Started By
Message
locked post

St. Pius Elementary School - Lafayette

Posted on 12/18/24 at 2:01 pm
Posted by Crescent Connection
Member since Jun 2008
2385 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 2:01 pm
Anyone on this board send their kids to this school? Seeing how the new administration has been the last couple years. Our 4 kids are at another catholic school, but exploring our options for next year.

We toured St. Cecelia in Broussard earlier in the year. I was impressed with the school and curriculum, but heard that it has been on the downward trajectory lately.
Posted by When in Rome
Telegraph Road
Member since Jan 2011
36204 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 2:08 pm to
quote:

Our 4 kids are at another catholic school, but exploring our options for next year.
What don’t you like about current school?
Posted by LigerFan
Member since Jan 2014
2842 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 2:14 pm to
Why don't y'all like Fatima?
Posted by REB BEER
Laffy Yet
Member since Dec 2010
17947 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 2:19 pm to
Both my kids went there and the education was top notch. Both graduated HS with 4.0's and one made a 36 on the ACT. The administration is much better than it was 5 or 6 years ago from what I've heard.
Posted by TBoy
Kalamazoo
Member since Dec 2007
28314 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 2:21 pm to
No kids there, but good friends had their kids there. Their son was repeatedly bullied by a regular group of kids of prominent members of the parish. Administration wouldn't do anything. Went on for two years. When parents started to really complain, the school advised that their son, the bullying target, wouldn't be extended "the privilege" of re-enrollment. They moved their kids elsewhere and couldn't be happier.

I guess the only takeaway is that it isn't perfect (no school is perfect) and if your kid has a problem in the school, the first reaction may be just to make the problem, i.e., your kid, go away rather than address the actual problem. If your kid doesn't have a problem, it's a good school.
This post was edited on 12/18/24 at 2:22 pm
Posted by REB BEER
Laffy Yet
Member since Dec 2010
17947 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 2:26 pm to
quote:

wouldn't be extended "the privilege" of re-enrollment


That is true. I knew a guy that had 5 or 6 kids there. One had a little learning disability and they told him the kid had to go. He even offered to pay to have someone in class with the kid to give personal attention. The school said no, so they pulled all their kids from the school.

Had another friend who she and her mom were highly involved in the school and the church. Her 2nd kid was having trouble keeping up in class and they gave her the boot too.
Posted by GhostofJackson
Speedy Teflon Wizard
Member since Nov 2009
7224 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 2:32 pm to
quote:

He even offered to pay to have someone in class with the kid to give personal attention.


I mean, I'm glad the school said no. I couldn't imagine showing up to pick my kid up from school and random adults who weren't hired by the school have parked themselves in his classroom.
Posted by Crescent Connection
Member since Jun 2008
2385 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 2:32 pm to
Our kids currently go to John Paul the Great Academy. It’s a wonderful school with excellent staff, but we are worried about the financial viability of the school in the near future. Outdated modular buildings used for Prek3-5th. Shortage of textbooks for the students to bring home. Could use extra ancillary staff (guidance counselors, security officer, etc. but funds are not available).
This post was edited on 12/18/24 at 2:41 pm
Posted by CoachChappy
Member since May 2013
34177 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 2:37 pm to
quote:

only independent, catholic school in the city


You can just say John Paul the Great

I've heard nothing but positive reviews about St. Pius.
Posted by TigerBlood17
Member since Jan 2014
1604 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 2:41 pm to
I send my kids there. It's a great school. My kids have always gone there so I don't have anything to compare it to. Ms. Desormeaux (new principal) is awesome. Everyone loves her. Athletics have gotten a lot better recently. I am pleased with the academics, although again, nothing to compare it to. It is the largest church parish in the area and brings in the most money through the church. It seems the Diocese has in turn put a lot of money into the school. We are very happy with the school.
Posted by REB BEER
Laffy Yet
Member since Dec 2010
17947 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 2:45 pm to
quote:

Ms. Desormeaux (new principal) is awesome. Everyone loves her. Athletics have gotten a lot better recently.


Yeah, Lemaire and Hebert didn't give a shite about athletics and it showed. Now they got kids leaving other schools to play football.
Posted by agdoctor
Louisiana
Member since Dec 2004
3208 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 2:47 pm to
Grandkids go to St Peter and Paul in Scott. Parents are happy with it.
Posted by Pfft
Member since Jul 2014
4993 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 2:56 pm to
Christian Nazi's or church lady Karen's ???
Posted by BabysArmHoldingApple
Lafayette
Member since Dec 2016
1293 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 3:19 pm to
quote:

Lemaire and Hebert didn't give a shite about athletics and it showed


Both my kids went to SPES in the early days. They both played basketball and it was brutal getting beaten by everyone ... and completely demoralized by Fatima and Cathedral in particular. At least they got a lot of playing time that they may not have gotten at some of the other schools. Those were some tough times for the athletic kids at SPES but in retrospect it probably made the kids with the right attitude better/more competitive playing sports STM.
Posted by TBoy
Kalamazoo
Member since Dec 2007
28314 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 3:44 pm to
quote:

Our kids currently go to John Paul the Great Academy.

I had one at JPG for a year. That school runs on a shoestring. But I enjoyed the big fundraiser and I personally enjoyed going over there on weekends and building the board walkways. I liked it better than our student, who transferred to LHS to take AP courses that aren’t available at JPG.
Posted by ImJustaBoy
Member since Oct 2023
1914 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 3:47 pm to
quote:

Both graduated HS with 4.0's and one made a 36 on the ACT

Sure…
Posted by Epic Cajun
Lafayette, LA
Member since Feb 2013
36875 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 3:49 pm to
Our child starts school next year. We toured Cathedral and JPG, our tours were scheduled on the first call to both of those schools. It was essentially impossible to get in for a tour last year at St. Pius. Called numerous times and by the time we got in touch with the admissions director last March we were told that she didn't have time to schedule a private tour because she was all booked up for the rest of the year. So in a 2 month+ time frame she couldn't take 30 minutes out of her day to give us a tour. We know others who also have had this same issue. Ultimately we went ahead and applied for St. Pius and Cathedral and my child was accepted to both. We did not choose St. Pius. Ultimately I wouldn't say that the tour thing was a big deal, but we were already leaning in another direction and this just nudged us more in that direction.

I've heard from other parents that St. Pius is a much more "strict" school, which I can see as both a positive and negative.

ETA: just wanted to add that admissions for St. Pius opened in October, it will be difficult to get in if you haven't applied yet.
This post was edited on 12/18/24 at 3:51 pm
Posted by LSUFanHouston
NOLA
Member since Jul 2009
40821 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 3:56 pm to
quote:

but we are worried about the financial viability of the school in the near future. Outdated modular buildings used for Prek3-5th. Shortage of textbooks for the students to bring home. Could use extra ancillary staff (guidance counselors, security officer, etc. but funds are not available).


IF the GATOR program actually gets funded, I’m curious to see what happens to schools like . Will they try to raise tuition by 5K a year, to help them become more financially comfortable, knowing that it won’t increase the out of pocket for parents?
Posted by Epic Cajun
Lafayette, LA
Member since Feb 2013
36875 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 4:02 pm to
quote:

IF the GATOR program actually gets funded,

Even if it does it funded, are they going to fund it to where everyone will be eligible (per the initial bill), or are they going to change the requirements and restrict who will get it. If they put restrictions on it, then I don't see these schools accepting it and raising tuition.

On another note, we really liked the atmosphere at JPG, but it's too far out of the way for us.
Posted by Cold Cous Cous
Bucktown, La.
Member since Oct 2003
15355 posts
Posted on 12/18/24 at 4:05 pm to
quote:

He even offered to pay to have someone in class with the kid to give personal attention


This is a disaster waiting to happen. My kids school tried this several years ago, bending over backwards for a family, and it ended up in tears and recriminations.
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 2Next pagelast page

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on X, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookXInstagram