Keeping it Real: Why I Send My Kids to Catholic Schools

Let's give a hand to ALL of our exceptional schools!

This week is Catholic Schools Week so naturally I want to promote the faith based education program my kids benefit from in the Catholic preschool and elementary schools they attend. However, I think it's an appropriate time to address some assumptions and generalizations often made about which schools parents decide to send their children to and which schools are the best.

I attended a public high school (Go Rolla Bulldogs!) and had a rich educational experience full of teachers I loved, friends who cared, and coaches who supported me. I sat in class with peers who, like me,  were trying to figure out their way through each day. We may have looked and acted different because we came from diverse backgrounds and family lives, but we were there for the same reason. Sure, there were disagreements, different groups of people who hung out, however when you're from a tight community there's always someone around to give you a hand and help you out.

I went to a public university (Go MU Tigers!)  I never once felt like just another number, even though that is what I heard happens when you go to a public university. Professors do know when you are not in class!  I experienced college life with old friends and met new friends while having some incredible times.There were endless opportunities at MU.  I was lucky enough to work with professors who pushed me outside my comfort zone. I made mistakes and learned from them to grow as a person.

I taught in a public school in St. Louis (Go Lindbergh Flyers!) where each day brought many gifts because the students in my classes came from the neighborhood and East St. Louis through the Voluntary Transfer Program.  Many of them were from low SES homes with parents who sent them on that bus everyday hoping for a better future. My wise principal told me the first week I began, "You have to believe that all parents want the best for their kids."  Even though I didn't have kids at the time, this really stuck with me. I had to remind myself of her message on days when parents wouldn't return my phone calls or my students came unprepared.  But I was humbled by the fact that these parents trusted me, day in and day out to do everything I could for their child. What were they thinking?!  The students were onto me. They challenged me, frustrated me, laughed with me (and probably at me), best of all they hugged me or gave me a high five at the end of each day. All of them taught me to work hard and they made me a better teacher. 

I was an administrator in a public school in a St. Louis suburb (Go Kehrs Mill Knights) where I worked alongside teachers who dedicated their lives to making a difference in each and every child's life. I watched them learn new teaching methods through differentiating instruction, skipping lunch to figure out their new technology tools or help students, staying after school to finish up lesson planning,  preparing for the next day and what that may bring.  Some teachers left, many stayed as there were trying days, but we grew into a family. Looking back, there was always support and love from kids, parents and educators.

Through all my public education involvement, I witnessed hardworking teachers, dedicated students, caring families, many amazing resources and community teamwork. So why do I send my kids to Catholic Schools?

Because it is the right fit for our family. Because Catholic schools offer the same loving, dedicated, caring, challenging and educational experiences I had in public schools.

I don't think I need to tell you more than that. I don't think anyone needs to explain why they send their kids to a particular school. I've learned through all my educational experiences the incredible importance of supporting what you feel is right for your kids AND supporting what your friends feel is right for their kids. 

Do I think my kids' schools are better than other schools out there? I'm going to keep it real and say, No. Not because I don't think my kids' schools are amazing, they are. However, we are fortunate to have many amazing schools we can be proud of in the KC metro area.  

Yes, we live in a city with a struggling school district. While we strive to solve that, we have to remain vigilant about keeping all our schools systems alive and thriving. I love that we have a variety of schools in KC: public, city, suburban, rural, catholic, private, charter,  home school, large and small which are committed in meeting the increasingly diverse needs of all our kids. Are there issues in each school? Yes. As parents, teachers and community members we have a civil and moral responsibility to creatively come together, research,  and support solutions that are in the best interest of the students.

Which school is the right choice for your family? Don't ask me, ask yourself. Keep it real. Send your kids to the school you feel is right for them and support the schools around your community. All schools need positive feedback. All schools need to give every student a high quality education. All schools can do this, if we stick together and do our own part, whatever that means for your family.  We need to keep all types of schools open and focus on the number one reason they are in existence: to educate the whole child in every child.

I'm proud of my kids' school (Go Vis Shamrocks!) and, you know what? I am proud of your kids' school too because we all want what is best for our children.

Be Small Town: Come Together As A Community

When you hear the word "community", what is your first thought? Probably geography. Where you live, your neighborhood, your closest proximity to a group of people who generally have the same physical location you do.

However, communities can also be defined in broader terms, looking past geography and more into cultural heritage, language, beliefs, and interests.

What brings a community together? Peace, listening to others, common goals, a passion for growth, and healthy values.

What rips a community apart? Disagreement, violence, decreased support for education, voicing opinions and turning your back to opposing views.

We live in a society where it’s not enough to just be a community. There needs to be community development. When negativity comes into our communal systems, we must find ways to plan, empower and grow. We can't stop believing.

When I hear the word community, I still think of my high school in the small town of Rolla, MO, "the middle of everywhere." I moved there at the end of my 8th grade year. Talk about ruining one's life.  I really thought my parents had charged me with the death sentence: forcing me to a rural town eight hours away from my whole beloved family, an only child with no siblings to protect me. Little did I know, it would be one of the biggest gifts they ever gave me. My experiences at Rolla High School continue to have an impact on the communities I serve through my professional and personal life. This is why:

One Space Can Fit All:  
There was only one high school in Rolla. It did not matter what street you lived on, your IQ, if you had special needs, who your parents were, what your religious beliefs were, or even if you wanted to go there or not. If you lived in the city boundaries of Rolla High School, you were a Bulldog! We came from opposite sides of town,  from trailers, apartments, and houses. Some lived with their parents, others with friends, family members or some by themselves. There were kids with money, others with none. There were also a long list of programs which reached out to the different interests of students: 4-H, Foreign Language Clubs,Choir, National Honor Society, a variety of sports teams, Band, Future Farmers of America, Pom Pon Posse, Yearbook and Vocational Tech classes, just to name a few. Multiple communities of students were formed throughout our one high school community.

Everyone Had A Teacher They Loved: 
I have asked my friends over the years to name which teachers they remember the most at RHS. Everyone has someone they connected with on some level, a teacher who believed in them. For me it was Mrs. Wolford, my creative writing teacher. I never really enjoyed writing until I was in her class my junior year. You know how she inspired me to write?  By getting to know me and one day sending home this thoughtful note to my parents. She had high expectations and we all worked hard for her because she made a point for each student to feel special. Then there was Mrs. Zink, my home economics teacher who showed us just how interesting cooking and nutrition could be, but she still kept a tight kitchen. When you heard her say "Whoop Whoop" you knew you were on the right track. She cared about EVERYONE. Who could forget Mr. Lucian? He let us blow up whatever we wanted to (within reason) during chemistry. He was never boring and I always looked forward to his class. Yes, there were teachers I didn't connect with, but the ones I did, boy did they shape my interest in being a teacher and still encourage me to make learning lively!

Low Water Bridges and Back Roads Inspired Friendships:

My high school years came before social media (thank goodness). Our friendships were not defined by how many “likes” we had, how many times we received text messages, pictures or phone calls from someone. Our friendships were made and grew in different ways which were supported by real conversations, not virtual or digital ones.  There wasn't a whole lot to really do in Rolla (outside of the normal school activities and work), which encouraged us to create our own fun. After school or on the weekends, we would pile in someone’s car and go hang out in nature, talking about school, our families, or just singing songs and enjoying the fresh air. Sometimes the day would take us all out to a field, a low water bridge, or just to some one's house down a gravel road.  I still feel it’s important to not have a care in the world, every once in a while, and be able to take the day as it comes. Deep conversations, belting out a song, or laughing uncontrollably with your buddies outside the four walls of a classroom is just another way we learn. Everyone needs a back road (whatever that means to you) to take a break from life and refuel.

But, We Were Not All Friends:  

Like I said, we all came together to one school, many from complete opposite worlds. Not everyone liked each other, there were fights, and kids were very cruel. I'm certain my big perm and braces didn't help. What I learned from going to a small town high school is that at SOME point, on SOME level, there is connection with everyone in your class. Their family member may have lived down the road from you, you probably had a class with them at some point, or end up in the same school club,  or play on the same team, maybe even have mutual friends or family. Down the road, your paths may cross when you least expect it.  With about only 140 students in my class, you got to know each other whether you wanted to or not. Over the years, I  found this to be a blessing.  I cannot tell you the number of times, having a Rolla connection has opened a door when one has closed. When I think about where all my classmates have landed, it reminds me of how unique that place was on Bulldog Run.

Encouraged To Find Our Own Place:   

Small town living exposes you to people outside of your group of friends, requires you to work with others you may not want to be around and introduces you to someone you may not have ever met if you lived in a big city. Throughout it all, we had an equal opportunity to attend what is now a nationally recognized school, an accredited Technical Institute/Center live in a town with the Missouri University of Science and Technology. We were given opportunities to learn in class, develop our skills, and decide ultimately where we wanted to land. There was an emphasis on graduating, but an appreciation that not everyone needed to go to college. Many of us left, some stayed, and a few returned. We gained unforgettable experiences, special memories, and lessons learned that will forever have a positive impact on our lives.  My former classmates today work in their own communities as police officers, nurses, doctors, farmers, insurance agents, teachers, homemakers, engineers, principals, city workers, firemen, builders, manufacturers, and local business owners. We are fortunate to have those who also serve our country, and others who are in all types of successful careers with or without a college education.

Community is developed through collaboration of people for change. Community shouldn't be defined by just geography, but by circumstances which open your eyes to others who who may not live a life like yours. It takes people believing in each other. You may not always agree, but you learn to listen because that's how you end up in one place, together. As I seek out ways to develop the STEAM Studio in Westport, I feel thankful once again to be part of a diverse community. One place where all kinds of kids can come together and learn in unique ways.

Thanks mom and dad for not listening to me in 8th grade when I said you were ruining my life. I still love coming back to Rolla and always look forward to that back road which leads me home.

I encourage you to get to your back road as soon as you can..Sing it Rodney!