How Was School Today?

Founded in 1860, Berea’s St. Mary’s Catholic School offers a strong academic program rooted in Christian values. Of course, the new indoor playground is also “pretty awesome.”

By: Ken McEntee
Date: 01/15/2008
Schools frequently tout their state “report cards” as evidence of their quality. At St. Mary’s Catholic School, in Berea, parents and pupils do the talking.

“We couldn’t have our son in a better place,” insists Chris Julian, mother of a sixth-grade son at St. Mary’s. “We’ve moved around a lot and he has been in many schools. This is by far the best experience we’ve ever had.”

Bob Sauer, the father of a sixth-grade son at the school and another son who graduated from St. Mary’s, agrees. “You can get academics at other schools, but what makes St. Mary’s exceptional is that it integrates character and a sense of core values that extend beyond the school,” he says.

Along with the spiritual guidance that is integrated into all parts of the school’s curriculum, the stellar academic results speak for themselves. On average, St. Mary’s students outscore more than 96 percent of their national peers on third-, fifth- and seventh-grade proficiency tests.

“You feel something special about our school as soon as you walk in the door,” smiles Mary Whelan, the school’s principal. “There is laughter and an aura of happiness that you can’t describe. The students are happy. The staff is happy. Visitors pick up on that energy and they comment about it all the time.”
Visitors frequently include former students.

“Our alumni come to visit us all the time,” Mary notes. “I think that says something.”
Laurel Smialek, a St. Mary’s alumni is now back as a teacher. “The best thing about St. Mary’s is the people and the family atmosphere,” she says. “Once you come here, you can’t leave.”

Established in 1860, St. Mary’s this year has expanded, enabling the school to increase its educational opportunities. A new wing, constructed by New Century Builders, of Strongsville, includes more classroom space and a unique indoor playground that gives younger children a place to run when it’s too cold to play outside.

“We designed the expansion specifically to attract younger children and provide all of the exciting things children should enjoy,” explains Nancy Kaesgen, Director of Education who served as St. Mary’s principal for 20 years.

The expansion is part of the school’s efforts to make its quality education available to more students.
“We had always had waiting lists to enroll, so nine years ago we began to offer two classes in each grade instead of one. That allowed us to provide a quality St. Mary’s education to as many students as possible,” Mary explains.

That education at St. Mary’s features a strong blend of Christian values, traditional classroom teaching methods and cutting edge technology, like ActivBoards in each classroom and a state-of-the-art computer lab. Students begin learning Spanish in kindergarten.

“We let the students know that we are very proud of their accomplishments through recognition like our Hall of Fame,” Mary says.

Through the Responsibility Award Program, pupils can earn dog tags or charms for academic or character-based achievements.

The school also encourages extra-curricular activities, like athletics, choir and instrumental music, drama and academic competitions, like Power of the Pen, as an important part of the education process.

Of vital importance is learning to help people. Each classroom is involved in a service project.
You may be surprised to know that St. Mary’s is open to non-Catholic students.

“You don’t have to be Catholic to value a quality education,” Nancy says. “That is well documented by the use of vouchers in the inner city, which give parents the option of a quality education by sending their children to private schools.”

But as a faith-based school, children benefit from the integration of religion into the curriculum.

“St. Mary’s is a special place to teach because I can talk about God and Christianity, and because of the dedicated staff, parents and students,” explains recently retired teacher Sandi Ziegler, whose five children attended the school.

Along with its K-8 curriculum, St. Mary’s also offers preschool and extended day care programs for three and four year old children. The day care program is conveniently open from 6:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
“Our day care program has grown from nine students 15 years ago to 250 students today,” Nancy says. “Our new addition has allowed us to add the three-year-old program.”

The staff at St. Mary’s encourages parents to visit St. Mary’s to witness the quality education for themselves.

“Every parent has the responsibility to visit the school to see for themselves whether this is the right place to be,” Nancy says. “We encourage you to look at all schools, including the public schools, and make the right decision for yourself and your children.”

Tuition at St. Mary’s is competitively priced and varies depending on each family’s circumstances.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 440-243-4555. St. Mary’s is located at 265 Baker Street, in Berea. Visit the Web site at www.smsberea.org.

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