Where We Excel

St. Catherine of Siena School lives its Mission Statement of Spirituality, Community and Scholarship to the fullest. A sense of welcome and safety greet everyone who enters. We worship and pray together in class as well as at weekly prayer services and Liturgies. We incorporate Christian values not just across the curriculum, but in all that we do. A very active Student Council sponsors a myriad of activities for our middle school students and includes community service projects and fundraising for various charities, reinforcing God's message of love and caring for one another.

There is a high standard of academic accountability and achievement. Our faculty and staff are highly experienced and dedicated, many having served 20 years or more at our school, carrying on a tradition of excellence. Teachers and students alike are recognized for their accomplishments. Two years ago, one of our teachers received the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Distinguished Teacher Award from the Albany Diocese and also received national recognition as a distinguished teacher by the National Catholic Educational Association.

Our students consistently score high average to above average in standardized testing. Students in grade 8 often receive high school scholarships based on school entrance exams. There is much positive feedback from alumni and high school guidance counselors on student preparation for high school and future success.

We offer Spanish in grades K-8 and our grade 8 students take the New York State Spanish Proficiency Exam which allows them to advance in their freshman year of high school. Advanced math is also available to grade 8 students who take the Integrated Algebra Regents Exam in June. This course is equivalent to the first year of high school math.

Our middle school students all participate as a part of their vocabulary program in the WordMasters Challenge program. This program builds understanding and thinking skills as challenging vocabulary is tested using analogies. Two of our students scored a perfect score on the challenge last year. This is something that is achieved by fewer than 65 students nationwide! Many of our students have had their writing and art projects honored and displayed at Siena College and the Empire State Plaza. Several students have had their poetry published in Creative Communications and The Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans. In February 2008, 10 of the 29 students reading their essays on TV during Black History Month are SCS students.

We value and work to develop each child's gifts. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities are plentiful as our Student Activities section demonstrates.

Public speaking is a curriculum focus and our students have opportunities in class, during prayer services, in competitions and at events to practice and grow in this skill.

Parental involvement is excellent. There is frequent communication with parents about academic progress and parents are supportive of the educational process. Volunteers are generous with their time and talents, providing educational and program support through an active School Board and Parent/Teacher Organization and assisting our faculty and school in many other ways.