Dawn Shaw-Phillips remembers well the challenges her daughter, Katie, experienced in public school. She suffered from severe anxiety and academic delays, and the school was not able to get her the support she needed to succeed in the classroom.
“The public school would not give her an IEP [Individualized Education Plan] to help her with her delays,” said Shaw-Phillips. “They kept telling us that she was fine.”
About a year ago, Shaw-Phillips and her husband made a phone call to Saint Teresa Regional School, Runnemede – the same school where their son, who will be 28 this year, had attended as a child.
“The moment that we walked into the school, we knew the atmosphere was different, so welcoming and calm,” she said. The couple met with principal Sister Nancy Kindelan, IHM, who asked what they were looking for in a school. “My husband said that he wanted Katie to receive a great education, and I said I just want my little girl to be happy and not be afraid of coming to school.”
They made the decision to transfer Katie to Saint Teresa after that meeting, and after Katie met the class and told her parents she wanted to go to school there. Later that week, she was officially enrolled as a fourth-grader.
Shaw-Phillips and her husband are among many parents who have made the decision to transfer their children to Catholic schools. And while the reason for the change differs across families, the outcomes are the same.
“What we were hoping Katie would gain from a Catholic School education she already has – a better education,” said Shaw-Phillips. “A year later, we have a child who loves to go to school, participates in school sports and is holding her own academically. We know that the change in Katie is because of her school environment.”
Betsy and Kevin Murphy, who live in Woolwich, enrolled their children in Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Having a front row seat in our children’s ZOOM classes in public schools during remote learning was very eye-opening to us as parents. While remote learning during the pandemic was certainly challenging for all teachers and students, we realized that we were looking for a different high school experience for our children,” they said. “We wanted a school that felt more like a community and focused not only on growing our children academically but spiritually and morally as well.”
Their children, Reece and Shane, had some growing pains when they first transferred, but they soon felt at home.
“They were not used to religion class, uniforms and attending Mass regularly. They would no longer be attending school with all of their friends and were starting over,” they said. “An open mind, a little bit of time and supportive teachers and administration was all they needed to assimilate to their new surroundings.”
Both of their children are thriving at Camden Catholic, they said, and the values they are taught at home are being reinforced in the classroom.
“Having our children attend a Catholic school is an investment in our children that will pay dividends academically, socially and spiritually over their lifetime,” they said.
Karen Tillman and her husband, Mark, both attended Catholic high school themselves, and were happy when their oldest son, Gabe, decided to follow in their footsteps.
“We wanted our son to be challenged academically, and immersed in a school community where the administration, faculty and students supported one another and those in need,” said Karen Tillman, whose son also attends Camden Catholic. “We also wanted to provide our son the opportunity to further explore his Catholic faith with his peers, in fun and thought-provoking experiences.”
When Gabe had a serious medical event during his freshman year and was out of school for several months, that support network stepped up.
“Our CCHS community stood by him as he made his way through,” she said, noting that the support her son received spurred his younger brother, Lucas, to enroll at the same school. “All of us feel CCHS was the best decision for our family, and we are grateful to the faculty and administration for all of their support during our children’s tenure at the school.”
Brian LaGreca has two children – ages 7 and 9 – attending Resurrection Catholic School, Cherry Hill. Prior to transferring there, they heard great things from other youth in their family who were already enrolled there.
“After some negative experiences at their prior school, and the decision to change schools happened, RCS was the only one that was considered,” said LaGreca. “We still met with school personnel, toured the school itself, and discussed any concerns prior to committing. However, after speaking with staff and visiting the school, it was a no-brainer that it was the right choice for them.”
He said the change can be an adjustment for students not accustomed to uniforms and parents not used to the cost, but for their family, it has been well worth it.
“It isn’t just an education, it is an investment in your children’s future that will have a profound impact on them not just today or this marking period, but for their entire life,” he said. “They aren’t learning just math or science, they are learning how to be better individuals. Talk with the school, other families who already attend the school, even church parishioners. If this is a move somebody is really considering, take the time to make sure it is the right choice for the entire family.”
When it comes to considering a Catholic school education – and perhaps a transfer from a public school – Shaw-Phillips recommends that parents visit local Catholic schools to see what they are all about.
“The environment is so different from the public school and it is refreshing. For our family, it was one of the best decisions we could have made for our daughter,” she said. “We know that with the education she is receiving, structure and the presence of God in every aspect of her life, we are setting her up to go far in the future.”
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