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A Visit to St. Michael's Academy |
I would like to give you my reactions from a one hour visit to St. Michael’s Academy.
When I toured the school, the day began with everyone in church for a 20 minute prayer service – everyone was very pious and participated in the prayers. Upon leaving, each child as they exited the pew, made a perfect genuflection. Teachers were all women – all modestly dressed in dresses or skirts about 6-8 inches below the knee, while students wore uniforms. Next I went to a religion class – 6 students raised their hands in excitement as they knew the answers to "Who’s the visible head of the church?" "Who’s the invisible head of the church?" "What’s the 4th Commandment?" "What are the 7 sacraments?" – and THIS was kindergarten!! By the end of the year they are reading and doing all kinds of math – all from ½ day of school! Then I watched a spelling class and a 5-6th grade religion class – again. The hands were up and the children took their learning very seriously. This level was doing some serious Bible study. No doubt the kids from this school would leave knowing the what’s and why’s of our Catholic faith. The rooms were decorated like the rooms of the grade school I went too – they had statues and Holy Pictures – and each had a Shrine to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which the school had just been dedicated too. The kindergarten wasn’t full of toys and make-believe play centers –the Catholic faith was the center of learning here. For me, having taught 2nd grade, as well as learning disabilities 1-6, my hour spent at this school was an education! Obviously here’s a place without a frills budget, yet with a great teacher/student ratio, where children were respectful to each other, and where rules were understood and didn’t need repeating. Wrong answers were not laughed at, but efforts were praised. Teachers were very serious about their responsibility.
One parent said she sent her non-reading second grader here. At the end of 2nd grade, he read at the 3rd grade level. After completing 3rd grade, he read at the10th grade level. No sports program here . . . but I’d say it’s a school for these times.
Joanne Ditto
Editor, Upcoming Events
A newsletter dedicated to Roman Catholic events and activities in Minnesota
