St. Catherine of Siena School

My daughter attends Morello Park Elementary and I love this school! She has Ms. Gliatto and my daughter loves her! She asked me to request that she has Ma. Gliatto for the rest of her years left at Morello! She was sad when I told her it wasn't possible! Ms. Gliatto has made my daughter open up and come out of her shell!!! The school is amazing and stays that way because of all the parents who are involve and care! Lisa in the office is always o sweet and helpful! The school all around in amazing and I am glad my daughter and my 2 other children will attend this school once they are old enough! I wouldn't Want Morello Park to be any other way than the way it is now!!!

Great kids, and great families. My kids’ teachers love to teach and love their students. Lunches could be better, and traffic is terrible- but soon to be improved!

We have two bright boys and were slightly worried about the great school ratings before we entered the school. When our oldest was kindergarten age in 2020, just before covid hit we reached out to both Las Juntas and Morello to ask questions about the schools. Morello was curt and dismissive while Last Juntas offered to give us a tour. It turned out to be the principal (Karen Carlson at the time) who gave us the tour and answered our every question. We were so impressed.Then Covid hit and we had zoom kindergarten - a parent's theoretical nightmare. Watching Karrie Allio teach 20 kindergarteners ON ZOOM was impressive in a whole new realm. I couldn't believe the talent, love, and skills she displayed. When a girl started crying on zoom and was at a daycare center Karrie called the center to make sure one of the staff went to help the girl and calm her down. Likewise watching the music and rec teachers keep the kids excited and engaged was a masterclass in teaching.Since then we've only been more impressed. Almost every teacher has been at Las Juntas for years upon years- they all LOVE their jobs and care deeply for the students, and the students LOVE them. There are many ESL kids and they are loved and taken care of, there are fewer behavior problems than at the richer schools in the district, and the current principal, Pattie Crespo, is a masterclass at thoughtful engagement of parents, teachers, and students. Despite the lower income population the parents are incredibly engaged, taking time off work to come to school plays, carnivals, and open houses. Each of our boys has been among the brightest of their classes and each boy has gotten what he needs to grow emotionally and intellectually, making great friends and learning together. As a parent you hope to find a school where your kids are loved and cared for, where they make friends and enjoy learning. That is everything we have found at this school. We have heard many horror stories from our friends at other schools, and I can just say that if you're worried about your kids attending Las Juntas - don't be. It is truly an incredible school.

We have been truly blessed to have such an extraordinary, out-of-the-box, learning environment. Rona, from their growth and maturity, their sense of responsibilty to themselves and their community, to their sense of self-worth and visions of a more healthy environment, you have transformed our children into fine, responsible members of our community. Thanks!

So far so good, our son loves his teacher and is really excited to learn. I'm excited for the future.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when cliques run a school, leadership treats chaos as a management style, and overcrowding is mistaken for a business model — welcome to SDS!Homework is piled on like suffering builds character, parents become unpaid tutors until midnight, and turned-in assignments may or may not vanish into the academic Bermuda Triangle. Need support? Cute idea.The parent culture feels less “faith community” and more exclusive country club with uniforms. The hypocrisy is almost impressive — nothing says Christian values quite like gossip and social exclusion.Classes are packed, tuition is high, accountability is low, and favoritism seems to be part of the curriculum.