 |
A CATHOLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION:
Is the starting point on a path to a lifetime of accomplishment for your child. Catholic education is built on the premise that the education of a child is a partnership. As the primary educator of their children, parents are welcomed and encouraged to become involved in their child's education in the Catholic school.
Catholic schools in the Diocese of Greensburg provide a positive atmosphere that enables children to flourish. Strong academics; a disciplined atmosphere; and a Christ-centered spiritual environment teach children about life, and how to meet the challenges they will face.
Choosing to send your child to a Catholic school may be the most important decision you make in securing his or her future success. It is a sound investment in a valuable education, and an education in values.
Catholic School Highlights:
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests reveal that Catholic school students, including those from minority populations, perform better in reading, math and science than their public school peers. (National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)).
Students in Catholic schools tend, more often than their peers in other schools, to view their teachers as caring, to find their coursework as stimulating, and enjoy a positive self-image. (The Assessment of Catholic Religious Education, NCEA).
Catholic students in Catholic high schools, compared to Catholic students in public high schools, attend church more; place a higher value on religion; have a more positive outlook on marriage and the family; express more concern for other people; and more often, express a belief that they will graduate from college. (The Heart of the Matter: Effects of Catholic High Schools on Student Values, Beliefs and Behaviors, NCEA)
A 1990 study by the Rand Corporation demonstrates the success of Catholic high schools in educating minority students from disadvantaged environments, as measured by such criteria as graduation rates and SAT scores. "... Since the early 1980s, researchers have been documenting the extraordinary success of the part of Catholic schools with disadvantaged and minority youngsters." (Forbes Magazine, 10/7/96)
Based on the average public school per pupil cost of $6,512, Catholic schools provide more than $17 billion a year savings to the nation. (NCEA)
Catholic elementary schools can educate a student at about one-third the cost of public schools. (United States Catholic Elementary Schools and Their Finances, NCEA; and The Condition of Education, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Research and Development).
Catholic School Highlights in the Diocese of Greensburg:
All Diocese of Greensburg elementary schools have earned and maintained formal accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Both Geibel Catholic Middle-High School and Greensburg Central Catholic High School are accredited by the Middle States Association of High Schools and Colleges.
All teachers in diocesan elementary schools and high schools are certified by the state of Pennsylvania.
Small class size provides our students with individualized attention. Diocesan elementary schools enjoy an average 14-to-1 student-teacher ratio. The average student-teacher ratio in our secondary schools is 15-to-1.
Our Catholic elementary school students consistently perform above the national average on standardized tests.
Consistently, 90 to 100 percent of students who attend Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Greensburg pursue post-secondary education.
All diocesan Catholic high school students participate in community service projects. |