Mount de Sales Academy, Baltimore (Vanity)

vanity | 11/6/2005 | marrkomalley

[markomalley]

Need to get some reviews from anybody who might be familiar with Mount de Sales Academy in Catonsville (Baltimore), Maryland. (http://www.mountdesales.org/index.htm)

We are considering sending our daughter there, as there are really no good (i.e., orthodox) Catholic High Schools in the Archdiocese of Washington. But before doing so, I'd like to see if there is any dirt (good, bad, or ugly) on that school.

So anybody familiar with that school and care to provide any feedback? Appreciate it!

[markomalley]

if you could ping your respective lists, I'd appreciate it!

[Salvation]

Can you help Mark out here?

[pieces of time]

I'll ask around. Academically I've heard good things but have no idea about Religious education.
Have you taken a look at http://www.oakcrest.org/ or http://www.academyoftheholycross.org/HolyCross.html

[dsc]

You might ask the Sisters of the Visitation at Visitation Academy in Frederick, Maryland. They have a web site.

[ConorMacNessa]

My daughter is at Pallotti in Laurel, Md. Did you consider them and write them off? Seems like a real Catholic school to me.

[Vision]

I live in Catonsville but have never heard of the school

[markomalley]

My daughter goes to school across the street from Pallotti. I know several of the Pallotine sisters fairly well, in fact. If she ends up going to a co-ed place, she'll probably end up going there. It would definitely be the most convenient option, without a doubt.

But in answer to your question, I have heard a couple of things about the place that do give me some concern. Freepmail me if you're curious.

[markomalley]

Unfortunately McLean is too far for me. When I spoke with both the reps from Stone Ridge and Holy Cross, it sounded like they were more concerned with social action than with orthodox education (just a imho, there).

Tell you what, I wish Opus Dei had a girls school in the Md suburbs.

[markomalley]

Its on Academy Road, about a mile inside the beltway from Exit 14. I went to their open house today, a beautiful campus.

[Vision]

I looked it up on mapquest, it looks like a bad area. I'm surprised the campus is nice

[Bigg Red]

I used to live within walking distance of the Mount de Sales. I really do not have any personal knowledge of the school, but I know that it has an excellent reputation both academically and religiously.

[Smocker]

Hi Mark,
Well, first does it conform to Church Teaching on the Christian Education of Youth:

DIVINI ILLIUS MAGISTRI (On Christian Education)
Pope Pius XI Encyclical promulgated on 31 December 1929

http://www.ewtn.com/library/ENCYC/P11DIVIL.HTM

If it does send your child there with peace of mind, if it doesn't keep looking or consider homeschooling.

There are too many highschools today that have Catholic names but do not have a clue as to what the meaning of Catholic is.

[sitetest]

Dear markomalley,

If your daughter was a son, I'd recommend checking out DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, MD.

Alas, it's an all-boys institution.


sitetest

[NYer]

I have it on good authority that it is a Dominican school, run by very, very good nuns in traditional habits, it has a strong program in apologetics and is totally in accord with the Magisterium and the Church. I know for a fact that Jason Evert and his wife are giving their annual Chastity talk to the young women in about a week. In short, it is an excellent and holy school.

For more info, consult this website and check into the monthly bulletins. They say a lot about the school.

http://www.mountdesales.org/

[markomalley]

Thanks to all for the responses!

[katherineisgreat]

My cousins went there. Two of them are there now.

I'm biased because I went to Hereford (graduated last year, now a plebe at West Point) and did very well by the public school system.

MDS *was* a very spiritual school, but I've heard one of the newer headmistresses isn't quite as spiritual as one in the past. It's physically beautiful, tries to mandate Mass, but the commute is killer.

Basically, it's a decent school. Kids are decent (though I'm sure my cousins could tell you some stories), despite the normal b**chery that goes on between girls. I think you can get a more in-depth education in the public school system, what with more AP classes. But then, I got lucky.

[markomalley]

Thanks. That's the best recommendation I could possibly get. (I live in PG County, so public schools are simply not an option...and if you suggest moving, the additional mortgage payments are more than what tuition would be)

Best of luck at West Point!

[2BinChrist]

Hi MARK,
I live just down the street from the school. It is a wonderful Catholic school ranked in the top ten in the United States. I attend Holy Hour at St.Agnes Church also just down the road, and the nuns that work at Mt. De Sales attend there each Saturday a.m. No school is without problems, but this one has very few to speak of. They have Mass each day, and the priest at St. Agnes, Father Tim Fell, teaches apologetics at Mt. DeSales. The sports program is intensive and they have a wonderful gym. Most importantly, the spiritual formation is well worth it.
Good luck in your search!

[ek78]

I graduated from Mount de Sales this past May, 2005. I spent all four years of high school there and absolutely loved it. I am now a college freshman and I can say from experience that the academics at Mount de Sales are outstanding. I personally think that the strongest programs are in English/Literature/writing, fine arts, and history; however, Mount de Sales gave me a strong foundation in all areas of their academic curriculum, and I adjusted easily to a college-level workload. Mount de Sales also cares a lot about its Catholic tradition. Prayers are said by the student body every day, and most of the students and teachers are Catholic. The atmosphere of MDS is unlike any other school I have seen. The teachers are not only extremely qualified and knowledgeable, but they genuinely care about the well-being of their students. The girls at MDS are all genuine, well-rounded, and dedicated, and they are also a lot of fun! The friends made in high school are worth keeping for a lifetime. MDS has been chosen for two years in a row by the Catholic High School Honor Roll ( http://www.chshonor.org/ ) as one of the top 50 Catholic schools in the country. It was the only school in Maryland to be selected, and this year, it was ranked in the top 20 for Catholic Identity. In addition to all this, the tuition is among the lowest in the Baltimore Archdiocese! I definitely recommend Mount de Sales--the experience is well worth it.