Crime, Education in Berwyn.

[Bear]

Most catholic grammar schools have addressed this situation.
If you are not contributing to Sunday collections at church,
you will be assessed a much higher tuition rate. Most schools have also
instituted mandatory fund raising parameters per family

[Gilly]

Art,

If I may ask, why did you choose the Catholic school in Riverside (St Mary?) as opposed to St. Leonard in Berwyn?  My daughter is fast approaching school age and I'm looking for any information I can get on the quality of the two schools and the differences between the them.

Thanks

[Ana]

Gilly,

I would visit both schools before you make your decision.  St. Mary's is a very good school.  My daughter went to a Montessori school before going to 1st grade and she did not know how to read.  She was reading by November of that school year.  I am very happy with all three of my children's accomplishments and feel that they are being challenged at St. Mary's, but it was the only school that I had parent opinions on and it was the only school I visited.  My daughter is now a Girl Scout with a troop at St. Leonard's and I can tell you that it is a wonderful school.  I have met many families from St. Leonard and am impressed by how friendly they are and how committed they are to the school and their children.  Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Ana

[ruffian]

Saluki, I know where your comin from ... and your explanation on the "convenient Catholic" is better understood.

Just want to say a bit more.  I read the post by Art on the next level of this thread.  You can't help but feel the happiness and pride she has when she talks about her kids who have/are attending Catholic school.  I think what relgion does is make you think about life itself.  I tend to be a scientific person.  Yet science can only give us so many answers .. and in 2005 there are still many major unknowns.  They can only speculate as to how the universe came about.  Last explanation was gases that built up and then they formed a giant malatov c0ct@il ... BANG.  They don't know where the universe beigns, nor do they know where it ends.  We have no idea if there is life on other planets, yet we know conditions exist (h2o) for life. 

Religion beyond creation, teaches humanity.  You feed anyone who is hungry, you provide warmth for someone who is cold, you sacrifice for the greater good.  Your taught there is a higher power, that when you do something wrong and no person is watching, that there is one that sees all.  Sounds to me like god truly may be your own conscious ... a mind that when primed properly knows that something you maybe contemplating that is wrong ... and stops you from doing that wrong, yet when you do not listen, and commit that wrong, you are forgiven.  The psychological effect of being forgiven is profound when it comes to the mind.  When you have kids notice how they cry like heck when they've done something wrong and you admonish them and scold.  Cry, cry, cry.  But the moment you say, it's OK now, I forgive you and know you'll do better, right?  You see the tears stop and the silent nodding, they become peaceful.  I went to public school, but always admired my Catholic peers.  I have to laugh as many have expressed over time that they had the worst of it in discipline in school, but I can assure you in my days at Emerson, Piper, and Morton West we had our fair share of discipline.  But in those days they COULD administer that discipline without some whinning parent exclaiming ..... "no, NOT my JOHNNY ..... he would NEVER .... "  And after you got it in school, then you got it again at home (no sympathy there).  And these were in the Grease days ... black jackets, beehive hairdos and MINI skirts.  But, between, parents, religion and school ... they made it pretty hard for us to get off the straight and narrow.
   

[hvychev]

And these were in the Grease days ... black jackets, beehive hairdos and MINI skirts.

Take it easy grandma.....

[ruffian]

Hychev thinks he sees Ruff sitting in the back of a soft yellow cream puff 67 mustang .......... around the corner and poof ....... Ruff is gone

[Berwyn Patsy]

ruff, I"m on your side!!  Yuppies verses greaser chicks, who do you think will win???

[marysol_21]

Regarding the education, I also agree that the morals they teach at Catholic schools is so beneficial. I went to public school and I hardly attend mass, however my oldest is in catholic school in Oak Lawn. I see the difference in terms of the everyday perspective he has. He lectures me on what is wrong and right and how the world would be a better place if more people would help out the less fortunate, and so on. I do not agree with the church on some issues, but I am glad that my son has the opportunity to attend a place that teaches them far beyond the limitations of eduaction. I would love to send my twins to catholic school as well...not because I do not have the faith in Berwyn's public schools, but for the simple fact that they learn such good morals, beliefs, manners, etc. These aspcets lack in the public schools for obvious reasons, but I do see the difference it makes for a growing child, it is only positive. These beliefs definitely start in the home, but the fact that they are applied to everyday learning makes such a difference. Unfortunately I lack the resources to send two children to a parochial school, but if I could I would not hesitate.     

[pkd50]

Why did you choose a school in Oak Lawn?  Did you check Berwyn Catholic schools, and find that one better?

[marysol_21]

When he was born, I was still in school as an undergrad. His grandmother could afford to quit her job in oder to watch him. Once he was ready to start pre-school she was available to pick him up from school so long as it was close to her home and they offered to pay his tuition. He loves the school so I dont mind driving all the way south to drop him off some mornings and then head back to work in the city. For my twins, however I would like to look into St. Leonard, I have heard nothing but great things about the school. It is basically a matter of $$$