OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL SCHOOL

Catholic families on Staten Island seeking a values-driven elementary education for their young children, especially those drawn to the Salesian charism of joyful community service, who are comfortable with a fairly homogeneous student body and a typical rather than intimate class size.

• STREAM curriculum (the school pairs Science and Technology with Religion, an unusual hybrid that integrates the Catholic mission into STEM
• Salesian spirit made explicit in the mission — learning, living, loving, and serving is not just a slogan but the organizing framework
• Spanish instruction as part of the elementary program
• Dual religious heritage of Augustinian intellectual tradition and Salesian community warmth
• NCEA accreditation, which signals the school meets national Catholic-school standards
• Rolling admissions with no deadline — families can apply mid-year rather than racing a cutoff

• Student-teacher ratio of 22.4:1 is typical for a parochial Catholic school but not unusually small-class — families seeking a very low ratio should compare carefully
• Student demographics are markedly less diverse than NYC overall — 86% White — which may matter to families prioritizing a more heterogeneous environment
• Only two parent reviews exist online, both five stars; that's encouraging but the sample is too thin to treat as a broad endorsement
• On a site-visit, families should ask specifically how the Augustinian and Salesian traditions are lived out day-to-day, since those labels cover a wide range in practice
• The walk to the nearest SIR station is a real commute consideration — there is no traditional subway service here
• At 276 students serving PK through fifth grade, this is a mid-size Catholic elementary, not a tiny parish school nor a large regional academy