Poll: Would Your Daughter Attend a County All-Girls School?

**Correction: The projected opening date for the school is 2013, not 2014 as originally stated.**

The Monmouth Girl's Academy Feasibility Committee is looking to determine the need of a Catholic all-girls high school in Monmouth County, and according to parent and committee member Melissa Wisk, it's about time.

"I think there's a difference between an all girls education and a co-ed education, especially in high school," Wisk, of Cliffwood Beach, said. "There's a bond you get at an all girl's school that you can't replicate in a co-ed environment."

Wisk attended an all-girl's Catholic high school and college and said she still networks and remains in contact with the women she graduated with.

She plans to send her daughter, who is currently in seventh grade at Mother Teresa Regional School in Atlantic Highlands, to an all-girls Catholic high school. She hopes, however, that instead of having to send her daughter all the way to Mount St. Mary Academy in Watchung, she can keep her local in Monmouth County.

"We talked about it and [my daughter] wants to go to the all-girls high school and she knows if one opens in Monmouth County, she will have a much shorter commute," Wisk said.

Plans for an all-girls Catholic high school, however, are still in the very early stages. For now the committee, composed of parents and community members , is currently "seeking" to start the school, according to their website, and must first measure interest. 

The executives of the committee are two couples, friends for years, with 7 girls between two families and a desire to send their daughters to a one-sex school.

Maread and Sean Clifford, and Victoria and Justin Gmelich, all attended one-sex high schools, and wants to have their girls do the same.

A study is being conducted for families to voice their opinions on the idea of the high school, from Sept. 12 - Sept. 28. 

“The purpose of the study is to evaluate the feasibility of establishing an all-girls high school in Monmouth County and the potential impact on existing schools in the area as well as to establish open communication with all interested residents, educators and community leaders,” said Victoria Gmelich, committee co-chair.

The survey is asking participants to report how many girls are in their family, high school enrollment, factors when selecting a high school, and the amount of support for an all-girls high school. The study also includes open ended questions.

Clifford said the committee will have the results from the study in October, and are looking to the future for an opening date of 2013 with just a freshman class. She said the school will plan to add one grade level every year.

The school would fall under the Diocese of Trenton, and serve as a preparatory high school. According to a news release, the initial enrollment expected is 500-600 students and “will serve a need currently unmet by existing parochial, private and public high schools in Monmouth County.”

Accreditation would be provided by the Middle State Association of Schools and Colleges.

“From the beginning of the process, our group has sought to keep an open line of communication with the Diocese of Trenton as well as members of local Catholic, private and public school communities,” said Mairead Clifford, co-chair of the committee.

According to the release, the anticipated yearly tuition would be $13,000, which is comparable to the $13,100 in tuition and fees this year to send a boy to the Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft. A location has not yet been chosen, but will be “centrally located” in the county such as Lincroft. Properties have been looked at, however one of the goals of the study is to determine demographics for the school.

Interested families can learn more and sign up for the survey at the committee’s website or onFacebook.