It's very restrictive and doesn't give children any room to grow or even make mistakes in a safe environment. 2 of my sons classmates were expelled for mundane infractions because the rules at the school are draconian. My own son walked the line there. He was told in 8th grade he would be expelled for saying "sh*t" on the playground and they gleefully told him they would ruin his chances at St. Joes over it. This didn't inspire him to do better, it just made him angry and ready to get out. The kids have such a narrow margin of behavior it's alarming.
Beyond the extreme code of conduct, if your child has a learning disability, look elsewhere. In fourth grade my son's teacher insisted my son was having seizures, after months of neurology appointments, MRIs, psychologists, they determined my son was BORED in school. He was staring out the window because he was bored. And the teacher was overheard making fun of him at an event and administration did nothing to rectify this. A child with ADHD or a learning disability will not do well here. They are tossed aside and humiliated. Again, I feel terrible looking back that we didn't change schools.
Ultimately, the school is very strict to the point of suffocating. The priest is horrible and mean to both kids and parents and routinely berates families for not doing enough. The principal is fine, but she adheres to draconian punishment and rules of behavior.
My daughter is flourishing in NYC in college and my son is at St. Joes and doing amazing. It makes me sad they had to work so hard just to get the bare minimum. Be very wary of this school.