The Academy of St. Bartholomew

With leading-edge classroom advantages and a supportive, nurturing community, students of The Academy of St. Bartholomew are achieving remarkable educational milestones. Here’s how your child can benefit, too.

By: Ken McEntee
Date: 01/07/2010
The church may have started a couple thousand years ago, but the education at The Academy of St. Bartholomew is decidedly high-tech. That’s just one reason parents from 12 different cities—as far away as Medina, Hinckley and Cleveland—have chosen to send their children to the Middleburg Heights school.

“Our technology is just phenomenal here,” says principal Elizabeth Palascak, citing the school’s new computer lab.

With electronic whiteboards in each classroom, pupils this spring will be able to participate in interactive, two-way science classes hosted by NASA, historical lessons from the Ohio Historical Society and other virtual field trips—without leaving their desks. In addition, there is a student response system that allows teachers real time feedback. But St. Bart’s educational advantages aren’t limited to the cutting-edge technology, Mrs. Palascak points out.

“Our school has a 50-year track record of academic integrity,” she says. “We do an outstanding job of preparing our young people for what they are going to face in the future. We have very dedicated teachers, many with master’s degrees and many who stay with us year after year. Many of their own children are students here.”
Laura Frank, who has a fifth grade son at St. Bart’s, and a daughter who recently graduated from the K-through-8 school, has seen the results.

“My daughter just started at Magnificat and she’s doing so well academically,” Laura says. “St. Bart’s prepared her very well.”

The Catholic school curriculum, Elizabeth notes, gives kids a head start on many opportunities that public schools only offer at later grade levels. Foreign languages, for example, are offered in second grade. Preschoolers at St. Bart’s are tapping away on computer keyboards before they start kindergarten.
What many people don’t realize, Elizabeth says, is that St. Bart’s has programs for learning disabilities as well as a gifted program for academically advanced kids.

Another thing many people don’t always realize is that St. Bart’s—and its teachers—are certified by the state of Ohio.

“Like most schools in Ohio, our students  take state proficiency tests,” she explains. “In fact, last spring 100-percent of our seventh and eighth graders passed the writing proficiency test, which is a remarkable achievement.”

Parents like Laura don’t need the state to tell them St. Bart’s is a quality school. They see it for themselves every day.

“I like the idea of having the parish involvement tied to my kids’ education,” she says. “I also like that I could come here and volunteer in various activities. Parents are encouraged to come in and work with the kids. Some parents just come in during their lunch break. It really is a nice thing.”

The Academy—supported by St. Bartholomew Parish and Reverend Leonard M. Bacik, pastor—offers art, instrumental and vocal music, along with a large selection of clubs and activities, and beginning in the fourth grade, a variety of sports.

Along with academics, the school also stresses a strong message of service. Student Council recently raised enough money to buy 120 desks for a school in Haiti. The school Christmas tree last month was trimmed with mittens and scarves that were distributed to financially disadvantaged kids in Cleveland.

St. Bart’s offers before- and after-school care from 6:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. and the school’s preschool program now offers new daily pre-K option for kids who are not quite ready for kindergarten.

St. Bart’s is open to students of all religious backgrounds.

Elizabeth, who taught at St. Bart’s for 25 years before becoming the principal four years ago, says she loves the school’s tradition and the close sense of community.

“A lot of the children I taught are now sending their children here,” she says.

But new families are openly welcomed.

“We were new to the school when we enrolled our daughter and they made us feel very comfortable,” Laura says.

As part of Catholic Schools Week, St. Bart’s will host an open house on Sunday, January 31, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., giving kids and parents a chance to see all that the school has to offer. The Academy of Saint Bartholomew is located at 14875 East Bagley Road, in Middleburg Heights. You can reach the school by calling 440-845-6660, or visit the website at www.academystbarts.org for more information, including an online video.

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