Question from a Prospective McAuley Parent:
How will educating my daughter at McAuley give her a competitive advantage?
ANSWER from Diane Sheridan:
Without a doubt, McAuley’s young-women-only family makeup, along with an eye-on-the- future challenging curriculum, and student interest-driven diversified extra-curricular opportunities ensure that a McAuley High School graduate is ready to assume her place in the world. In my 30+ years as a McAuley teacher, I have frequently witnessed the transformation of the most timid, self-doubting young woman into a senior who serves as
an attorney for McAuley’s mock trial team or spearheads service projects or serves as a student council leader or, remarkably enough, addresses the student body from stage. While caring, nurturing adults facilitate this growth, equal credit must be afforded McAuley’s commitment to a values-laden environment where each student develops the confidence, poise, and skills which will give her ‘the edge’ in college, in business, and in life.
Diane Sheridan has taught English at McAuley for more than 30 years.
QUESTION from a Prospective McAuley Parent:
If I am going to pay a lot of money for tuition at McAuley, I want to know that I am going to get a return on my investment. I would like to hear from a current McAuley parent about this investment. Can you help me out? ANSWER from Joe Grote: 
Being the parent of a McAuley graduate and a current senior, I have watched both of my daughters grow in their faith during their years at McAuley. In the case of my second daughter, half of the colleges on her radar are Catholic institutions. The opportunities for growth reach beyond the classroom and retreat experiences. The Campus Ministry program excels in helping each student’s faith formation take great strides. Students are encouraged to share their daily experiences with the campus minister, who helps them expand their horizons if the opportunity arises.
Sure, it would have been less expensive to send our daughters to public school, but the faith formation that they receive at McAuley strengthens what they learn at home and in elementary school. I know of no better way for us to invest in the future of our children than to provide the means for them to attend a Catholic high school like McAuley.
Joe Grote, McAuley parent, answers from the perspective of having one daughter graduate and one who will finish this year.
QUESTION from a Prospective McAuley Parent:
If I am going to pay a lot of money for tuition at McAuley, I want to know that I am going to get a return on my investment. I would like to hear from a current McAuley parent about this investment. Can you help me out?
ANSWER from Rod Cost: 
My name is Rod Cost and my wife, Mary Ann, and I have sent our three daughters through McAuley. Our twin daughters, Ali and Jenna, are seniors this year and our daughter, Trina, graduated last year. It was a great sacrifice financially, but well worth the investment. We could have had more material things with the money we spent, but the education they received far outmeasured any material items such as a new car or boat or an elaborate vacation. I have watched my girls excel academically, socially, and spiritually from the day they started at McAuley.
The teachers at McAuley are excellent and very dedicated to teaching. Many are McAuley alumnae themselves. The follow-your-daughter’s schedule night was a wonderful experience each year, getting to meet each teacher and hearing what their expectations are for the students. They are always easily accessible any time a question or concern arises, and their genuine interest in the students is very evident. I was always impressed by the way the teachers were so motivated to challenge the students to reach beyond the average and excel. The teachers seemed to have as much interest as the parents in helping students reach their goals and inspire them to achieve their best. McAuley’s teachers and guidance counselors were always there to push them to reach whatever goals and dreams they had. McAuley empowered them to make sure that at the end of the four years they had taken advantage of all the opportunities offered them in the way of AP classes, leadership opportunities, community service, and religious experiences.
Rod Cost and his daughters Ali and Jenna are seen here enjoying the Father/Daughter Dance at McAuley.
QUESTION from a Prospective McAuley Parent:
I want my daughter to attend a girls’ high school like McAuley, but she is putting up a fight. She wants the diversity of a co-ed high school experience. How do you suggest that I win her over to the idea of an all-girls’ school?
ANSWER from Rosie Bernard: My daughter was just talking about this subject last week. She feels there is "a sisterhood" at the school. The girls are all there for each other. They support each other when they are going through rough times. They celebrate with each other when there is something good that happens. There is a very close community at the school, and that community support system starts with the faculty and administration. Every one of those adults cares about the students a great deal. They want them to be successful in the classroom, but more importantly, they want them to become caring, conscientious adults who care about others as well as themselves. The girls can also be themselves. On any given day, they can be silly, excited, crying, or happy without the fear of being made fun of for it.
The girls also have the opportunity to develop leadership skills because they are the ones who fill the offices of the various clubs and organizations in the school. There are no males to take on these roles, so the girls fill them, and they do it quite well. Academically, they become stronger students because they don't have to be afraid to raise their hands to answer questions for fear of being wrong in front of the cute guy in the next row, nor do they have to be afraid of "showing up" a guy they have a crush on by answering a question he may not be able to answer.
My daughter has grown into a wonderfully strong, well-rounded young woman at McAuley High School. She is a happy, good student who has been taught how to care for and about others. She had made many new friends since she has been there and not just in her junior class. She has upperclass women who are friends because of sports and chorus, as well as underclass women and graduates who have become friends that she will more than likely have for the rest of her life. I can't explain it, other than to use her words again; “it’s the sisterhood” of being at McAuley High School.
Rosie Bernard, a McAuley parent, makes an excellent case for attending a girls' high school like McAuley.
QUESTION from a Prospective McAuley Parent:
I want to make sure that my daughter receives a high caliber education that enables her to enter the college/university of her choice. From the perspective of a teacher at McAuley, what do you do in the classroom to insure that she has the kind of education that can put her in this type of position?
ANSWER from Paul Kirila: 
There are several things that I do in my math classes that insure that your daughter has the kind of education that will enable her to enter the college/university of her choice. Most importantly, I make sure that your daughter is challenged. Colleges are looking for well-rounded individuals who can apply what they learn to all areas.
This is achieved by trying to have your daughter look at what she is learning in new ways and to apply what she has learned to other areas inside and outside of school. She will be asked questions such as “How can this be used in the world today?”; “How might this be used in the future?”; “How can this be used to help others?” These questions are addressed in many ways: discussions, projects, group assignments, and activities such as creating dances or artwork. I work with students to help them see how math is applied in such fields as history, psychology, physics, chemistry, architecture, and urban planning.
Students investigate topics such as what impact mathematical discoveries have had on world events, why babies are fascinated by Peek-a-Boo, how an electric car works, why grocery stores are set up in a certain way, and how to design affordable housing for refugees. These questions also help to insure that your daughter is not just challenged intellectually, but spiritually as well. I work with your daughter to make sure that she can see that math is a tool that can be used to improve the world. If she can design affordable housing as a project for math class, what else can she do to help the world? As your daughter works to answer that question, I encourage her to continue stretching her horizons, to keep trying new ideas and exploring new avenues. As she grows intellectually and spiritually, she will be better prepared to achieve every goal she sets for herself.
As you can read, Paul Kirila’s approach to teaching math at McAuley is all about positioning your daughter to be all that she desires to be.
We would like to address your specific questions!
As a parent, do you have a question about McAuley? Want to know what to expect for your daughter? Email your question to Kathy Dietrich and she will get your question answered. Her email address is dietrichk@mcauleyhs.net