What Makes a Good School!

"What makes a good school has very little to do with how rich or poor the students are or the type of curriculum that’s taught. It has very little to do with special programs, expansive playing fields, huge endowments, snappy uniforms, celebrity alumni, or whether the school is wired to the Internet. What makes a good school, whether it’s public or private, religious or nonreligious, charter or noncharter, is a feeling. A feeling shared by the entire staff that their particular school is special. The feeling that their school really belongs to them" (Manna, 1999).

I LOVE that quote! I have ALWAYS loved it! I first saw it when I was a clueless undergrad student at Missouri State, it resurfaced in my Masters program at Drury, and I'm fairly certain I referenced it frequently in my doctoral work at Saint Louis University. And while I absolutely love that quote, I often wish I could add just one thing to it. To possess a good school, a great school, a school of excellence, one MUST have GREAT teachers. It's the one variable that ALL the GREAT schools have in common.

Go ahead, look it up if you must. Marzano, Whitakker, Hayes-Jacobs, Tomlinson, they all have the data and the stats to back up my argument. While the above quote doesn't reference teachers, I ALWAYS think of Vianney's faculty and staff when I read it. To work at Vianney is SPECIAL! It's REAL! It's AUTHENTIC! One of the Five Characteristics of Marianist Education that drive our decisions at Vianney is "Family spirit." Family spirit is NOT a catch phrase, a fancy slogan, or a marketing scheme. Family Spirit at Vianney is a living thing and it has been created, nurtured, and maintained by the amazing faculty and staff that have come before me and who currently reside at 1311 S. Kirkwood Rd.

While cleaning out some files at home I came across an article titled “What Makes a Good Teacher?” (Traina, 1999). The author sought to identify characteristics that are consistently cited by students and parents as those exhibited by their very best teachers. They are as follows:

Command of subject matter. Effective teachers know their subject matter inside and out. In addition, they convey a love of, and passion for, their subject matter.

Caring deeply about each student and about that student’s accomplishment and growth. Effective teachers take time to consider each student as an individual and a unique learner. They take the time and make the effort to get to know about each student, inquiring of their interests, family, and so forth.

Distinctive character. Effective teachers add a special flavor and zeal to their instruction that creates a memorable impression on their students. Whether it is an eccentric sense of humor or a tragedy overcome, such teachers stand out in the minds of their students.

At Vianney we are obviously staffed by teachers with distinctive character (see the photo above for evidence) who care deeply about each and every one of their students. It is equally apparent that Vianney teachers possess a superior command of their respective content areas. As a result, your students will remember you long after they leave us.

The talented, gifted, and caring faculty and staff at Vianney are one more reason why "It's a GREAT Day to be a Griffin!"