Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

St. Mary’s Elementary School, Annapolis, first graders Sidney Klein, from left, Wesley Moroney and Jack Sollock enjoy group reading time during class in January. (Courtesy St. Mary's Elementary School)

Catholic schools stress learning the fundamentals 


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Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Schools

For Mary Beth Nocket, a first-grade teacher at St. Joan of Arc School in Aberdeen, the thrill of watching 6-year-old students discover they can read words never grows old. 

St. Joan of Arc student Ethan Deering, second from left, reads to Adrianna Zacker, from left, Eli Coppola, August Morgan-Suchowski and Keegan del Rosario. (Courtesy St. Joan of Arc School)

“Those lightbulb moments are fascinating to watch,” Nocket said. “My heart is full. They get it. It is very uplifting.” 

Teaching reading and writing in first grade holds enormous weight. The journey begins in kindergarten with letter sounds and phonics, but in first grade comes the crucial work of decoding and sounding out words, Nocket said. 

“Reading is so important. We read the rest of our lives, for job applications, for rental contracts,” Nocket said. “You need a good foundation.” 

That foundation seems increasingly critical.  

According to the U.S. National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only about 31-33 percent of fourth graders performed at or above the proficient level in reading in recent assessments. A striking 40 percent are now reading below the basic level, the highest share seen in many years. 

St. Joan of Arc teacher Mary Beth Nocket reads with Adrianna Zacker. (Courtesy St. Joan of Arc School)

Low literacy correlates with long-term economic disadvantage. In August 2025, the unemployment rate for adults 25 and older without a high school diploma was 5.4 percent – significantly higher than for those who finished high school or went on to college, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Catholic schools generally perform above national averages in core subjects. On the most recent NAEP, Catholic school fourth graders scored about 10 points higher than their public-­school peers in math and roughly 15 points higher in reading. Eighth graders posted an even wider gap – about 20 points higher in reading.   

Back in her Aberdeen classroom, Nocket’s daily focus stays close to home. Reading is the cornerstone – and helping her children know God cares for them.  

“Know God always loves you,” said Nocket, who also teaches writing, math, science and social studies. “It gives them a strong sense of security that they are cared for.”  

Email Katie V. Jones at kjones@CatholicReview.org 

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