Immaculate Conception & Our Lady of Perpetual Help School's first grade teacher, Vickie Weatherbie, recently recalled one of the reasons why…
“One year I was reviewing fire drill procedures with my first graders. I went through the whole thing – what door to exit, where to go, and roll call. I also asked them how they are to act when filing out of the building: How are your feet in a fire drill? They answered, ‘Walking.’ Your eyes? They answered, ‘looking forward.’ Your mouth? They answered, ‘quiet.’ Where are your hands, I asked? The answer I thought they would give me was ‘by your side’ but immediately after I asked the question – all 23 children brought their hands to the prayer position in front of their chest. It made me smile and realize how great it is to teach in a Catholic school!”
Thank you for taking the time to consider Immaculate Conception & Our Lady of Perpetual Help School. We are a parochial school with deep Catholic roots and have been educating the children of the greater Everett area for over a century. We welcome students from all faiths.
Our graduates have become captains of industry, world famous artists, teachers, engineers, bankers, architects, priests, nuns, carpenters and plumbers, aircraft assembly technicians, mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers with one common denominator – they can say with pride that they were part of a school community that is rich in tradition, deep in its faith, exemplary in its education and driven by Christian values. Our alumni are the living testament to what our school can deliver.
The question to enroll your child into Immaculate Conception & Our Lady of Perpetual Help School is an important one. To make it a reality, you and your family will sacrifice time, treasure and give of your talents. You will have a deeper overall investment in your child’s education. You will enter into a very special partnership - a partnership between you, your child, our school and the greater school community. This partnership will deliver what we believe to be the best possible opportunity for your child to learn, grow and develop into their full potential.
You are not alone in this decision. Many other parents have thought through “public or private,” “cost versus benefit,” “invest now or later. ” In the end, the question comes down to, “Why Catholic education?” and “Why Immaculate Conception & Our Lady of Perpetual Help School?”
In her welcome letter, our principal, Donna Ramos, writes with pride that 3 of the 4 valedictorians at the 2009 Everett High School graduation were graduates of Immaculate Conception & Our Lady of Perpetual Help School.
At Archbishop Murphy High School, 46 of our students made the honor roll in 2009. In that same year, 100% of our graduates matriculating to AMHS are pursuing post-secondary education, 80% of our students graduated with honors (3.2-3.6 GPA), 64% of our graduates are members of the National Honor Society (3.6-4.0 GPA).
The 2007 WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) Scores have been compared with Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Seattle and the results are as follows:
TIME MAGAZINE REPORTS…
Sam Allis in an article written for Time Magazine wrote: “Statistical evidence of the parochial system's success is striking. James Coleman, a University of Chicago sociologist, has found that Catholic high school students outperform their public school counterparts in reading, vocabulary, mathematics and writing. The dropout rate in Catholic high schools was less than 4%, he discovered, compared with more than 14% in public schools. Black or Hispanic students are three times as likely to graduate in four years as their public school counterparts. Some 83% of the graduates go to college, in contrast to 52% of those from public school.
It adds up to what Coleman calls ‘social capital,’ a combination of qualities that public schools simply can't match. At a time when families and neighborhoods are being ripped apart, the Catholic Church often anchors an institutional network on which parents, teachers and children can depend. The schools provide more personal attention to students -- and to parents. Single- parent families in particular gain from the parochial approach. Children from such homes are twice as likely to drop out of public schools as those from two-parent families; in Catholic schools the rate for children from both types of families is about the same.”
THE FULCRUM FOUNDATION REPORTS:
The Fulcrum Foundation went deeper into Mr. Coleman’s findings and reports: “Catholic schools have a proven record of academic excellence. Research from University of Chicago sociologist, James Coleman first articulated what some have dubbed the Catholic school advantage, a condition later verified by Harvard’s Tony Bryk. Bryk writes, ‘According to national research, 99 percent of Catholic high school students graduate, while 97 percent go on to post-secondary schools.’
Catholic schools also instill citizenship in their students. Research from Notre Dame political scientist, David Campbell, has demonstrated that Catholic school graduates are much more likely to vote, volunteer in their communities and stay informed about important civic issues.”
Please take the time to look through our website and acquaint yourself with our school, its history and traditions, our award winning staff, and the many activities, celebrations and events that fill our school year. Feel free to contact the school for a personal tour and allow us to introduce you and your child(ren) to our students and staff. Our Parents Club is ready to answer many of your questions and we can arrange a student to student tour of our facilities.
As you consider making application to Immaculate Conception & Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, know that at the center of our school is a belief in the human spirit. Our mission is designed around Christ’s teachings and example. Our goal is to work with parents and caregivers to deliver a complete education focused on the whole child. We strive to deliver a message of hope and promise, an enthusiasm for learning and a personal challenge to our students to take responsibility for their own lives and to recognize that we are all in this together.
