Date: Fri 09-Feb-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

schools-Montessori-St-Rose

Full Text:

With photos : Educational Options: Three Schools Of Thought In Newtown

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Do students really get a different education if they choose a public school

over a parochial or Montessori school?

Most educators would debate which type of schooling provides the best

education, and the end result depends on the student, but one thing is

certain: the methods of teaching and the philosophies on education are, in

many cases, light years apart.

Nevertheless, there is one constant that groups each school together Á its

dedication to educate students.

"We all share the responsibility of that," explained Newtown Public Schools

Superintendent John R. Reed.

Actually, Dr Reed believes the three school systems probably have more in

common than they do in contrast.

In Newtown, parents can choose a more structured education based on religion

at St Rose School; an education centered around individual guidance at the

Montessori School; or a more mainstream education in the public schools.

There are currently 226 students at St Rose School, which opened in 1957. A

one-year tuition will cost $1,955 next year.

St Rose kindergarten teacher Kathleen Burke, chairman of the school's

accreditation committee, explains that parochial schools incorporate the

religious and moral values into a somewhat structured education.

"Even out on the playground, we try to instill in the students a feeling of

caring for each other based on Bible stories," she said.

St Rose tries to look at its pupils as children of God, not just as children

of their parents.

"We strive for the well-rounded child," Mrs Burke said, pointing out that

students are physically, morally, socially and spiritually educated.

Many young people today have probably heard stories from parents or

grandparents about how they were subjected to harsh punishments for

misbehavior during their Catholic schools days. Whether fact or fiction,

that's a thing of the past, though parochial schools still use discipline as a

way of bringing students closer to God. Mrs Burke explains that if two

children get into an argument, the teacher will sit them down and ask how God

would want them to behave.

"We'll talk about what Jesus was like as a young boy and how he would have

acted," she said.

Students wear uniforms daily and, of course, prayer is an important part of St

Rose School and all students from first through fifth grade attend Mass each

Friday.

St Rose principal Donna DeLuca has seen both sides of the coin, as a Catholic

school administrator and former Danbury High School teacher.

"There are definitely some striking differences," she explained. "Here (St

Rose) we can talk about Christian values and attitudes and kids seem to

respond to that. There seems to be a higher expectation of behavior and

respecting one another's rights here."

Mrs DeLuca sees St Rose putting an emphasis on being a good Christian person

rather than being "politically correct."

"So I find better behavior as a result of that," she said.

St Rose teachers say many former students thrive at the next level, either at

a Catholic school or at Newtown High School. St Rose Alumni Greg Gallagher and

Matt Zelno, both 1995 NHS graduates, were standout athletes and leaders, who

both earned the respect of their high school peers.

St Rose's curriculum is established by the Diocese of Bridgeport, which is led

by Superintendent Armon Fabri.

Empowering Students

At the Newtown Montessori School, the mission is to encourage a child's own

desire to learn. Unlike a public school where teachers pass their own

knowledge onto students, Montessori tries to empower it students to learn.

"We try to prepare the students for a lifetime of learning," explained School

Head Myriam Woods. "They learn and explore on their own and they become

self-directed learners. We believe the child naturally has the desire to

learn."

Montessori features a very individualized curriculum, allowing students to

move ahead of the rest of the class if they master a certain area.

Students at Montessori are taught to focus in on their task at hand and are

free to explore and research subjects on their own with the guidance of a

teacher or directress, Mrs Woods explained.

Because each student decides how to go about his or her own education,

Montessori believes this builds strong self-esteem.

For example, students interested in working on a school computer may do so, or

if they want, students can work individually to improve their math skills. In

a sense, the students choose their own path of learning under the umbrella of

a well-structured curriculum.

Instead of separating students by grades, students are grouped by age. Newtown

Montessori has three age levels; 3-6, 6-9 and 9-12.

Mrs Woods said their are few situations where discipline is needed since

students are given the freedom to move about as they wish and are given a

well-established cycle of work. However, the school head explained that if an

argument does erupt between students, they are usually allowed to solve the

conflict on their own.

Mrs Woods said Montessori alumni tend to do well after moving on. Many have

returned to report that their early schooling better prepared them in math and

culture than those students who attended public schools.

The Newtown Montessori School opened in 1968 for pre-school and expanded to

provide elementary schooling in 1983. The NHS class of 1996 has a handful of

members of the first class to go through its elementary school program. Among

that group is Kate Zimmerman, this year's NHS valedictorian.

All Montessori teachers must go through a 2«-year training program after

receiving an undergraduate degree.

A one-year tuition fee ranges from $3,900 to $6,100.

Newtown Montessori, which currently has 117 students, is a member of the

American Montessori Society and is accredited by the Connecticut Association

of Independent Schools.

Serving All Customers

Over 4,000 students attend Newtown's six public schools. Unlike St Rose and

Montessori, the superintendent of schools points out that Newtown's schools

represent the entire spectrum of thought. Some parents, Dr Reed explained,

want traditional ways of teaching, while others want a more progressive style.

"We have a bit more of a challenge because we must meet the needs of all our

customers," Dr Reed said.

NHS Social Studies chairman Robert Dilzer pointed out that while public

schools continue to define their goals to be stressing cognitive learning and

teaching process skills, they are now also pushing teachers to help students

become self-directed learners, taking a page out of the Montessori philosophy.

Of course, as Mr Dilzer points out, the United States Constitution prohibits

any form of religion in the public classrooms.

Students attending public school are not charged a tuition fee. School funding

comes from state and local taxes. Next year's proposed school budget is $28.5

million.

Newtown's public schools follow a curriculum drawn up locally based on

guidelines from the state's Department of Education.