By:Hector Flores
"My husband and I attended private schools," Mary Lou said. "The education made it possible for us to get into the colleges that we wanted. Aside from that, we were provided with a very strong foundation in our religion. Not only was it taught every day, it encompassed the whole curriculum."
Mary Lou explained that an education geared to religion is vital to instill discipline in children and serves as an aid in solving everyday problems. "Certainly in the world we live today, we want them to be secure and with a strong foundation to stand on," she said. "When my little girl witnesses an argument, she will say, 'That is not Christ-like.'"
Mary Lou said her daughter has an idea of how people should act if they follow religious teachings. It is this belief, which is found in her home, that Mary Lou wants reinforced in the school. "It is our tradition," she said.
School Principal Leeann Graziose described St. Elizabeth as a Christ-centered community. The school is backed by four parishes: Cur of Ars in Merrick, St. Frances de Chantal in Wantagh, St. Barnabas the Apostle in Bellmore, and St. Raphael the Archangel in East Meadow.
Graziose said that the parishes joined to create a Catholic school that provides for the education, growth and development of the whole child -- physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually.
The school occupies two campuses. The Bellmore campus teaches kindergarten to 12th grade, and the early-childhood center in Wantagh teaches children ages 2 to 5. In all, there are 485 students who attend the two campuses. They come from 18 communities, including Babylon, Baldwin, Bellmore, East Meadow, Elmont, Freeport, Hempstead, Hicksville, Island Trees, Levittown, Merrick, North Bellmore, North Merrick, Roosevelt, Seaford, Uniondale, Wantagh and Westbury.
Graziose said the school provides a fully accredited faculty, religious studies programs from nursery school to eighth grade, advanced math classes in seventh and eighth grades, Spanish, a computer lab with Internet access, health and physical education, after-school programs, National Junior Honor Society, a student council, spring and Christmas concerts, Boy and Girl Scout troops, a Seton Parents In Regionally Involved Teams (SPIRIT) board, a band program and clubs in choir, chorus and drama.
"Most of our students come from the four parishes that support us," Graziose said. "And parents learn about our school from talking to each other. When a parent hears about our programs and is invited to walk through the school, seeing is believing. The school just sells itself."
Graziose was anxious to dispel a myth that Catholic-school teachers aren't qualified. "All of our teachers are certified, and most have their master's," she said. "And some have even more education."
Graziose also recalled what attracted her to the Catholic-school system. "I'm a young Catholic, and I could be teaching anywhere, but I chose the Catholic-school system from the beginning of my career. It is my belief that in our ever-changing world, we need Christ-like values and morals. I believe in the power of prayers, and I believe in our Catholic-school children, parents and teachers."
Sue Bello, of Bellmore, an art teacher at the school, explained that there is a spirit in the building, of love, tolerance and faith. "That spirit comes from Christ," she said. "We teach with Christ in our hearts, and that is why a Catholic education is so beautiful. In today's society we need more love, and this is the best way of expressing it."
Aside from the religious instruction, many parents, like Kathy Whelan, of Bellmore, love the close-knit community environment. "The school is very family-oriented," she said. "[Parents] are part of the process. The school relies heavily on parent volunteers, and because of that, there is this feeling of family."
Whelan explained that many of her friends have children in the public-school system, but many of those parents don't know the children in the school or the teachers.
Amanda Vaughan, 9, of Bellmore, described her school as fun, and explained that her favorite activity is the Drama Club. "I'm in the play 'Oliver,'" she said.
Comments about this story? HFlores@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
