I went to this school in the late 80's. Back then, the principal was John Mancuso. The Athletic…read moreDirector was Al Stuhlmiller. I have pretty much fond memories of this school. Mr. Mancuso was very caring. He wanted our class to produce the most Regents Scholarship winners ever before he retired, and we did. I also had a good relationship with most of my teachers and learned much from them. They just had started offering AP exams when I entered, starting with AP Computer Science I believe. They shortly thereafter expanded to AP English, AP Calculus AB, and AP Chemistry. Computers for word processing were not really a thing, at least not for me until I went to college. Typing was still taught in the high school by Paul Olkowski. If you wanted to be fancy, you typed up your report or paper, but most people hand wrote them in cursive. Teachers still used a mimeograph to mass produce handouts and tests (they wrote up or typed up a master copy in special ink, and placed it the mimeograph, which spun around and around to reproduce copies). The office had a copier, but they weren't used for teachers since copies were expensive. They had not built the newer wing in the northwest corner of the school during my time there or had the parking/drop-off lane on the west side of the school. Most students there today probably don't realize they are new. They also added an extra class period, by shortening the other periods from 45 to 40 minutes, I think it was, in my sophomore year, to allow for students to meet the new, more rigorous, state requirements. Backpacks were not used like they are today. They were so light for us that the style back then was to drape them over one shoulder, like a purse, but on your back. I usually got most of my homework done at school: during lunch, study hall, or in class after I finished my work early. I usually had just a notebook or two and maybe a book to take home to study. We also still used lockers, which were a social hangout back in the day. When went to them between classes to exchange books, unless your classes were farther away, in which case you got books for both classes at your locker in advance. A bad event that happened was in 11th grade physics lab with Arthur Clever, when my scientific calculator disappeared (i.e., was stolen). I didn't realize it until the next day and I was bummed. But we were not allowed to use calculators for the most part, even for final exams and calculus class, except in physics lab. John Sliwa, a now recently-retired and beloved teacher, was in his first year year out of SUNY Fredonia when I took his Regents Course I Mathematics (basically algebra and some basic logic, geometry, and probability) class in 9th grade. He was a long time softball coach there too. Anybody also used to be able to enter (or leave) throughout the day at the many entrances they had, without checking in at the office. Even a student who had graduated the previous year just walked in and hung out in the halls, waiting for a period to end to see the students. We were also allowed to leave and do whatever during our lunch period. I remember a me and a few of my friends drove three miles to Fredonia to Burger King at Routes 60 and 20 for lunch. Drivers ed was taught in the school, and most everybody who had turned 15 signed up for lessons in the evening. Most got their permit at 15 and full driver's licenses at 16 in their junior year. The student parking lot was full much of the time. The DMV was right by the high school on W. Lucas Avenue, near Central Avenue. If you were eligible for a free lunch (most weren't), you got embarrassed each year when your homeroom teacher asked for a show of hands of those who needed an application for free lunches. There was no school breakfast program back then. Our baseball team was fabulous, winning the state championship for Class B in 1988, and then finishing in second place the following year. The part of Woodrow Avenue next to the high school was renamed Marauder Drive in honor of the feat in 1988. They also put in a small electronic scoreboard at the varsity baseball field by the tennis courts in my years as a student there. Now there are fences and dugouts. When I got to college and beyond, I realized this wasn't a great school academically and many of my peers had received better educations and were more challenged. That is the only reason I am lowering the rating to four stars. Dunkirk is a lower-income, working class city though, so you can't expect much. The schools and library in neighboring Fredonia were better since many of the faculty and staff at the college lived there.

I go to this school, and I genuinely hate it here. The counselor and principals are genuinely…read moreinstigators and some are just straight up creeps. Once you get night school or OSS, their goal is to literally get you in trouble as much as possible and send you back. They also don't do anything about bullying whatsoever, and will "Talk to the bully" which in reality doesn't do anything about it, and if anything only makes it worse. The school acts like they're so amazing when in reality they don't do anything right at all, and just set people up for failure.

Silver Creek in a very nice school district - and their technology is amazing for such a small…read moreschool. There is a bit too much bullying going on though and I'm quite tired of that - so if things aren't better next year - Papa is going to school!

I dont know about the schools themselves but we are here on vacation and the kids love the…read moreplayground. It is very big with two main parts. The only problem is a lot of it is kind of tall, easy to fall, especially for smaller children. But the playground is great for them, best one around.

A high school that was founded in the 1970s in Buffalo. Kids came from all around the city to…read moreattend. It remains a top school in the area.

(Part 4 of 1) 10/14/19…read moreI am sure an all girls school has their own crazy antics that some girls did. Nevertheless, the main thing that I would change if I were back in time, is wearing some freaking flip flops instead of walking on the bathroom floor/showers areas.  Once done, students walked or ran back to their dormitories. This could be a long walk during the cold and miserable days. During the hot times, some (including myself) walked back to the dorm in only our towels.  Some students got a huge surprise when their towels got pulled off of them. Under the wrong circumstances some women caught an eye full and laughed; as well, as other male students. Teenagers at there finest... The Resident Assistants who are high school seniors and act like supervisors for the dormitory teachers, guarded the showers and kept everyone else from using the showers.(certainly in my dorm called Templeton) Evidently the all the classmates in the Templeton Dorm did not have the guts to challenge their authority.   We were all freshmen in that dorm and we all were intimidated by the seniors. (This another thing I would change in me if I were to go back in time my 9th grade year...there was no rule where you couldn't shower in the morning, afternoon or night in Templeton...it was just the Resistant Assistants being assholes...with the exception of one or two of them later on.) There were things that some seniors did that intimidated other classmates around the school, but after my first year, I was not intimidated by anyone.  Not even the teacher that threatened to beat me up for saying some sexual remarks to his girlfriend. I did not say those things to her, but if I did, I would have told him right then and there since he was all confrontational with me. (Of course this would have lead to a darker path. One of use would be dead and the other in prison... I am glad had restraint... I don't remember if I reported him to another teacher, but I know nothing happened to him in the years I was there...)  Ahhh the things that happen at school.   Today is 10/10/19 and I am sure everyone uses the showers in their own dormitories ...(I hope so)... since both sexes now live on campus. There are a lot more memories that I am sure will come out when I write about Winter Carnival,  Orientation,  Senior Trips, Crimes&Punishments,  musicals and acting to name several things. I am happy this school is part of my life. I am not sure who I would have been if not for The Gow School.  More to come later on...

Great school brother attended in 2004 and it's only been getting better and bigger…read more Thanks

I wanted to make sure I reviewed this as I send my son here and he loves it. I can tell day after…read moreday he is learning. He comes home telling me about his day and all hes learned I trust this school not because its where I spend my money but its the feeling I get while I get walk my son in and how the staff makes it a point to know his name even if he is 3. I never believed I would send my children here but it just turns out that investing into the future is not really that expensive. Villa Maria Academy is a Catholic, co-educational, secondary school established to further the mission of unity of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Through Villa Maria Academy's leadership, gospel-centered environment and commitment to academic excellence, we empower young people to recognize their God-given uniqueness and talents, to acquire knowledge and skills for success in a global society and to be leaders in creating a future of optimism, generosity and confidence. Founded: by Sisters of St. Joseph in 1892, 118 years young and the oldest of 3 Catholic High Schools in Erie. Affiliation: Villa Maria Academy is college preparatory Catholic school of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie for students in grades 9-12. Students from all faiths are welcome to attend. Accreditation and Memberships: * Accredited by Middles States Commission on Secondary Schools. * Member of National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) Number of Students: 300 Student to Teacher Ratio: 12:1 Tuition and Fees: * Total Tuition for 2011-2012: $6,995.00* (All freshmen receive a Tablet PC included in tuition) *Additional fees apply for seniors, athletes, non-Catholic students, and families choosing a special payment plan. Admission: Acceptance to the freshman class at Villa Maria Academy is based on the results of the mandatory Entrance Exam, elementary school transcripts, elementary school disciplinary record, and recommendations from the elementary school teachers and principal. Transfer students are accepted based on the transcripts, disciplinary records, and recommendations from the teachers and principal from the previous school. Non-Discrimination Policy: Although Villa Maria Academy is a distinctly Catholic school, it welcomes students of all backgrounds and does not discriminate against any qualified student on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, disability, or age, as required by law, in the administration of its educational policies, admissions procedures, financial aid/scholarship awards, and/or any other school administered programs. Class of 2011 Statistics: * 76 graduates * 96% attended a four-year college * Over $3.5 million in merit-based scholarships

Do you value your children's education? their mental health? what about their spiritual well-being?…read more If you answered yes to any of these questions do yourself a favor and steer well clear of this institution. My own experience and the opinions I formed as one of their students inform this. Their name is Chautauqua Christian Academy now but that means nothing, just as bad they just have a principal now. They value their personal reputation as good Christians above the safety, wellbeing, and education of their students. You will have little to no support if you have learning disabilities, or any disabilities for that matter. They don't care about you if you fall outside the image of their perfect Christian. I'm struggling to see where exactly they're meant to be Christ-like.​

Move here a few years ago. Worried about the schools. If you are looking at the area, I would…read morerecommend this school to anyone. My kids are excited to go to school everyday. There is a lot of one on one attention. The teachers are great. I went to Pa schools and, there is no comparison. My kids have been on more field trips in pre-k and first grade than I went to my entire school career.