At a Glance
A Catholic Elementary Foundation in Woodside — Moderate Size, Diverse Community
Families seeking a Catholic elementary education in a diverse, accessible Queens neighborhood — particularly those who value faith integration, structured academics, and a community where their children can form lasting friendships from Pre-K through 5th grade. Works well for families who live in or near Woodside, or those willing to commute for a Catholic school with stronger diversity than many suburban academies.
- Roman Catholic identity with daily prayer, religious instruction, and values formation woven into curriculum
- Pre-K through 5th grade under one roof — a continuity often valued by families wanting a single-school elementary experience
- Moderate size (305 students) offers a middle ground between tiny schools and large institutions
- Diverse student body (0.685 diversity index) exposes children to multiple cultures and perspectives
- Woodside location provides access to both authentic neighborhood community and strong transit connections
- Catholic tuition costs apply — families should budget for annual fees beyond public school options
- Religious instruction is mandatory and integral to the school day — families should be comfortable with Catholic values being taught
- The 14:1 student-teacher ratio is moderate — not as intimate as elite private schools but more personal than most public schools
- Commute may be a factor if you live outside Woodside, as Catholic school families often come from across Queens
- Academic outcomes like test scores are not publicly reported for private schools, so evaluation requires campus visits and conversations with current families
St. Sebastian Catholic Academy is a Roman Catholic elementary school serving grades Pre-K through 5th, rooted in the traditions of the Catholic Church while educating a culturally mixed student body in Woodside, Queens.
The student body is notably diverse — roughly 41% White, 39% Hispanic, 19% Asian, and small percentages of other groups. This mix reflects Woodside's identity as a historically immigrant-friendly neighborhood with strong Irish, Latin American, and Asian communities. Parents at Catholic academies often share a commitment to structured academics and moral formation, creating a community oriented around both academic expectations and shared values.
Woodside in Queens is a dense, residential neighborhood known for its mixture of housing types, strong community feel, and accessibility to Manhattan via the 7 train. The area has a family density score of 61/100, indicating a solid concentration of households with children. Woodside's commercial strips along Roosevelt Avenue offer ethnic restaurants, grocery stores, and local services, giving the neighborhood a working-class authenticity that many families appreciate.
Woodside is highly walkable, with the 7 train and several bus routes connecting residents to the rest of Queens and Manhattan. Families living in the immediate area can typically walk to school, though many families in the broader Catholic school network commute from surrounding neighborhoods.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Mixed reviews: parents praise helpful teachers, strong academic preparation for high school, friendly students, and community activities. Some concerns about bullying and inclusivity noted in reviews.
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is ST SEBASTIAN CATHOLIC ACADEMY a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for ST SEBASTIAN CATHOLIC ACADEMY yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in Woodside.
- What grades does ST SEBASTIAN CATHOLIC ACADEMY serve?
- ST SEBASTIAN CATHOLIC ACADEMY serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into ST SEBASTIAN CATHOLIC ACADEMY?
- ST SEBASTIAN CATHOLIC ACADEMY runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is ST SEBASTIAN CATHOLIC ACADEMY public, charter, or private?
- ST SEBASTIAN CATHOLIC ACADEMY is a private school.
- What neighborhood is ST SEBASTIAN CATHOLIC ACADEMY in?
- ST SEBASTIAN CATHOLIC ACADEMY is in Woodside, Queens.
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