THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL DIFFERENCE

The ability to educate young people in the Catholic faith. In today’s world, it has become commonplace to separate one’s faith in God from the duties in one’s workplace. In a Catholic school, teachers can live out their faith daily in the classroom and are expected to share the faith with their students through formal lessons and religious activities.

Most elementary schools range from Preschool through 8th Grade, so the bond between school and home grows to be very strong. It is a true gift to meet a child at 4 or 5 and watch that child grow academically, spiritually, and physically for the following years. The ties become stronger as siblings are added; the school is truly a “family.”

Parents who invest in Catholic school for their children have a strong trust in the teachers and this strengthens the partnership.

Students in Catholic schools tend, more often than their peers in other schools, to view their teachers as caring, to find their coursework stimulating, and enjoy a positive self-image (The Assessment of Catholic Religious Education, NCEA).

The Diocese of Bridgeport schools work in partnership with local universities. As a full-time teacher in one of the diocesan schools, a teacher is eligible to pursue a Master’s degree in education from schools such as Fairfield University, Sacred Heart University and Fordham University at a reduced tuition rate. This can be a huge saving as getting the advanced degree is necessary to attain professional certification.

Some of the schools also offer tuition discounts for the children of teachers who are employed in Catholic schools.