KAPA‘A — Saint Catherine School (SCS), in its traditional operational model serving students from preschool through eighth grade, is closing at the end of this school year in June. The closure was confirmed by a school parent, who requested anonymity.
KAPA‘A — Saint Catherine School (SCS), in its traditional operational model serving students from preschool through eighth grade, is closing at the end of this school year in June. The closure was confirmed by a school parent, who requested anonymity.
SCS parents, and other people in the community who want to see Catholic education continue in the eastside to the North Shore have a glimmer of hope. People can register students, including a $300 deposit, by Friday to keep hopes alive of continuing their catholic education.
“As a faith-based school that receives no direct federal funding, the SCS operational model must rely on enrollment tuition and school fundraising to cover the bulk of its operational costs, namely, hiring excellent quality teachers that has been a hallmark of Saint Catherine School for the past 78 years,” the school parent said in an email.
“Despite the obvious sadness surrounding the decision to close its doors, a sliver of hope remains in the form of a new educational model that is quickly spreading across the country — the Catholic microschool.”
The microschool concept was introduced to the community in January by Principal Mandy Thronas-Brown as a way to continue the legacy of Catholic education at Saint Catherine School.
“Based on the book ‘Greatness in Smallness: A Vision for Catholic Microschools’ by Jill Annable and Kevin Baxter, the microschool rethinks the traditional education model by cultivating a personalized educational experience, and creating an opportunity for students to tailor their learning environment to their specific needs,” the school parent said.
“With smaller class sizes, a microschool focuses on project-based learning with a hands-on approach that includes student selected electives, flexible grouping, student goal-setting, and highlights student collaboration and problem solving.”
Parents will be organizing on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Kapa‘a Beach Park to talk about the microschool and help new students enroll. To register without attending the gathering, call SCS parent Robin Lopez at 808-635-9173.
