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A word from our students
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Testimonials
August 2018
The choice to enroll our children in St.Germaine late into the school year was not an easy one. Our children had been attending our neighborhood school since kindergarten. They had plenty of friends, we were active in the school, they had caring teachers. But as the year progressed we could see that what they were lacking was the faith based education I had been privileged to have as a child. Although they attended catechism every Monday in our parish and we regularly attend Mass, it was clear that this wasn’t enough. Our children began to get lost in the daily hustle and bustle of 25+ students in a classroom as the year progressed. By January, we decided we needed to make a change for the upcoming school year. We attended St. Germaine’s open house during Catholic Schools Week and by the end of the tour my daughter was begging to start that Monday---my son wasn’t completely ready for this but by the end of the week he wanted to start ASAP. After several heart to hearts at what this might really look like to leave this late in the school year it was clear that for our family, leaving the only school they had ever known was the best thing to do. We made the leap and our children enrolled in March. I think a lot of people thought we were crazy. Why leave so close to the end of the year? Why not just stick out for those last three months? Because St.Germaine is a little gem that more people need to discover. Because the teachers are invested in knowing who their students are. Because Mrs.Latessa remembered our family before we even started on the first day of school--in March! Because a faith based education not only teaches the virtues of life but how to navigate around the vices of life too. Because at St. Germaine your child will be known by every adult and every parent and every child he or she encounters. Because Your Child Matters
August 2018
We chose St. Germaine because we knew our son would have the best chance at thriving in a caring, Catholic-based, small-classroom setting, where teachers get to know him and his personality, as well as his academic abilities. He absolutely loves school and the sense of community and family that St. Germaine provides...and so do we!
We chose St. Germaine because it just felt like the perfect fit when we attended the Open House. I loved that kindness and strong character is such a huge part of St. Germaine’s teaching and the small size is also very appealing- everyone knows each other and looks out for each other.
We also felt immediately comfortable with the preschool teacher, Miss Laureen, especially since she remembered Luke’s dad from when he went to school there many years ago! And we of course loved our kindergarten teacher! J It helped so much with Luke’s (and ours lol) initial apprehension about being on his own.
The buddy program is also something that I really like. It’s great that the older kids are encouraged to look out for the younger kids and act as mentors. The younger kids get such a kick out of that.
We are still extremely pleased about our decision to send Luke to St. Germaine.
St Germaine is giving our children a great mix of religion and academic excellence we love St Germaine!!!!!
May 2018My daughter had been struggling nearly every year in school. At multiple conferences I was told that she was unorganized but they would follow that statement with how sweet she was and that they sometimes “forgot that she needed help.” She was in the lowest reading group, the lowest spelling group and was frustrated. At home she read perfectly fine and also seemed to comprehend the homework. Placement was also tied into the Standardized Testing which was done on mini-tablets.
I heard of St. Germaine from my sister, who toured the school when my nephew started Kindergarten and spoke highly of her experience. All through my daughters 4 th grade year we had the same problems. I knew the teachers were doing their best but the class sizes were just too big. By spring break I had enough and we called St. Germaine. She spent the day shadowing the classroom the following week, she felt tremendously comfortable. The tuition is very affordable, costs no more than standard day care. There is one classroom per grade and smaller class sizes. It is so pleasant to call the office and have the person on the other line take the time to help any way they can. The staff makes you feel like an extension of your own family.
This year our daughter made the Honor Roll. As parents we wonder if we are doing the right thing. I knew that day as she ran to the car waiving her report card with a smile on her face that without a doubt we did the right thing!
The attention the teachers and staff give along with their faith and knowledge are priceless. Our daughter feels like it is her home away from home.
Words cannot effectively describe how happy we are with St. Germaine.May 2018Saint Germaine Catholic School students experience God’s grace and presence in their lives through their encounters and relationships with friends, teachers, and Father Jim Bjorum. Their successes are a commitment to a Christian virtue instilled environment.
The student body is aware that they have a responsibility to treat everyone with kindness and respect because we are all part of God’s family.
Extracurricular and athletic programs lend themselves to a well-balanced education through mind, body, and spirit.
Saint Germaine Catholic School has leadership that cares. Saint Germaine emphasizes and fosters an environment that strengthens student character, moral compass, and empathy for others. In other words, values that are crucial pieces in developing caring and community minded individuals that strive to make a difference in the world.
January 2018
Message received from a parent whose daughter is now a freshman in high school:
I wanted to share with you xxx’s report card and exam grades (all A's) from St. Francis in Traverse City. I am so thankful and attribute everything to St. Germaine School. Academically, she was prepared to attend one of the top 50 High Schools nationally and achieve such great excellence. When I met the teachers at conference they were impressed and said that her previous school has done an excellent job with her education! Big thank you to you and to all the staff at St. Germaine including Mrs. Latessa. Keep up the great work! Miss you all!
December 2017
I worked three hours at the Santa shop this morning, and I loved every second of it. It was the preschool and kindergarten classes. Cuteness overload! I spoke with the mom of a new family, her son is in fourth grade. She had nothing but amazing things to say about the school and how advanced it is compared to his old school. Just thought I would share because I love when new families are so happy with their decision to come to our school.
Thank you and everyone at St Germaine for helping xxxx fit in at school.
Last year she was really struggling with grades. First quarter at a new school and she is able to feel proud of herself. She is one happy camper!
New parent
November 2017
We love Saint Germaine School and Our Lady of Hope Parish. Thank you for welcoming us!
New parent
November 2017
Dear Principal,
In our church bulletin here in Sylvania, OH there was a section asking for info on past graduates of the St. Joseph school and this made me think of our own experience at St. Germaine school many years ago.
We had four children attend there and thought that maybe you could use your school as a shining example of an excellent grade school education based upon our experience. Our oldest, Janet Schaefer, graduated from St. Germaine in 1971, has an AS degree from Ferris State, an AS in Opthalmic Tech from Louisiana State, and a BS in accounting from Maryland University. She is married with 4 sons and lives in Georgia.
John, a St. Germaine graduate in 1976, received his BS degree in Business Management from Bowling Green State University and has a master's degree in Business Administration, is married with 4 children and lives in Houston, TX.
Jill graduated from St. Germaine in 1978 and received a BSRN from Bowling Green State and Medical College of Ohio. She is married with 2 children and lives here in Sylvania.
Jeffrey graduated from St. Germaine in 1981 and has a BS degree in Welding Engineering from OSU. He lives in Knoxville, TN currently.
We all have fond memories of your school, Fr. Lenk the pastor, and Sisters Adalicia and Corona. We don't want you to think we are bragging, but wanted you to know where an excellent education can lead if obtained from an excellent school such as yours.
With fondest memories,
John and Martha Jo Schaefer
August 30, 2017
February 17, 2017
To the St. Germaine Community of Learners,
STARBASE had the honor to help educate and inspire St. Germaine 5 th grade students with our 25-hour science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curriculum. As always, St. Germaine students performed wonderfully and are great ambassadors for the school. The learning community at St. Germaine has help maintained a sense of youthful innocence, which is both endearing and refreshing as both a parent and educator. The students are bright, vibrant and sensible in their STEM investigations. The students and teacher have a great rapport and it is easy to tell that the students are cared for by St. Germaine staff. Most importantly, the students genuinely care about each other and that is reflected in their attitude towards learning and life.Mark MuzzinSTARBASEDeputy Director
January 20, 2017
I just had to write you a quick note to tell you how happy we have been with 4th and 5th grade at St. Germaine. These two teachers are amazing, which I am sure you already know. They go above and beyond. I love the setup with the kids switching between the teachers for different subjects and really everything about how they run their classrooms (WAS sheets, money system, their websites/communication, etc). I think this has provided so much benefit for the kids. I am amazed at how much they are learning in each subject as well as becoming more responsible students. I am really looking forward to seeing how much my kids thrive when we move next year because of what they have received from these wonderful teachers and of course everyone at St. Germaine. Thank you!
April 19, 2016:
A note from a visiting 4th grader transferring next year from public school:
"This school is awesome and I am looking forward for next year. St. Germaine is so cool there are a lot of new subjects that I can't wait to do. There is a lot of nice people I want to know more. The teachers are very nice. So I am so happy that I visited this school."
November 17, 2015:
Comment in regards to and following the WIND conference hosted at St. Germaine School/Our Lady of Hope Parish, November 14, 2015
"Congratulations for a job well done by your youth. What I saw was awesome. The youth seemed very prepared, articulate, good eye contact with the audience and knowing their lines without using a script was awesome.
Please convey to them that I appreciated all their hard work and especially yours (Mr. Eric Ruszalla) for being a great leader and mentor to these adolescents. It appeared to be very organized. Thank you for your dedicated call to ministry to disciple the youth that you serve for all of us here at the AOD."
God Bless You,
Ida Johns
November 2015:
"Every year we see students transition into De La Salle Collegiate High School from St. Germaine Catholic School, and every year those students come in well prepared academically, socially, and spiritually. They understand the high level of academic expectations we have, and successfully strive to meet them. That is a direct result of the work the St. Germaine staff and administration put into their students. It has long been a school of focus for De La Salle Collegiate, and I look forward to many more generations of St. Germaine students attending our great school"
~ De La Salle Collegiate High School
November 2015"I would like to thank all teachers who taught xxxx at St Germaine Catholic School.xxxx got his Iowa Assessments and CogAT test scores yesterday. I hope this would make xxxx very happy!!!Thanks to Ms Degrez (Principal), teachers xxxx and Pauline Latessa (Administrative Secretary) for all your support and keen interest for xxxx success.Special thanks from xxxx parents. We know it was possible because of the quality of training xxxx received from St Germaine School. But xxxx, in Plano, TX is a great school as well...
Hope you will continue to pray and bless xxxx.
Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas in Advance!!!
Sept 2015: "
Greetings from XXXX & XXXX from Plano, TX.
I would like to inform you that XXXX and XXXX joined XXXX School in Plano, Texas. Both of them were late by 2 weeks, but started going to school on 08/31".
Once again I wanted to thank St. Germaine. It's because of St. Germaine School and dedicated teachers that my kids are doing so good. We hope they will be repeating the same here as well. School is amazed seeing his TEST scores for 2014-2015. Both are happy and started making friends.
Both my kids are doing GREAT from Day 1.
Please remember us in your prayers".
2015: From a family relocating to Texas:"...XXX and XXX will be missing this GREAT community, but they will have good memories of the school. Our sincere gratitude to St. Germaine Community for taking care of our kids and getting them to where they are now!! Thanks a lot!!!"
Dec. 2014 - a note to STG:
"xxxx is a completely different girl since coming to St. Germaine! For the better! She is challenged in the academic arena, has a whole slew of friends and is really embracing the school experience to the fullest. I can’t begin to thank you, her teachers, and Fr. Jim enough for all that you have done to make her transition a wonderful event. Watching her this year has been like watching a rose bloom a little at the time. I gladly tell everyone how blessed and grateful I am to be at the church that God has led me to! And I’m so very proud to be a Spartan Parent! I wish I had moved sooner so that my sons could have had the St. Germaine School experience as well. They truly missed out in my opinion".
9/10/2014 - a note sent to STG:"I just wanted to take a second to tell you what happened last night at our MEET THE TEACHER night at XXXX.
It was such a proud mommy moment that I had to share! It was also a great tribute to St. Germaine academics.
Every single teacher that we met said that it was no surprise that XXXX was from St. Germaine and that they just love their St. Germaine students. They all stated that students from St. Germaine are the most respectful and well prepared!
XXXX's Algebra teacher even asked our permission to administer a test to test out of the current class and choose something more challenging! That was so wonderful to hear... especially because math wasn't XXXX's strong suit last year. Even with XXXX struggles, XXXX is in position to excel this year :-)
It just makes me feel so blessed to have been able to give XXXX such a good strong foundation at St. Germaine"!
9/11/2014 from a former STG parent:
"I should have sent a message earlier.
XXXX's counselor said St Germaine students are good students and really good kids. ☺
XXXX loves the new challenges, and friends, soccer, teachers,.. happy that St Germaine helped give him this confidence over 9 years of Catholic teaching (with God all is possible). What a fantastic investment for your child: St Germaine and Mrs. Degrez ♥♥"
10/6/2014 from a former STG parent:
"XXXX is doing great at Parkway & he loves it there. I would just like to remind you that you are running a fantastic school. XXXX is one of the very few in his Freshman class that placed into Honors English & Spanish 2. I was told that most new students at Parkway DO NOT place in the advanced classes, & that they are for kids who "are serious about learning". XXXX was only lucky enough to have 3 years at St. Germaine. I am looking forward to seeing how far advanced his Sisters will be as they start High School with 6 & 9 years respectively between them, of a St. Germaine education.God bless you and your Staff- & thank you for all that you do".
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What we offer
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2017 IOWA Testing Results
Our 2017 IOWA test results are in and we have some GREAT NEWS to share!
All grades 3 – 8, as a whole class, scored at or above national averages in all subjects. National percentile rank is based on over 200,000 students tested per grade level. A percentile score of 50 is considered average (the bell curve), anything above 50 is “above the national average.”
Grade equivalencies (GE) are also reported for each subject, in decimal form, such as 4.8. This means that reported scores of 4.8 are equivalent to what is expected of a typical fourth grader in their eighth month of school. Essentially, at the time our tests were administered, a fourth grader’s test scores would be considered AT level with a 4.1 grade equivalency.
The grade equivalent core composites of our third grade class is 3.4, fourth is 5.8, fifth is 5.5, sixth is 6.2, seventh is 8.3 and eighth is 11.8! Our eighth grade class composite score is 11.8, meaning that as a whole class combined they tested equivalent to what would be expected of a typical eleventh grade student at the end of the eighth month of school!
Generally, especially looking at seventh and eighth grade this year, student scores increase at an increasingly higher rate as they enter and complete our middle school grades, preparing them much better for their high school years.
Some of our grade level highlights (grade equivalencies):
- Third grade Science scores are 3.9, Reading 3.7, Social Studies and Vocabulary 3.6
- Fourth grade Math scores are 5.1, Written Expression 8.2!! Conventions of Writing and Science 7.1
- Fifth grade Conventions of Writing scores are 6.6, Science 6.3, and Social Studies 5.9
- Sixth grade Science scores are 7.4 and Conventions of Writing are 6.9
- ALL seventh grade subject area scores are 7.5 and above! Conventions of Writing 10.3, Science 9.4, Vocabulary 8.9, Written Expression and Social Studies 8.5!
- ALL Eighth grade subject area scores are 10.0 and above! English Language Arts total is 13+, Science 13+, Math 10.4 (with computation at 13+), and Social Studies 10.0.
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