Philosophy

Our commitment as Christians is to know Jesus Christ. His message is the source and content of catechesis. We are dedicated to being spiritual companions to one another, bringing Gospel values to bear on every aspect of life. Our community is based on the Gospel message of love, and is expressed through communal prayer and worship, cooperation, and instruction. We believe the Christian family is the nurturing unit in a child's personal, social, emotional, academic, and religious education.

The Church through the ages has consistently called parents to understand and appreciate their special dignity as God's instruments of His love to their children. Parents are the first to communicate the faith to their children and to educate them. By word and example, they train their offspring for the Christian and apostolic life. Since parents have conferred life upon their children, they have a most solemn obligation to educate their offspring. Hence, parents must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their children.


Saint Catherine Labouré helps each child learn self-control and self-discipline. Positive, ongoing relationships among students, parents, and teachers, are developed. Teachers, working in partnership with parents, challenge each child to reach for their highest level of formation - spiritual, moral, intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and esthetical. This enables all to embrace the challenge of living a Christian life and taking individual responsibility for life-long learning.


As Catholics, we serve Jesus Christ by sharing our time, talents, and treasures. Saint Catherine Labouré educates God's children in His ways, so that each child may become a minister of the Catholic faith, a protector of the earth, a peacemaker for all, and a defender of human rights and diversity.

History

On September 26, 1955, St. Catherine Labouré School opened with an enrollment of 153 students in the first through 8th grades. Four Daughters of Charity staffed the new school: Sister Blanche Laurentia, Sister Victoria, and Sister Anne of Francis.


The school day began with Mass and classes started at 8:45 A.M. A cafeteria was opened after a few months and the playground was equipped through donations of the Daughters of St. Catherine and the men's club.


On the afternoon of November 26, a fire started in one of the upper level classrooms being used for storage. The damage was estimated at approximately $3,000.00.


In August of 1960, work began on the first addition to the school. This consisted of six new classrooms, a larger and much-needed principal's office, a teacher's lounge, and additional toilet facilities, the work continued throughout the entire 1960-1961 school year. That year there were 460 students attending the parish school, and a temporary partition was put up at one end of the cafeteria to provide a classroom for the 8th grade. The new addition was completed the following September, in time for the start of the 1961-1962 school term.


The 1962-1963 school year began with 560 students in attendance. At this time, Sister Emily O'Flaherty, D.C., arrived to take over the job of principal and to supervise the introduction of an experiment departmental program in the upper grades (sixth-eighth). Under the departmental system, each of the upper grade teachers specialized in a particular subject area, and taught all of the grade levels in his or her subject. This system is still in use today.


In the winter of 1967, the 8th graders took upon themselves the formation of the first student council, and school newspaper.


Two of the sisters were replaced with lay teachers in the 1971-1972 school year. This was the beginning of the reductions of religious as teachers at St. Catherine Laboure and a continuing increase in school costs. This reducing of numbers continued for the next couple of years until the number of Daughters of Charity serving in the school, reached three. St. Catherine's began a kindergarten class with the 1977-1978 school year.


Sister Maureen selected an interim Board of Education replacing the Education Committee for the 1978-1979 school year. The following year saw the first elected Board of Education for the parish.


A study and visit made through and by the Daughters of Charity community in the spring of 1981 evaluated the presence and apostolate of the sisters in the school. Their presence would soon be terminated. Because of the increase in cost of operating the school, there was emphasis put on each family contributing their fair share to the financial running of the school through their Sunday envelops. Lay leadership and lay teachers replaced the sisters in the school. Although the sisters were sorely missed, the commitment and involvement of the laity was commendable. They brilliantly defended the faith and fostered a catholic environment that continues to the present.


In 1999 work on the vision 2000 project began. The project was completed late in the year 2001. This project included the addition of an improved church entrance, a new gym, additional classrooms including a computer lab and air conditioning for the entire school building.


In 2001-2002 the school added a full time nurse to the staff. In the 2002-2003 school year a full day kindergarten was introduced and a full time technology coordinator was hired. The school presently enjoys double classes of grades K-8. Full time teachers serve in the Art, Music and Physical Education departments. In addition we hail a strong Resource Program and we offer Spanish to half of the grades.

School Facilities

- Art Room
- Athletic Fields
- Cafeteria with hot lunches
- Computer labs
- Gymnasium
- Health Room
- Library
- Music Room
- Playground Facilities
- Resource Room
- Science Lab