‘It’s like a family’ at St. Louise de Marillac School

Maria Rowe originally sent her son to St. Louise de Marillac in LaGrange Park but had to move him to the elementary school just across the street after her husband became ill. But she didn’t hesitate to bring him back to St. Louise as soon as she could.

“They just couldn’t help him,” Rowe said of the public school. “There were too many kids in the class.” Even the principal at the public school suggested that she send her son back to Catholic school.

“He needed a little more attention and they [the public school] simple cannot do it.”

Catholic schools in the suburbs often have to compete against public schools with strong academics and no tuition costs but smaller class sizes that allow teachers to really get to know the students is one of the many positive aspects of faith-based education.

On Jan. 15, several parents from St. Louise de Marillac talked about why they chose the school, over say the other school located just across the street.

“You’re not a number,” said Martha Swanson, who has three children at St. Louise now. The teachers know the students by name. “They know the kids. They know the parents.”

“You make sacrifices but it’s well worth what you give up. You are investing in your child’s future,” Swanson said.

Mary Flynn agreed.

“It’s really where your priorities lie,” she said.

Parents can decide to use their resources for material things like the latest technology or they could use that money for their child’s education in a Catholic school.

“You can make Catholic education work,” said Flynn, who has one child at St. Louise and another who graduated.

For Greg Dietz and his wife, what keeps them sending their son back to St. Louise — even though his son is Greek Orthodox — is the access to the teachers.

“We have the ability to speak to his teacher or assistant in the room about social things,” things outside the realm of the academics, like bul lying issues or other personal issues that may be impacting their child. And the children feel like they belong.

“Whatever function is going on the children are always involved in some capacity,” said Flynn.

“I think it reinforces what you’re trying to teach at home. You’re child is gone 35 hours a week [at school] and you hope that obviously they’re safe but they’re learning what you’re trying to tell them at home,” said Flynn, who became emotional when talking about it. Several of the moms also became emotional during the discussion along the principal.

Swanson said it’s important to her that her children can come to school and talk about God.

The faith and values aspect of a Catholic education makes the children better people, Rowe said. Even though their neighborhood schools in La Grange Park are known to be good academically, “There’s something missing there that you get here,” Rowe said.

“They interject Christ into everything,” Flynn added.

The parents are also very involved in the life of St. Louise. Rowe said that wasn’t the case at the public school her son attended. And that’s worth the price tag, Dietz said. “That element that keeps us coming back here is that family.”