Until the late 1980s, Piqua had two Catholic elementary schools — St. Mary’s and St. Boniface. They consolidated into what is now Piqua Catholic for grades kindergarten through eighth.
Katie said her grandmother, Mary Kay Sekas Schneider, now deceased, went to St. Mary’s during the 1930s. Katie’s mother, Linda Schneider Kelley, went to St. Mary’s in the 1950s. Both women graduated from Piqua Catholic High School, which later consolidated to form Lehman Catholic High School in Sidney.
Katie went to St. Mary’s for grades kindergarten through eight and then went to Piqua High School where she graduated in 1990.
“I had such a good experience going there,” Katie said, there was little doubt about where their children would attend school. Now, Allie, a fifth-grader, Elizabeth, a third-grader, Colleen, a first-grader, and Elise, a kindergartener attend Piqua Catholic. The four girls make the fourth generation.
“Four generations, I think that’s unusual,” Katie said. As society becomes more mobile, it’s likely to become more unusual.
Piqua Catholic has two campuses — Downing Street and North Street. Katie said her oldest daughter Allie goes to school in the same building she did.
“It looks exactly the same,” she said, noting that some of the staff is the same, too. Some other similarities exist.
Katie said her daughters, like she did, wear uniforms to school. Though, her daughters have more choices in apparel. Katie said she was limited to wearing plaid jumpers and skirts while her daughters can wear navy pants.
When I asked the four girls what they like about elementary school, the girls’ responses were typical of many students. Allie likes her teachers and being with her friends. Elizabeth likes making new friends. Colleen likes playing soccer, and Elise enjoys gym.
Those responses, too, cross generational lines.
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