EDUCATION ALTERNATIVE: FAMILY MAKES MOVE FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

When Gerry and Joan Strohmeyer considered a move, they chose Cape Girardeau because of its private schools, even though his job is an hour-and-a-half drive from here.

"The main reason we're living in Cape Girardeau is so we can send our children to Catholic schools," said Joan Strohmeyer, whose husband works in Kentucky.

The couple have seven children: three in college, two at Notre Dame High School, and two at St. Vincent's Grade School.

Strohmeyer explained that her children have attended both public and private schools.

"Our older kids started out in parochial school in St. Louis," she said. "Then we moved to Arkansas. We switched to public schools because there were no Catholic schools where we lived in Arkansas.

"We saw a big enough difference to us that when we were able, we chose to put them back in Catholic schools," Strohmeyer said.

Sister Mary Ann Fischer, principal at Notre Dame, said Cape Girardeau's private schools often play a role in parents' decisions to move here.

"Today, when the issue of parental choice is in the forefront and research is being done and legislation is being passed across the nation, we feel it's important that we in Catholic schools let people know that we are an alternative to public education," she said.

Trinity Lutheran School Principal Robert Hartmann said: "I think one of the basic things people consider when they look at Trinity is the religious education that is a part of what we do here. We're in an age where people are looking for an alternative and looking more and more at what's available.

"One of our strengths is the involvement of parents," said Hartmann. "We provide a triangle parents, school and church all working together for the same goals we like that. It's good for kids."

Strohmeyer said her family's choice of a private school was based on a variety of different elements.

"It's our feeling that the education in Catholic schools tends to be better than in public schools," she said.

She said parents who pay to send their children to a private school instill an importance about education in their children.

"School is the most important thing at this point in their lives," she said. "It's been our experience that sometimes in public school students are there because they have to go to school.

"It's a sacrifice for parents to send their children to private school. We have seven children, so it really is a sacrifice for us financially to send our children to Catholic school.

"I think the kids and teachers in general share more of the same moral values and moral ideas," she said. "And I also feel it's very important that children be allowed to worship."

She said the religious component included in parochial education is very important to the family's decision for Catholic school.

"Kids, especially the teenagers, have so much out there staring them in the face; all the help they can get is really needed," Strohmeyer said. "I think they do have that element in Catholic schools, the support and ability to deal with problems from a spiritual level. And they have peers who have those same values. That helps them when they go out in the world."

Rita Fisher, principal at Immaculate Conception Grade School in Jackson, said: "The academics are excellent and so is the parental support; but the fact is, we can teach morality and spirituality. Those aspects of life will be very important for these students' entire lives. We can educate the whole child.

"We want to send a message of the value of a Catholic education not only to our children and parents, but to the entire community," Fisher said.

"If you've got something that's working, let's show it to the public," said Sister Jeanne Goessling, principal at St. Mary Cathedral School, where 214 students attend classes.

Goessling said Catholic schools are working because students are learning, happy and enthusiastic. "And I think it's because parents have discovered what they value and what they want in an educational system," she said.

She said students and staff share a "common value and common faith."

School officials said as interest in private schools continues to mount, they are responding by upgrading and adding to their programs.

At St. Mary's, Goessling said, the mathematics program is being evaluated. "We're going to update and change our mathematics program. That's what the nation is saying we should look at."

Already St. Mary's has added an advance eighth-grade math class taught by a parent volunteer.

She said school officials are also working to have a Japanese intern become a part of the staff next year. "I think we should look internationally with the students. It will also upgrade our staff.

St. Mary's is upgrading its our computer system by changing from Commodores to Apples.

The school conducted an auction last year as the school's fund-raiser. Money generated was enough to pay for air-conditioning the school. Money raised at this year's auction on Feb. 29 will be used to purchase computers and math materials.

Notre Dame's enrollment is slowly but steadily growing, Fischer said. This year 240 students attend.

To better serve students, Notre Dame plans to revise its science, math and technology programs, Fischer said.

Beginning next year all computer course will be taught on IBM and MS DOS computers instead of Apple computers, she said. "The business world is dominated by MS DOS computers, and we're trying to prepare our students for college and careers," she said.

A fourth year of math will be added to the curriculum, providing an option for students who want to continue their math education but do not want to take an advanced math course. "We feel four years of math are important to every student, regardless of their ability level," Fischer said.

The biology program will include both general and molecular biology.

"We have strengthened our science program so that no one will graduate without having learned some biological science and some physical science," said Fischer.

The 250 students at Trinity Lutheran School will get a strong background in the basics, especially reading, said Hartmann.

"We teach our kids good study habits, and that starts with instruction of the basics," Hartmann said. "We have a pretty successful reading program, and that's the basis of it all."

The school is using a new computer program that provides incentives for students to read library books. Hartmann said the staff is also considering expanding its "whole language" approach to teaching reading.