private elementary schools near springfield (North Springfield, Raven: catholic schools, tuition, kindergarten)

[novadris]

unfortunately, our public school is not that great, so we are looking into other options for kindergarten. we are considering st bernadettes, holy spirit and nativity. just wondering if there are any major differences among them. thanks for any help!

[DC Oldtimer]

Dont know anything about those three, but have long heard good things about St. Michael School, off of Ravensworth Rd. That's a hop skip and jump from North Springfield.

[mlv311]

The three are good schools and the differences between them are minor. We toured 2, but researched all three when looking for a school. I think that it makes a difference if you belong to the parish of the school you choose. Registration started in February so you might want to check if they still have openings. I also recommend you go on a tour and talk to several families who have children there now.

If you are just looking into a private school as an alternative to your public school, here are a few observations. Holy Spirit and St. Bernadette have two classes per grade (at least at the lower grades) with a maximum of 30 students per class. In Nativity, I believe you have one class per grade (same max. # of students). In St. Bernadette and Nativity, the K class(es) have a full-time teacher and teacher assistant. In Holy Spirit, the TA floats between the two classes. Holy Spirit's facilities are newer because they opened a whole wing to the school only a few years ago. In Holy Spirit there is one tuition rate for all families. The other two, like most Catholic schools, have a tuition rate for parish families, Catholics out-of-parish, and all others. I think that all three have gotten the Blue Ribbon Award at some point (I know HS and Nativity have for sure).

Anyway, I think your best bet is to ask your questions and research these options as well as others near you. GL