By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – For the first time, Business First newspaper is ranking the area's private schools. It's been publishing similar rankings for public schools for several years now.
Nardin Academy ranked as the area's top private high school, followed by Holy Angels, Sacred Heart, Mount St. Mary's and St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute. Schools such as Canisius High School, Nichols and the Park School were not included because they don't participate in statewide testing.
Nardin Principal Rebecca Reeder attributes part of the reason for the school's success to the fact more than 98 percent of students received a Regents diploma in 2000.
"We not only teach for the Regents exams, but we teach beyond them," Reeder said. "It's a standard, but we don't consider it the highest standard."
"Our focus is strictly college prep," she continued. "Our students are aware that they need to do well to show themselves in a good light. They are very driven."
Business First also ranked private elementary schools. The Kadimah School of Buffalo's two campuses were in the top three. The middle school ranked number one, while the lower school campus came in at number three.
"The education here is top-notch, and our kids are expected to work really hard," Headmaster Mark Stolovitsky said.
Sandwiched between the two Kadimah Schools was Nativity of our Lord School in Orchard Park.
BUSINESS FIRST'S PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL RANKINGS
Top 10 schools: 1. Nardin Academy High (Buffalo) 2. Holy Angels Academy (Buffalo) 3. Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart (Amherst) 4. Mount St. Mary Academy (Kenmore-Tonawanda) 5. St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute (Kenmore-Tonawanda) 6. Notre Dame High (Batavia) 7. Christian Central Academy (Williamsville) 8. Mount Mercy Academy (Buffalo) 9. St. Francis High (Frontier) 10. Villa Maria Academy (Cheektowaga)
BUSINESS FIRST'S PRIVATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RANKINGS
Top 25 schools: 1. Kadimah School of Buffalo-Middle (Williamsville) 2. Nativity of Our Lord (Orchard Park) 3. Kadimah School of Buffalo-Lower (Sweet Home) 3. St. Peter's Lutheran (Niagara-Wheatfield) 5. Immaculate Conception (East Aurora) 6. St. Gregory the Great (Williamsville) 7. Nardin Academy Elementary (Buffalo) 8. Southern Tier Catholic (Olean) 9. Christ the King (Amherst) 10. St. Mary's (Williamsville) 11. Holy Family (LeRoy) 12. St. Mary's Elementary (Lancaster) 13. Queen of Heaven (West Seneca) 14. North Tonawanda Catholic (North Tonawanda) 14. St. Benedict's (Amherst) 14. St. Mark (Buffalo) 17. St. Vincent DePaul (Iroquois) 18. Stella Niagara Education Park (Lewiston-Porter) 19. Queen of Martyrs (Cheektowaga) 20. Annunciation (Iroquois) 21. Nativity (Clarence) 21. St. Bernadette (Orchard Park) 21. St. Peter & Paul (Williamsville) 24. St. Andrew's Country Day (Kenmore-Tonawanda) 24. St. John Vianney (Orchard Park)
UNRATED SCHOOLS
Business First rated all private high schools that participate in state testing programs and meet minimum size requirements. These private schools in Erie and Niagara counties were not rated:
Amherst Christian Academy, Bible Tabernacle, Blossom Garden Friends, Buffalo Seminary, Canisius High, Center Road Christian Academy, Charles Grandison Finney High, Darul-Uloom Al Madania, Dayspring Christian, Elmwood-Franklin, First Baptist Christian, First Shiloh Christian High, Gow, Grand Island Christian Academy, New Life Christian, Nichols, Park School of Buffalo, West Seneca Christian, Wheatfield Christian Academy