YOU’VE CHANGEDa Lot in 25 Years.

SO HAVE WE.Long Island’s Catholicelementary schools:Look at us now.

Space for stamping of local school information

P.O. Box 9023, Rockville Centre, New York, 11571-9023

www.drvc.org

Advantages of a Catholic elementary school education

Every student who graduates from

a Catholic elementary school in

the Diocese is guaranteed a seat

in a Catholic high school provided

he/she meets the academic

requirements of that school.

With 57 elementary schools across

Nassau and Suffolk Counties,

there is a Catholic elementary

school convenient to your home.

Students in the Diocese of

Rockville Centre consistently

score higher than the national

average on nationally

recognized tests.

All Catholic elementary schools

have full-day kindergarten

programs; most have early

childhood programs for three and

four year old children.

Some schools even offer before -

school care programs.

Catholic elementary schools on

Long Island offer languages,

art, music, technology, sports,

after-school programs and many

extracurricular activities.

Most schools have

middle school athletic

leagues for baseball,

softball and basketball.

Experienced, certified teachers

While New York State does not

require certification of private

school teachers and administrators,

teachers and administrators in our

Catholic schools are required

to have or obtain New York

State certification.

95 percent of Diocesan employed

teachers have master’s degrees

or better.

Technology abounds

Classrooms, technology labs and

library media centers are wired for

Internet access with state-of-the-art

computer equipment.

Students are educated in SMART

classrooms equipped with

interactive white boards, utilized

for group instruction and student

presentations.

All Catholic elementary schools

have computer labs and technology

equipment in the classrooms.

Financial Assistance:Today’s Children Are Tomorrow’s Hope.In these difficult financial times, paying for a Catholic school education is not easy. There are many families who wish to send their child to a Catholic school and cannot afford to do so.

That’s where the Tomorrow’s Hope Foundation comes in.

Since its inception just a few years ago, the Tomorrow’s Hope Foundation has directly touched the lives of thousands, enabling families to realize their dreams of a Catholic education for their children.

To date, Tomorrow’s Hope has awarded almost $5 million in scholarships to deserving families across Long Island.

In the 2007–2008 school year alone, Tomorrow’s Hope distributed 1,000 scholarships to help offset the cost of tuition.

Learn more about providing your child with a Catholic school education by visiting www.drvc.org, clicking on the Education menu bar and following the links to each of the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Or, contact the Education Department of the Diocese of Rockville Centre at 516-678-5800, ext. 547, or email drvcoffice@drvcschools.org

NASSAU & SUFFOLK COUNTY LANGUAGE ARTS TEST SCORES PERCENT PASSING

Diocesan Schools

Public Schools

GRADE 4 GRADE 8

100%

50%

*Excerpted from Catholic Update by Robert J. Kealeywww.americancatholic.org/newsletters/CU/ac0998.asp.

Rediscover Catholic Education on Long Island:It’s better than you remember.

Salvatore F. SodanoDean of the Frank Zarb School of Business,Hofstra University

Former chairman of theAmerican Stock Exchange

While it may not seem long ago when

you attended elementary school,

much has changed in elementary

education. Now as a parent, perhaps

your most important contribution is to

set your child on an educational path

that shapes and develops his or her

intellect, character and faith.

While exploring options for your

child’s education, take a moment to

focus on some important points to

consider when choosing a school.

Think about the important issues

children and young adults face in

today’s society. Then, reflect on

what type of educational setting

would most clearly resemble the

type of atmosphere you would

select for your child.

From the moment one enters a

Catholic elementary school, one

quickly gains a sense that a Catholic

elementary school is a nurturing and

supportive environment. A visitor to

a Catholic elementary school can feel

a spirit of family wherein teachers are

dedicated to educating each child.

The decision of where to send your

child is a difficult one. Many factors

affect your decision: academic rigor,

moral and spiritual development,

after-school programs, safety and

cost, to name a few.

It is important to ask questions and

visit the schools you are considering

for your child in order to make an

informed decision.

Much has changed since you went to

school and it is important to compare

schools as they are today.

As you already know, Long Island

schools are some of the top

academic institutions in this

country offering both public

and private education.

We believe that the 57 conveniently

located Catholic elementary

schools provide an excellent

academic education, in a faith-filled

environment.

We encourage you to take a look at

our Catholic schools. After all, is there

anything more important than helping

to shape your child’s future?

Catholic schools in the 21st century: Here are just a few of the changes you’ll find in today’s Catholic elementary schools.

The classroom setting in today’s Catholic

elementary schools has progressed with

the times, yet the feeling of a faith-

centered community continues to exist.

Catholic school teachers are professional

educators modeling the attributes of their

Catholic faith and values.

Students are engaged in instruction

that focuses on the New York State and

National standards, and challenged with

activities that require higher-level thinking

and innovative skills.

In today’s Catholic elementary school,

a more collaborative relationship exists

between the parish pastor and the

school principal.

In a peer-to-peer relationship, pastors

and principals have come to rely on the

talents of competent parishioners. School

Boards help develop the budget, approve

policy and offer advice, particularly with

respect to planning for future growth. The

parishioners then support the parish by

offering their talents for the good of the

whole, which is a form of stewardship.

Every effort is made to keep tuition costs

low in the hope that every child desiring a

Catholic education will be able to afford it

either directly or with financial assistance.

Benefits of a Catholic school education:

Catholic elementary school

graduates are more likely to

become active in their faith

and church.

Catholic elementary school

graduates are more likely to have

a strong commitment to family

and community.

99% of our students go on

to college.

Catholic elementary school

students in the Diocese of

Rockville Centre score higher than

the national average on the Iowa

Tests of Basic Skills, a nationally

normed test.

Catholic schools took an

immigrant population of the

19th and early 20th century, and

brought that population into the

mainstream of American life.

Today, that population is one of the

best-educated and most successful

contributors in U.S. society.*

In studies over and over again,

parents indicate that the primary

reasons for sending their children

to Catholic schools are the schools’

record of academic excellence,

emphasis on values and the

supportive environment.*

A higher percentage of Catholic elementary school students meet or exceed the standards of the

New York State exams in English Language Arts than do students from across the state.

A snapshot of one of today’s Catholic school classrooms may include:

Students working cooperatively

on group projects.

Teachers providing whole group

instruction in a SMART classroom.

Students presenting work utilizing

an interactive white board.

A class conducting research in

a one-to-one laptop setting.

Students video conferencing

with a class across the globe

using technology.

Students using hand-held

response systems during

an assessment.

A class meeting with a scientist in

a distance learning setting.

“ Looking back, my Catholic education

was an outstanding one. It gave me the

educational and spiritual foundation enabling me to be successful in business without giving up the core beliefs of my faith.”

More than 90 percent of

Catholic elementary school

graduates matriculate into one of the

14 Catholic high schools in the area;

greater than 99 percent of the

graduates of these high schools

go on to college.