ST Marks where art thou?
- Thread starter ravensrooster2
- Start date
I think it was on this board where someone said they were de-emphasizing sports, which is unfortunate because St. Mark's was good at everything for many a year when I was growing up.
Is there "any" chance that St. Mark's and St. Elizabeth's will merge? I've heard rumblings of that over the past couple of years due to enrollment numbers.
This economy has been in the tank for 8 years now, I am honestly surprised that it hasn't been worse.
Private schools used to be the only economical way (other than moving residence or school choice) to get away from some of the poorly performing public schools, then the Charter/Tech boom happened.
If I am a parent wanting to find somewhere other than our local area school to send my son, and I can either pay $3-7k/year or get it for free...I'll take the latter.
If I am a parent wanting to find somewhere other than our local area school to send my son, and I can either pay $3-7k/year or get it for free...I'll take the latter.
Sparty what gives? Thank God for baseball I suppose
Football 4-6
Field Hockey 4-11
Soccer B 9-6
Volleyball 8-7
Basketball B 13-7
Basketball G 7-13
Wrestling 2-7
Baseball 14-2
LAX B 3-10
LAX G 7-6
Soccer G 5-8
Tennis B 4-7
Tennis G 6-7
Track 2-3
Volleyball B 2-9
I viewed a letter from Saint Mark's not too long ago regarding the fact that the "new" Saint Mark's was accepting the fact that they would no longer have the enrollment they had in the past. I'm not so sure you can compare what a Tech School offers to what is offered at SMH, not even sure how it even attracts the same kid. Yes, I know tech schools are completely different now, but tech schools are not the reason SMH is losing students...a very small percentage. It definitely has to do with the economy more so than anything. SMH will continue to get less kids from Pennsylvania because the public schools academically are just as strong if not stronger.
The records really show how downhill Saint Mark's has gone. In the early 2000's excellence in pretty much every sport. I might even venture as far as not one of those teams having a losing record during that time period.
As for a merger, that may not be the most awful idea. The diocese could create a "New Castle Regional Catholic High School". Close ST E's most likely and use Saint Mark's building. Could become a true power house again. Actually have an entrance exam and not just a placement test again.
Cheers,
Busch
Well I can say the 10k a year spent for Caravel is paying off.. They really do a great job of college prep.. My son is killing it at UD as he was very prepared going in..He has a higher GPA in college then he ever did in high school.. Money well spent IMO..a lot of options are opening up for him.. For most the private school kids and parents it not just about "getting to college" its about performing well in college
Having sent three children to college (Ok, so one has decided he wants to be an electrician) I have to agree that college prep is the key. It's about what the student is planning to do after high school that the student needs to be focusing on. Parents need to make sure that their children are constantly challenged academically. If parents lack the resources to send their child to a quality private school, it is important that the public school you send them to is a good fit for them. Make sure that they take the most challenging courses they can. It's ok to get a 90 instead of 100 if that 90 comes in a higher level course, which really challenges the student. Like RR says, it's about college prep, not getting into college.
@RR
little rr playing sports at UD?
and chasing tail isn't a sport, so I'm told!!
just wondering
little rr playing sports at UD?
and chasing tail isn't a sport, so I'm told!!
just wondering
@Sparty.. not playing a sport..Was offered PWO but decided he wanted to focus on school and his SEAL training LOL.. He was considering joining the Club Wrestling team next year but I am not sure where he stands with that..As for chasing tail his GF transferred to UD over the break so there's that ...haha
I think what all of you are missing is the residual effects of the priest pedifle scandals and the monetary settements that followed. St. Mark's, last I heard, was a diocesan school and the monies that helped subsidize their operations via the weekly collection basket aren't what they were. BTW, St. E's or the Sals or Padua or Ursuline are not a diocesan schools.
According to this St E , Padua, St Marks and St Thomas More are Diocesan schools
http://www.cdow.org/catholic-dioces...catholic-schools/school-listing/high-schools/
http://www.cdow.org/catholic-dioces...catholic-schools/school-listing/high-schools/
Sorry for the pending religion/history lesson.
Padua is an independent in nature, if it wasn't tuition wouldn't be so high. It might be tied because it's basically a parish school, but it does recruit from the National Assoc of Independent Schools.
The others need the Diocese to survive. The diocese needs Ursuline, Salesianum, Padua and Archmere to survive. Working in a small Diocesan high school now I joke that the Diocese of Wilmington loved the independent schools when we won state titles, to the degree that the Bishop showed up to celebrate the Triple Crown in Fall 2006, he even lobbied for us to have a day off.
Dovetail is correct, the millions lost in the scandals will never be recovered and had a crushing effect on the overall Diocesan coffers.
When you cannot pay and cannot give a return on investment like you once did, many will not pay. People that were truly Catholic had a hard time buying into St. Mark's. When you look around you have the Salesians, Ursulines, Dominican Panda Friars, Norbertine Auks and Benedictine Vikings. St. Mark's always struggled with a charism and Catholic identity. It makes a difference, especially in raising funds. The two most successful Catholic schools in the area, Salesianum and Malvern have deep fundraising pools, guided by strong charism. If St. Mark's could link with the Jesuits or Xaverians they'd be right back at competing with Salesianum.
As for the general decline of St. Mark's, it's bad and really pitiful. I spoke with admin at Salesianum three years ago and said that this decline was bad for the rivalry. I went back for a wrestling match this year, what a difference a few years makes. There are a variety of reasons, I don't see them improving anytime soon, and if the Diocese considers contraction, expect St. Mark's to shut down, St. E has done a great job of maintaining enrollment at or around 700 for a long time. St. Mark's has been bleeding kids since 2008. The St. Mark's property has much more land value to draw in a charter corporation or Wilmington U. Satellite Campus.
I'd considered applying for St. Mark's principal job as recently as last year because when they aren't good the rest of the state isn't as good, and they need leaders that understand the value St. Mark's brings to the community.
I don't know all the history of the Wilmington Diocesan schools, but I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic schools. Just last year my daughter visited all the above mentioned Diocesan schools except Ursuline (didn't want an all-girls school) and several private schools. She aced the entrance exam and St. Marks was her first choice. We asked about their girls basketball program, since that's my daughters primary sport. And was told flat out, " ..if she is interested in basketball go visit Ursuline, St. Marks is not the place for her" by an school administrator. My wife and I were shocked since my daughter liked St. Marks because of their academics and marching band.
The funny thing we would have sent my son their too, who going to be a decent football player. But if he goes private you know where he is going instead. So saying that they are de-emphasizing sports is an understatement.
The funny thing we would have sent my son their too, who going to be a decent football player. But if he goes private you know where he is going instead. So saying that they are de-emphasizing sports is an understatement.
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St Marks teachers-students dropped 113-1542 to 79-1077 from 2007-08 to 2011-12, for a 30% drop in both. It would appear less expensive options are available. Sallies didn't see a similar drop.
http://www.usa.com/private-school/s...-de-00249577.html?nv=19713-de-private-schools
http://www.usa.com/private-school/s...-de-00249577.html?nv=19713-de-private-schools
Terry Taylor was why they deemphasized sports and now she works for DIAA! But sports isn't why the attendance is down just more school choices and a semi shitty economy.
somebody was telling me the Sals had in excess of 150+ kids in their football program this season......that's insane. You better have a winning program with those type numbers
I don't buy the "more choices" "Poor Economy" excuse for STM. It's an average product at an elite price. Sallies has not seen a drop off, STE hasn't seen a drop off, the girls schools haven't seen drop offs, the Privates haven't seen drop offs. I also don't think its the people in the school. It's the Diocese running it into the ground. Sports is what paid the bills at STM. That's why kids, with options, chose to go there.Take sports away now your asking people to pay a lot of money for the "Public/Private School" without any commitment to sports, so you lose near 100% of those kids.
Add STMA is in the same boat heard the only have 25 new freshman wouldn't be long.
Why? You are assuming that out of 150 Slowskys there are going to statistically a proprtion of real good athletes. Many of these kids are geeks with taped glasses and pocket protectors. They are like Einsteins in training. Some are short and fat. Some are tall and skinny. It is getting 150 kids who are dedicated athletes that would make difference.
ie China has over a billion people....they didn't win the Olympics....
That's dumb logic at it's best.
I don't see a lot of short fat kids on the Sallies roster. Having 150 kids is a huge advantage.
I don't see a lot of short fat kids on the Sallies roster. Having 150 kids is a huge advantage.
