Valley Stream Catholic school finds success

Six Catholic schools in the Diocese of Rockville Centre are closing next year, but that doesn’t worry leaders at Holy Name of Mary School in Valley Stream. The 71-year-old school ranks 13th out of the 52 elementary schools in the diocese in terms of enrollment, putting it in the top quarter.

The figures are based only on kindergarten through eighth grade enrollment, though the school also offers pre-K and nursery school programs. The school has a total of 274 students in grades K-8, up more than 50 children in the past three years. “It’s a significant improvement from where we were,” said Principal Richard McMahon, in his third year leading the school.

Holy Name of Mary is one of the few Catholic elementary schools remaining in southwest Nassau County. Last year, Blessed Sacrament School, also in Valley Stream, shut its doors after 55 years and St. Catherine of Sienna in Franklin Square will close this June. Schools in Elmont and Hewlett have also shuttered in past years.

Enrollment at Holy Name of Mary is geographically diverse. A little more than half of the student population comes from within the Valley Stream elementary and high school district boundaries. Another 80 come from Queens, mostly Rosedale and Springfield Gardens. There are also a handful of students from Elmont, Lynbrook, Malverne, East Rockaway and as far away as Freeport and Hempstead.

McMahon said that Holy Name does draw from the some of the same areas as nearby schools including Our Lady of Peace in Lynbrook, Our Lady of Lourdes in Malverne and St. Raymond’s in East Rockaway. But Holy Name is unique in that it also draws from the city, McMahon said.

Students are learning

The school’s academic reputation is one reason Holy Name continues to succeed, McMahon explained. In the last three years, he said that 100 percent of eighth-graders have been admitted to the Catholic high school of their choice. “That, to me, is a very good sign that we’re doing a good job,” he said.

Holy Name of Mary also offers a middle level academy. Students in grades 6-8 are taught by teachers with knowledge of a particular subject area. Rather than just having one teacher throughout the day, those students receive their social studies, science, math and English instruction from teachers certified in those areas. Students change classes, just like in a public middle or junior high school.

There is also a full Spanish program for students beginning in sixth grade and, of course, regular religious instruction.

Diane Donoghue has two sons who attend the school, Kevin, in seventh grade, and Matthew, a sixth grader. Her husband, Edward, also attended Holy Name as a child. “We’re quite happy with the choice that we made,” she said. “They’ve gotten a very good Catholic-based education.”

Donoghue credits the school’s leadership, namely McMahon and Enrollment Coordinator Denise Kassebaum, for the growing student population. The two are very welcoming to prospective students and parents, Donoghue explained, and do a good job spreading the work about the school’s mission, program and successes.

“We have great teachers, too,” Donoghue said, noting that the faculty is a mix of veteran, experienced teachers and young teachers full of excitement and enthusiasm.

Building a strong connection

One unique aspect of the school is that McMahon does not require service from parents. Most Catholic schools make it mandatory for parents to volunteer during the school year. Instead, McMahon has a group of 14 parents volunteers who work at the school every day for student arrival or lunch duty. Their children receive a 50 percent tuition discount.

McMahon touts this program because he says it helps parents who are having financial difficulties in still being able to afford a Catholic education for their children. It also creates stability in the school as students see the same faces there every day. “They enjoy it,” he said of his volunteers. “They almost feel like teachers, And I think the students enjoy having that steadiness as well.”

Annual tuition is $4,700 per student, with discounts for multiple children from one family.

The facilities are also attractive, McMahon said, explaining that the school has a full gymnasium and cafeteria, and great technology offerings. A recent $80,000 grant will upgrade the technology infrastructure and ensure a SMART Board in every classroom.

McMahon said his favorite part of the job is beginning the school day each morning. He leads the students in prayer, makes a few announcements, then highlights the various achievements of the children. The parents are always invited to stay for that.

Dr. Liz Frangella, the assistant superintendent of schools for the diocese, likes what she sees at the school. “I think that Holy Name of Mary is a wonderful place,” she said. “It’s vibrant. It’s alive.”

Frangella said there is a genuine happiness among the students and there are a numerous activities at the school each year. Holy Name has a science fair, spelling bee and math competition, among other annual events.

McMahon said he hopes to keep it going strong. When a school falls below 200 students, that is when typically a school does not have enough tuition coming in to cover its expenses. Holy Name is far above that threshold, without even counting the dozens more children in the nursery and pre-K programs.

That pre-K program is also generating more students for the school. McMahon said that many parents enroll their children in a Catholic school’s pre-K program because the options in a given community are limited. Children then often move on to public school for kindergarten.

Last year, the number of students entering kindergarten at Holy Name from the pre-K program doubled from six to 12, out of 50 total children. “It’s still a small percentage,” McMahon said. “We’re obviously doing something right that the parents want to stay with us.”

Donoghue’s children have been at Holy Name since nursery school. She can’t imagine sending her children to another school and is pleased that the school has been able to buck the trend and avoid the enrollment decline that has forced other schools to close its doors. “The kids are happy,” she said. “My kids would be devastated if we had to find another school for them.”