At 8 a.m. Tuesday, St. Catherine School will host a Feast Day Mass to honor the saint for whom the school was named. With a name like St. Catherine, most would guess that St. Catherine School is a private Catholic
At 8 a.m. Tuesday, St. Catherine School will host a Feast Day Mass to honor the saint for whom the school was named.
With a name like St. Catherine, most would guess that St. Catherine School is a private Catholic school, complete with the plaid jumper skirts and collared shirts. That is true. However, St. Catherine School is also an establishment that reaches beyond that typical Catholic school image. It is a learning facility that is committed to providing academic excellence, inspiration and spiritual direction for the child as a whole.
St. Catherine School, a small school of 139 students on Kaua‘i’s Eastside, was opened in 1946 by five Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since 2000, St. Catherine School has been staffed entirely by lay teachers offering pre-school through eighth grade.
Nearly 30 percent of the students at St. Catherine are not Catholic. St. Catherine School recognizes and understands that many students have different faith traditions. These students study the Catholic religion as an academic subject, with an emphasis on Christian values and respect for the diversity of God’s creations. While all students are expected to participate in religious functions, respect is given to those who do not practice the Catholic faith.
St. Catherine is also very generous when compared with other private schools. Tuition costs at parochial schools are less than half of what other private schools charge and many families are recipients of a number of different financial aid programs offered.
Of main concern to most parents are the academic standards. The academic curriculum is considered to be rigorous with approximately 75 percent of St. Catherine graduates testing into advanced placement levels in high school.
While there is a large emphasis on academics, St. Catherine School is still committed to a complete education by providing a number of extracurricular activities. There are music and art programs, a student government, sports teams, hula, gymnastics and even a rock band.
St. Catherine School also defines itself as a contributor within the community. This year, fourth- through eighthgrade students participated in a service club to visit patients at Mahelona Hospital every week. In addition the school does the annual Hop-a-thon, recycling programs and has an eye on doing the Arthritis Walk and adopting a park.
St. Catherine School is committed to providing an affordable education for the whole child in a safe environment with an emphasis on high academic standards, learning by doing and respect for individual differences in a diverse community.
