Actually, I personally support parochial schools operated by the Roman Catholic Church so that they can
provide scholarships for children to attend those schools.  

Now there is a REAL choice if you want a great education.

Quoted Text

Sch’dy schools on another list

    Whether or not Schenectady High School is really a failing school, or just one with lots of disadvantaged, hard-to-educate kids, it has been identified as failing (“persistently low achieving,” to be precise) in the state Education Department’s latest report. What earned the school this label were its low math and English Language Arts scores and low graduation rate. And under President Obama’s Race to the Top Program, there are supposed to be consequences for failure — as well the possibility of money (as much as $6 million over three years for Schenectady) to improve. The district might as well go after it.
    In fact some promising steps have already been taken at the high school, including aggressively pursuing truants, which has sharply increased the attendance rate, and keeping freshmen together in the same area of the school with the same teachers for their core subjects. This makes it easier for their teachers to get to know them and work together with them, while also keeping them out of the crush in the halls — and potential trouble with upperclassmen.
    Now the district will have to do more under Race to the Top, for which the state won a $700 million grant earlier this year. That program requires designated schools to follow one of four turnaround strategies, some of them drastic — such as closing and reopening as a charter school, or getting rid of the principal and 50 percent of the staff — but not necessarily practical, or called for, in Schenectady’s case. ................>>>>..................>>>>..................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r03201&AppName=1

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Actually, I personally support parochial schools operated by the Roman Catholic Church so that they can
provide scholarships for children to attend those schools.  

Now there is a REAL choice if you want a great education.

Do you even know how much it COST...with a scholarship? One pre-school child is $2,000 a year...with a scholarship. Once kindergarten hits, you're looking at over $5,000 a year...and that's St. Helens, the cheapest parochial school in the City. St. Johns is over $6,500 a year, per student. Two children over $13,000 yearly?! Scholarships mean that the school will take a few hundred off tuition as long as the parent contributes times or other monies to the school.

I find it interesting that St. Adalberts now has a public school operating where its parochial school once was. Why did that happen? Was it because parents can't afford thousands of dollars for education on top of the thousands they pay in City taxes per year?

Accountability?! Parochial schools do not have to have board certified teachers?  

Quoted from rachel72

Do you even know how much it COST...with a scholarship? One pre-school child is $2,000 a year...with a scholarship. Once kindergarten hits, you're looking at over $5,000 a year...and that's St. Helens, the cheapest parochial school in the City. St. Johns is over $6,500 a year, per student. Two children over $13,000 yearly?! Scholarships mean that the school will take a few hundred off tuition as long as the parent contributes times or other monies to the school.

I find it interesting that St. Adalberts now has a public school operating where its parochial school once was. Why did that happen? Was it because parents can't afford thousands of dollars for education on top of the thousands they pay in City taxes per year?

Accountability?! Parochial schools do not have to have board certified teachers?  

First - the Diocese of Albany has required that ALL its teacher to be certified for at least the past 25 years.

Second - St. Adalbert's closed its school in 1985 ,, and even then it was only by a 2 vote margin of the
Pastoral Council Council.   Our parish pays over $18,000 a year to the diocesan school assessment and over
$28,000 to the Bishop's Appeal -- both of which help support Catholic schools.

Third - St. Adalbert's has always been a good neighbor to the rest of the community of Schenectady and
when the City School District had a need to lease our Parish Center (which is what the former school has
been used for)  we stepped forward and entered into a 5 year agreement with the City School District.

Fourth - I am aware of the cost of a Catholic school education -- I was educated in Catholic elementary
school, high school, college and post-graduate schools  .. and I give money every year to support my
high school alma mater in Michigan and to support local Catholic elementary schools.

Fifth - Some scholarships offered are full scholarships and some cover a portion of the cost .. every little
bit helps.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Actually, I personally support parochial schools operated by the Roman Catholic Church so that they can
provide scholarships for children to attend those schools.  

Now there is a REAL choice if you want a great education.

Uh, what, a couple HUNDRED dollars?   And, UM, tell us DV, if the tuition is $6,000 and they get $200 "scholarship", can you tell us HOW they can afford to pay $5,800???????   Tell us DV.  When the normal famiy income in Schenectady is $30,000 a year, often less, tell us HOW they can afford to pay that??????   And again, if they have two children?      

Tell us DV, how many students in Schenectady's Catholic schools are having even HALF of their tution paid for by Mallozzi's???????    By Marcella's??????    By Golub??????   By Paul Mitchell???????    By Philip Morris????????    By the Hampton Hotell?????????     By Bombers??????    By the other gin mills????????    

Well, DV, tell us how many?

And since YOU are not paying a mortgage, rent, or  property taxes, and since you live with people who have a high income, tell us about even one low income student in Schenectdy who YOU are paying the full tuition for so that their parents can keep their home.    Just because you might put some money in the basket on Sunday that doesn't begin to cover even pre-school tuition!!!!  

As predicted the Gazetto stated that necessary measures-establishment of a Charter School or firing the principal and 50% were not warranted. Of course-keep the same failed policies and administrators intact. DVR is right about superior Catholic schools but the simple fact is that after paying these outrageous school/City taxes {going up ONLY 6% next year} few can afford the tuition.

     BTW, I'm not attacking the teachers. They suffer most from horrible administrators. The problem is not the parents-bad parents are all over-it's the School Bored and failed administrators. Lack of leadership and lack of emphasis on education. Anyone who says get back to basics and neighborhood schools is shined on. School Bored members say reopen Howe and then do nothing once elected by huge majorities. They need to immediate address the $10 million hole in the budget and receiving another $2 million for the persistently pathetic HS is not enough.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Fourth - I am aware of the cost of a Catholic school education -- I was educated in Catholic elementary
school, high school, college and post-graduate schools  .. and I give money every year to support my
high school alma mater in Michigan and to support local Catholic elementary schools.

Fifth - Some scholarships offered are full scholarships and some cover a portion of the cost .. every little
bit helps.

OH DV, you are SO FULL OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  You don't come close to knowing the cost of tuition.  Back in the 60's and 70's tution was mayb e $25 a year.  Back then, before Gibbons was one school, the tuition at each of the schools was about $500 a year.  My sister-in-law went to ND and her two brothers went to BG.  Their mother was a secretary working for state government and their dad was a blue collar worker at GE, this was in the 1970's, DV, the combined income of the parents was about $20,000, no, she wasn't trying to tell us personal family finances, but just over conversation about school days, costs of things, how things have changed.  So the parents had three in Catholic school.  The grade school---yes, in Schenectady, I won't say which one--she seemed to remember it was $40 a year when the youngest finished 8th grade.  They didn't have all three at ND and BG at once.  

SO, this family was NOT paying taxes of millionaires, their income was about $20,000, and they never paid more than about $1,200 a year in combined tuition.

Now, DV, explain HOW a family of two kids, with an income of $30,000 or less (as is the norm in Schenectady) can pay $12,000 a year in tution?????   That would be MORE THAN  ONE THIRD of their household income!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now tell us how "a little bit" can help??????   Tell us HOW a so called "scholarship" of $500 for each child can allow a family to pay $11,000.   See, again, you have no concept of reality.  You do not have a family, you are not paying a mortage, you are not paying your own property taxes AND the taxes of the millionaires, so you have no clue whatsoever what families in the city are struggling with.  YOu have no idea how families are forced to put up with a poor school system in return for their high taxes, knowing that they couldn't possibly afford a Catholic school tuition.   They barely make ends meet now and YOU think piddling little scholarships will allow for them to be able to shell out $10,000 for tuititon?

Tell us DV, WHO provides paid in full scholarships????   Please provide us the names of the organizations, their addresses, perhaps their websites.  Provide us information from the diocese, perhaps a link on the diocesan website, the provides such information.  Give us some facts (WITH THE PROOF, DV, WITH THE PROOF), about eligibility, etc.   Then tell us what percent of BG students or students in all the Catholic schools are getting these so called full scholarships.

FOr crying out loud, DV, that St. Casimir's school in Albany that closed a few years ago, they had nearly 100% kids eligible for all those school lunch and breakfast programs, their numbers dwindled because obviously those families were NOT getting paid in full tuition via your alleged full scholarships.  People CANNOT AFFORD it.  Perhaps your buddie Susie can afford Catholic schools if she so chose.  But certainly NOT the normal average family in Schenectady, NOT when they have to foot the bill for the property and school taxes of the millionaires downtown.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

.  

Now there is a REAL choice if you want a great education.

And would you care to comment on the people who do not subscribe to Catholic teachings and therefore do not want their children attending Catholic school?   I trust you do realize this country is not ruled by the Catholic church and it's beliefs.

I trust you DO know that taking Catholic Religion classes is MANDATED when attending BG even if you are an atheist.    And no matter what religion you are or lack of, you MUST attend Catholic Mass during school hours on various appropriate occasions.

So, there are parents who, while they may have complete respect for other believes, they don't want their children reciting Catholic prayers.  So, tell us DV, while these parents are forking over their hard earned money to pay the taxes of the millionaires downtown, tell us where can their children go to school?  What choices do those parents have???

The Gazetto editors prove again how delusional they are. If any district needs drastic action and a massive shakeup of administrators-it's Schenectady. Half measures did not work. Race to the top will not work. Replacing half the school bored with liberal goody-goodies did not work. Besides they have moved on to City issues after doing absolutely nothing to improve the schools nor solve the fiscal mess.

     As far as St Adalbert's get real. They were more than happy to rent out the empty school for the big taxpayer dollar. St Mary's on Eastern also has a beautiful unused school that would make a great Charter school site. The Gazetto editors would prefer to shill for Race To The Top which is more pie in the sky. Parents and taxpayers are sick of waiting around. Ignoring the problem and letting the alleged experts take care of it never works.

Saint Mary's school building has been empty and unheated since the mid 1970's  .. and would cost too
much to renovate.   In fact, it was sold to a developer who was going to put apartments in it -- but the cost
to renovate is too great and the developer didn't have the money to tear the building down and to build a new
building.
Saint Adalbert's school building was NOT empty when it was leased to the City School District.  It was being
used as a parish center -- classes on the 2nd floor for Faith Formation .. the lower hall and meeting rooms
for many parish activities ... and the gymnasium on the 3rd floor for certain events and weekly by our
Polish Dance Group.  We also used the attic for storage.   I know because I helped clear out 90 years of
"stuff" that had accumulated in the building.
In 2 1/2 years the lease with the school district will be over and we will have our parish center back.  It actually
has been quite inconvenient NOT having use of the building as we are a very active parish.
The amount received from the City School District is hardly "big dollars".  

To the moron who is worried that non-Catholic children might attend Catholic schools ..it has NEVER been
a problem.    Non-Catholic students are NEVER forced to take religion classes or to recite Catholic prayers.
And  MANY non-Catholic parents send their children to Catholic schools because of the QUALITY of the
education, the loving and disciplined environment, and the moral values that are taught.
BTW - there are a number of great private schools that are not Catholic.

   Saint Adalbert's was - when it was established in 1903 - a boarding school .. Kindergarten to 12th Grade.   Students from as far away as Texas and Nebraska came to attend.   It was the first school in the city to offer Kindergarten.   The first to offer "modern math" - Geometry, Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus.   The first to offer "modern science" - biology, chemistry and physics.   Its students learned the  Classic languages - Latin and Greek .. and also German, Polish, and English.  The physical education program was ahead of its time .. the school even had a bowling alley on the ground floor .. and its high school basketball teams made it to the national championships for Catholic High Schools.
Students were taught "cutting edge" classes like civics and public speaking ... all of which were NOT normally
taught in the public schools of that era.
That is why my grandparents' generation (my grandmother born here but my grandfather was born in
Poland)  .. but there generation moved up rapidly in America.    The education that my grandfather received
enabled him to become a lab assistant to Charles Steinmetz when he graduated from the 12th grade .. and
later he went into the insurance business.   Many in that generation became business owners and
professionals  ... a few even went to college.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

To the moron who is worried that non-Catholic children might attend Catholic schools ..it has NEVER been
a problem.    Non-Catholic students are NEVER forced to take religion classes or to recite Catholic prayers.

Uh, DV,  Once AGAIN, you, DV, have proven your total lack of credibility!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    You better start doing your research before you write!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    

The following is copied and pasted from Gibbons handbook for the 2010-2011 school year:    (you can find it at http://www.nd-bg.org

Quoted Text

Page 3

Since Notre Dame–Bishop Gibbons School is the school of your choice, parents and students alike should recognize that registration of a student is considered an agreement to accept and comply with these guidelines as a norm of conduct. Students at Notre Dame–Bishop Gibbons School are expected to observe the ordinary rules of conduct becoming to Christian men and women.  Students are expected to live lifestyles in keeping with the teaching of the Catholic Church.

Teachings of the Catholic Church mandate Mass on Sundan and all Holy Days of Obligation.  Note All Saints Day as a good example, many, probably most, other Christians do not pray to or believe in the saints as Catholics do.  Now, tell us what would non-Christian students do????  

Quoted Text

Page 4

RELIGION REQUIREMENT
All students are required to take religion each year in attendance at NOTRE DAME-BISHOP GIBBONS. As a Catholic school, we teach about the beliefs, traditions, and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. All students are required to participate in an annual retreat.

DV, you were saying??????????    Well?????

Quoted Text

Page 6

CELEBRATION OF MASS AND OTHER LITURGIES
The Celebration of the Holy Eucharist is the heart and summit of the Church’s life for it is the whole Christian Community united with Christ, its Head. By its very nature the Mass calls for a full, conscious and active participation of the faithful.

The entire school community will gather several times each year to celebrate Mass together.
Also Page 6

CHAPEL
The school’s chapel is a sacred place for prayer.  Students visiting the chapel either alone or as part of a class are to demonstrate respect for Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the chapel.

LITURGIES AND PRAYER SERVICES
Mass is celebrated on days central to Roman Catholicism and at pivotal times during the school year at St. Paul the Apostle Church located near the school.  Parents sign a permission slip at the beginning of the school year authorizing the school to walk students back and forth to St. Paul the Apostle Church for liturgies, practices, and retreat experiences.

Prayer services are also held in the school chapel or in the gym.

Well, where is the sentence that says non Catholic students are exempt from attending Mass, retreat, and prayer services??????   Well???????

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

BTW - there are a number of great private schools that are not Catholic.

  

Sure, the Albany Academies, Emma Willard, Brown,     DV, would you care to respond and tell us how much the tuition at these schools are??????????    How about two or three times that of Gibbons????????????????

So, now can you tell us how the people of Schenectady city can afford tuition when they are paying the property and school taxes of the rich downtown in addition to paying the taxes of their own homes?????   Well DV, can you answer that?

Now, find us some documentation.,.,,,as you are claiming.....that tuition can be paid in full with your so called scholarships?

The other issue with respect to Catholic schools, and other non-religious private schools that DV of course wouldn't dare address.

In claiming they have such a high quality education, DV might want to show us results of these school report card things.  They are deceiving.  

DV would refuse to address the issue that the "deceipt" comes from the fact that Catholic and private schools can be choosy with accepting students.  If a student is truant too much, they will be ousted.  But the public schools MUST continue to educate the kid.  When the students in Catholic and private schools don't do assignments, etc, they can be ousted, whereas public schools must keep them.   These and other similar issues result in kids who are these troubled kids, in bringing the scores down in the Schenectady schools.  

Kids at Catholic and private schools have parents who are paying big bucks to send them there and those parents are probably very very involved with their children. I can't imagine any parent paying that kind of money and then ignoring their kid and letting him or her fail.

So just remember that DV, your precious Catholic schools can be choosy and take only students they want.  So when you say "quality" education, just remember, it appears so because only the cream of the crop of students in the area are attending and they will do well.  The other kids who could be cream of the crop, well, unfortunately, DV, they have to suffer with being in school with lots of fights, bullying, etc, just because their parents can't afford to send them elsewhere -- remember those parents are paying the property and school taxes of your preciouse Savage MILLIONAIRE cronies downtown.

Catholic school enrollment has been on the decline for at least the last decade. The ONLY reason is due to the ever increasing cost for tuition AND public school taxes. Parents just can't afford both!

These catholic high schools also became a haven for the 'troubled kids'. Parents who could afford it, transferred their troubled kids to catholic schools hoping to 'tame' them.

And since I went to catholic school, I can tell you that ...'bad behavior is contagious'.......'good behavior isn't'!

Putting that aside, I think that the option for private school is far better than public schools. Actually........if parents can do it........home schooling rules supreme!