by Jessica Easthope
Alison Coyle knows how challenging it can be to get three kids ready and out the door. Some days it seems like there’s an endless list of worries, but when she drops her kids off at school at St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Academy, they all go away.
“It means a lot to be able to drop your kids off, go to work for the day and know they’re taken care of in all aspects,” Coyle said.
There was a time when Coyle didn’t feel like her kids’ needs were being met, especially that of her oldest — Raymond. From kindergarten to third grade, Raymond went to public school so he could get the extra support he needed for his Individualized Education Plan, something St. Stan’s couldn’t give him at the time.
“Even though he was getting services there, his grades were slipping, he wasn’t doing well,” Coyle said.
And Raymond soon realized it wasn’t the best fit for him.
“The classes aren’t big but they’re not tiny, in public school I had one class that was two teachers and 42 kids, it was a lot of kids,” he said.
This school year, the DOE saw a 17% decrease in kindergarten registration citywide compared to the 2016-2017 school year. Registration in the Diocese of Brooklyn is up 2.2% over last year.
It was COVID that forced the Coyles to make the switch. St. Stan’s principal Cathy Mangone says her school has gained 24 students, who like them, came during the pandemic and never left.
“That means they found something here that they wanted to be a part of. And that is what St. Stan’s is about, what Catholic school is about, forming those connections,” she said.
And now St. Stan’s offers the special education, occupational and speech therapy that students like Raymond need — all in the school building.
“We have that extra, added faith and we don’t want someone excluded from that because they have special needs,” Mangone said.
Raymond’s mom and principal can now say he’s thriving.
“He came here and all of his needs are being met, he’s thriving and that’s what we want to see,” Mangone said.
“He’s really thriving, he’s really doing great, it was kind of like COVID was a little bit of a blessing for my family,” Coyle said.
And Raymond thinks so too.
“It’s easier to work in a smaller environment. I like school, I’ve always liked school, I like to learn so I don’t mind coming here,” he said.
Coyle says it was the best decision she and her husband have ever made for their family.
“It was like a win, win for us, he was getting a smaller setting, he was now being able to get the extra support he needed and he’s doing so great,” she said.
With each passing day — there’s one less worry on the list.