anybody knows about Regina Catholic Elementary School in iowa city? (North Liberty: to rent, house) - City-Data Forum

snowwings · 03-10-2012, 01:10 AM

we will move to iowa city soon and look for the school for kids, any inputs will be highly appreciated.

MG3 · 04-01-2012, 07:46 PM

People seem to like Regina Elementary school a lot. Check out the test scores at https://www.edinfo.state.ia.us/data/...asp?s=00090000. I believe if you join a Catholic parish you get a better tuition rate.

Growing2Boys · 05-13-2012, 11:20 AM

I am sorry I am late seeing your post. You may have already decided. I toured Regina because I am not happy with the ICSD.
I was impressed by the organization of Regina & the kindness of the staff. I was not impressed with the curriculum. I found them to be a full year behind the public schools in the area. I suppose if you are starting your children in the school & do not plan to take them out of the system that won't be a problem for you. We relocate often, so I can't let my children fall behind. I could not put my children into the school because it would have been like flunking them a grade level.
My next door neighbors send all 3 of their children to Regina. They are very happy there. I suppose it depends on what level your children are at with reading & math upon entering the system. They started their children in the system, so they are fine. I would imagine that they catch up in the older grades, but kindergarten is set up more as a preschool with preschool type curriculum. 1st grade is like kindergarten etc.
I would encourage you to look in the Borlaug school area. That is where we are at, but we are now relocating to Ohio. It's a brand new school & it does not have the bugs of the other ICSD schools (shared grade levels are not done in Borlaug- something we hated at Horn elementary)
Unless you are looking for a Christian school there is no reason to go private here in Iowa City. The public schools (Borlaug & Weber are the only 2 that I suggest- we are leaving Horn just in time as they closed Roosevelt- Horn is going to be very crowded next year) are better then Regina in my opinion.
There is also Heritage Christian school in North Liberty. I have friends who send their children there. They are very happy.

Hope that helps

snowwings · 05-14-2012, 09:01 AM

Thank you so much for your info and kind reply, we have decided to go to Lincoln elementry, hope my kids will like the school and your everything will be good in Ohio. My kids are sad for the moving, sometimes, I do not know how to cheer them up.

Betsy84 · 05-21-2012, 12:58 PM

Growing2boys...I'm really curious about your statement about Regina being a full year behind as far as curriculum, and I find this hard to believe.

What are you basing that statement on?

If anything, the ICCSD in the early elementary grades is very fluffy, and contains little fundamentals. Students that get ahead in the early elementary grades(in the ICCSD) usually come from families where there is a lot of extra support from parents.

NLDad · 06-26-2012, 01:34 PM

I'm not sure where that comment about curriculm comes from either. We have kids at Regina and comparing the things they are studying vs what kids are studying at the ICCSD Elementary's and Solon, it's all very comparable.

As for "no other reason" there is a certain sense of family, of caring that is special about Regina.

I notice that the poster who supposedly did such in depth research to downgrade Regina, didn't apply the same analysis to other schools. While Regina is overall a small, school, it's important to remember that it's the largest Elementary in the area.

So, if a couple of percentile points here or there are the sole determining factor in anybody choosing a school, then I think people are never going to be happy where they are. Regina has its issues and struggle, but it deals with them as family. Friends of ours started at Lincoln. Hated it there, never felt welcome, so it's all in what you personally experience and see for yourself. I'm not saying it's a bad school, just that even one of the district's shining stars isn't the best place for every individual.

Betsy84 · 06-29-2012, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLDad

I'm not sure where that comment about curriculm comes from either. We have kids at Regina and comparing the things they are studying vs what kids are studying at the ICCSD Elementary's and Solon, it's all very comparable.

So, if a couple of percentile points here or there are the sole determining factor in anybody choosing a school, then I think people are never going to be happy where they are. Regina has its issues and struggle, but it deals with them as family. Friends of ours started at Lincoln. Hated it there, never felt welcome, so it's all in what you personally experience and see for yourself. I'm not saying it's a bad school, just that even one of the district's shining stars isn't the best place for every individual.

To the extent that Lincoln is a "shining star" I think that has to do with parents that are more well to do and send their kid to every academic camp, do lots of travel, and have engaged in some academic "hothousing" to a greater extent than the average public school elementary.

If percentage points is all that people will look at, you can still have pockets of incompetence in a school that tests well, and outstanding teachers in a school where the test scores aren't quite as great.

snowwings · 07-12-2012, 05:34 AM

we happened to rent a house in Lincoln school area, I heard that most of public elementry schools in Iowa city are very good, Regina was one of our favorite choice, but did not find a house nearby, just hope kids will be happy in the new school.