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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
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Mary of
Nazareth
Catholic School
WHERE THE
DETAILS MAKE THE
DIFFERENCE
P
arents have a choice when it comes to
educating their children, which is why
Mary of Nazareth Catholic School should
be on anyone’s short list of options.
The first difference is in the academics,
where Mary of Nazareth Catholic School
shines. Principal, Lynda McFarland said
comparing public school curricula to Catholic
school curricula truly is an apples-to-oranges
situation.
“Our curriculums are so different. Mary
of Nazareth teaches to the top end of the
academic curriculum, while public schools
have to meet PSSA demands and may not have
the freedom to do that,” she said. “We start our
STREAM programming, which is the public
school equivalent of STEAM or STEM, in Pre-K
and it’s integrated into the students’ schedule
as a regular part of their school day.”
McFarland also said technology is an integral
part of Mary of Nazareth Catholic School’s
academics. Starting in the fourth grade, all
students have their own school-issued devices
for learning. These devices vary depending on
age and academic need, from Chromebooks to
laptops to iPads, and eliminate a lot of paper
waste at the school.
“One of our biggest features is our
technology. Our technology program is
outstanding for an elementary school,”
McFarland said. “Our IT teacher is a
programmer by trade, and has kids doing
amazing things. They create their own video
news broadcasts, have their own YouTube
channel and do podcasts. Our kids start coding
in kindergarten. On an elementary level, it’s
pretty rare that every child is given a device
to use all day long while they’re in school,
but through the help of many benefactors,
we are able to do that. Homework is done on
Google Classroom and, in the higher grades,
everything is technology driven, which helps
the environment too.”
“Another feature is that we are a family
oriented program. A school parent, Mike
Anitori, says that, “Mary of Nazareth families
each bring something unique and special to
the fabric of the school. Our family has poured
out a lot of blood, sweat and tears over the last
ten years, and that’s by no means a complaint.
We have been blessed with returns far beyond
anything we have put into the school, “ The
Davis family echoes that sentiment when they
said, “The teachers and administration are true
partners with us in our children’s education.’”
Outside of the classroom, Mary of Nazareth
students have a myriad of activities and
athletics available to them. It’s also one of
the few private elementary schools with a
performing arts program that produces an
annual school musical. Students are involved
in all aspects of stage production.
With an average class size of about 17
students, Mary of Nazareth has students from
ten neighboring school districts like Woodland
Hills, Norwin, Gateway, West Mifflin, the City
of Pittsburgh and East Allegheny to name a
few. Being financially stable, the school has a
financial aid program for qualifying families in
need and a multi-student discounted rate for
families with more than one school-age child.
Most importantly, however, and the main
reason why parents choose a Catholic school
over public, is that Mary of Nazareth fosters a
strong spiritual development in students.
“Our spiritual development creates kids
going into the world with a good moral
conscience,” McFarland said. “They’re
community minded, and perform service
projects for their communities. It’s just part of
what we do every day, enveloped in values and
faith development. I’m proud to say we have
kids who leave here with the understanding
that it’s not the world about me, it’s the world
about us.”
n For more information on Mary of
Nazareth Catholic School, go to the website
at maryofnazarethschool.org. It’s located at
1640 Fawcett Street, White Oak, 15131. You can
also call directly at 412.672.2360.
WOODLAND HILLS
❘
SPRING 2020
19