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03.21.07, 07:40 AM New York City
31 replies
Any cathedral moms on? What do you think of the head, Marcia Nelson? Has she been good for the school? Are there goals for improvement, and how are they being received by faculty and parents? [ Reply | Watch | Flag ]
New York City 03.21.07, 07:40 AM Flag
 

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Haven't heard from Cathedral moms in a while. perhaps they don't exist? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 07:51 AM Flag
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Marsha Nelson, is a vile sociopath that bullies families she does not like by spreading rumors about the children. She is currently under investigation and her behavior towards parents in incomprehensible. She has been the proponent of corruption for years, but this is shortly getting ready to end. Marsha Nelson has no ability to lead ANYTHING...much less a school that is bordering on closing due to lack of funds. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.29.13, 03:38 AM Flag
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I really like Marcia and I think she is putting in a lot of effort. But there is an underlying tension between the "old" Cathedral--UWS neighborhood, low-key school-- and the "new" Cathedral--higher academic expectations from the parents, better exmis s, etc. Change requires money, and that is something cathedral does not have in abundance. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 08:30 AM Flag
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How does the issue of money contribute to this tension? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 08:31 AM Flag
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Need to build endowment so they can improve facilities, pay teachers more, etc. In order to do so, must admit fewer of the "neighborhood" people and more IBers, biglaw and the like to contribute the funds. Money aside, some of the old school parents don even like the idea of higher academic expectations as they view this as being like those "snooty UES schools" (and implicit in this is the view that their wasy is better). [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 08:38 AM Flag
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does that mean more counseling out, brokering, etc? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 08:40 AM Flag
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Doesn't seem to. As it is a K-8 there aren't people just lined up to replace kids like a K-12. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 08:46 AM Flag
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have to say, we are in the nabe, and would love that school for many reasons. i think it could be good to work harder on ensuring high level academics and good exmissions. school has a lot of untapped potential. Good bones, as they say. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 08:43 AM Flag
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what are your feelings on SHSH, I think we prefer it for the very things that you discuss which are lacking in Cathedral. Fortunately the religious aspect is a plus for us as well and not a hinderance [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 09:13 AM Flag
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unfortunately, less religion is better for us. Not sure shsh's is better academically or in terms of exmissions. I have heard they are comparable. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 09:29 AM Flag
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np: What are the changes that people don't like? i would think they would like higher academics and exmissions? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 08:35 AM Flag
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I am a NP too who lives in the neighborhood and has many friends who send their kids there. I think that the fear is that up until now, Cathedral has been a lovely, low key, community oriented and not "high pressure" but solid academic school. The fear s there will be a push to make it more Trinity-esque, which would change the character of the place. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 08:45 AM Flag
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Exactly, expressed it better than I did. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 08:47 AM Flag
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but what makes people think that? is it that the parent body is shifting, or are there new policies, approaches that indicate what you are saying? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 08:49 AM Flag
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I think that there is a lot more interest from families outside the neighborhood and it is attracting people who are interested in the more competitive traditional schools, and yes, people with a lot more money who have more of a "consumer" mentality re rding their kids schooling. Whether that is true, I have no idea, but that is the impression. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 08:51 AM Flag
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ITA, Horrace Mann was once a lovely little local, experimental school started by TC [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 09:15 AM Flag
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^^^albeit over 100 years ago [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 09:20 AM Flag
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There is tension between Marsha Nelson and all the families. She has a disconnect with everyone she meets. She will not look you in the eye and refuses to shake your hand. She hides in her office and only emerges to belittle the children. She will spread vicious lies about your family if she does not like you. Nobody stays there for long, including the teachers. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.29.13, 03:42 AM Flag
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I'm a "new" Cathedral mom, and I love Marcia. The feel of the school as low-key, community oriented, and family friendly is what led us here. She personified that for us. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 09:24 AM Flag
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^^^ and from what I've seen - this holds true for our class. We all want our kids to get a great education, but their approach is unique. I would hate for the school to become a mini-trinity, my friends feel the same. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 09:26 AM Flag
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sounds like you don't think they are making it into a mini- [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 09:30 AM Flag
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Trinity [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 09:30 AM Flag
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I really don't think they are. I think they are seriously looking at general improvements (new playspace, new classes, new lunch program), but education and the way we educate changes, so to keep an open mind is probably a good thing. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 09:37 AM Flag
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A few years ago Cathedral was described to me by someone at the Parents league as "wanting to be Trinity". As a parent there I would be happy if it was more like Trinity. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 10:52 AM Flag
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np: in what way? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 11:01 AM Flag
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More consistent quality of faculty, higher standards for admission, more academic rigor. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 11:41 AM Flag
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Trinity parent here: Don't idealize. Trinity has its own problems with quality of faculty, and some of the accepted children are accepted for a variety of reasons--meaning different standards for admission for different folks. As for rigor, that is ce tainly true. I imagine as admissions get tighter everywhere, standards for admissions will rise, but the same priciples for admissions that invite a variety of students will always be at play. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.21.07, 03:07 PM Flag
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I'm not idealizing. This is the perception, however, I agree that standards for admission will rise as things get tighter, but it all takes some time. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.22.07, 05:34 AM Flag
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dc with 98 erbs--high 99 verbal accepted, and we will be going have heard others here say dc had high 90s erbs. don't think they are lax admissions standards. know many who wanted cathedral with high erbs, and were w/l'd. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.22.07, 02:12 PM Flag
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That is quite recent. It is not the case in the upper grades. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.26.07, 01:50 PM Flag
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maybe. but it does seem to be true now. admissions are tighter, schools are competing and times are changing. Kids at these so called 2nd tier schools are as qualified as those at tt schools. Especially if the school is popular, such as cathedral. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 03.26.07, 02:57 PM Flag
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