In 1871, Ulysses S. Grant was president of a country still recovering from a horrendous Civil War, and Chicago suffered a Great Fire that left 90,000 people homeless. Meanwhile, in Gilroy, St. Mary School opened its doors to provide for the children of South Santa Clara County a high-quality education grounded in Catholic values.
During the ensuing 140 years, school buildings have been torn down and rebuilt, and religious sisters have been replaced by lay teachers. But St. Mary School has continued to faithfully serve its growing community.
The school is highly regarded for three continuing traits:
• A tradition of remaining faithful to Roman Catholic teaching. Students learn to live their faith, especially through numerous outreach efforts sponsored annually, ranging from feeding Gilroy’s homeless to supporting tree-planting programs in Kenya.
• High-quality academics. Meeting rigorous standards set by the state of California and the Diocese of San Jose, the school successfully receives accreditation by two prestigious organizations: the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the Western Catholic Educational Association. While mathematics, science and language arts are emphasized, St. Mary students also benefit from music, art and physical education programs that broaden their educational achievements.
• Community building. A family spirit pervades the campus. Parents work together on numerous fundraisers to keep tuition affordable, but families are also active in assisting each other when misfortune strikes.
There are challenges to overcome in providing quality instruction to the 291 students enrolled this year:
• Technology is increasingly important in today’s schools, and it has been expensive to provide things like the state-of-the-art science lab, computer lab, Kindles and rolling carts that visit classrooms with MacBooks. This year’s budget provides for a technology fee to ensure future funding.
• Students have a range of abilities; small group instruction is provided for enrichment and remediation so that every student can find success.
This year’s important milestone will be celebrated in different ways, and local residents are invited to participate. Call (408) 842-2827 for more information.
• Jan. 29, during Catholic Schools Week, The Most Rev. Patrick J. McGrath, Bishop of San Jose, celebrated a special liturgy in honor of the school’s 140 years of Catholic Education.
• The annual eight-grade class play, “35 in Leap Years,” will be presented Thursday. Written by parent Greg Camacho-Light, it “takes a nostalgic look at the school’s vibrant history with a good dose of faith and imagination.”
• A Family Fun Night and Homecoming will be held April 27. This is an occasion for current students and families, alumni, donors and friends to celebrate this historic achievement with a picnic and open house to meet staff and tour the facilities.
• The school’s 25th annual Blue and White Auction will be held April 28 at the Elk’s Lodge, a chance to honor St. Mary’s past and support its current mission.
• The 50th semiannual Spaghetti Dinner will be held Friday, May 4. Begun as a fundraiser by the Men’s Club to support athletics, this year it will feature recognition of the school’s history with a photo display of past events.
• In June, St. Mary’s Class of 2008 will graduate from various high schools. On Wednesday, May 9, they are invited back for a class reunion featuring a simple meal and ample time to visit with each other and the school’s staff.
Much has changed at St. Mary since 1871: the original school building (including classrooms, parlor, dining room and dormitory) cost just over $5,000; the science lab, built in 2006, cost $400,000. Tuition has increased from $26 in 1953 to $6,300 this year.
But much has remained the same. Principal Christa Hanson said, “So many lives have been touched through the ministry of the school and parish. God is indeed with us – in the past, in the present and will be in the future. Together we look forward to a bright future. We are proud of all our graduates, our current students, our faculty and staff. May our journey of excellence in Catholic education continue far into the future.”
During the ensuing 140 years, school buildings have been torn down and rebuilt, and religious sisters have been replaced by lay teachers. But St. Mary School has continued to faithfully serve its growing community.
The school is highly regarded for three continuing traits:
• A tradition of remaining faithful to Roman Catholic teaching. Students learn to live their faith, especially through numerous outreach efforts sponsored annually, ranging from feeding Gilroy’s homeless to supporting tree-planting programs in Kenya.
• High-quality academics. Meeting rigorous standards set by the state of California and the Diocese of San Jose, the school successfully receives accreditation by two prestigious organizations: the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the Western Catholic Educational Association. While mathematics, science and language arts are emphasized, St. Mary students also benefit from music, art and physical education programs that broaden their educational achievements.
• Community building. A family spirit pervades the campus. Parents work together on numerous fundraisers to keep tuition affordable, but families are also active in assisting each other when misfortune strikes.
There are challenges to overcome in providing quality instruction to the 291 students enrolled this year:
• Technology is increasingly important in today’s schools, and it has been expensive to provide things like the state-of-the-art science lab, computer lab, Kindles and rolling carts that visit classrooms with MacBooks. This year’s budget provides for a technology fee to ensure future funding.
• Students have a range of abilities; small group instruction is provided for enrichment and remediation so that every student can find success.
This year’s important milestone will be celebrated in different ways, and local residents are invited to participate. Call (408) 842-2827 for more information.
• Jan. 29, during Catholic Schools Week, The Most Rev. Patrick J. McGrath, Bishop of San Jose, celebrated a special liturgy in honor of the school’s 140 years of Catholic Education.
• The annual eight-grade class play, “35 in Leap Years,” will be presented Thursday. Written by parent Greg Camacho-Light, it “takes a nostalgic look at the school’s vibrant history with a good dose of faith and imagination.”
• A Family Fun Night and Homecoming will be held April 27. This is an occasion for current students and families, alumni, donors and friends to celebrate this historic achievement with a picnic and open house to meet staff and tour the facilities.
• The school’s 25th annual Blue and White Auction will be held April 28 at the Elk’s Lodge, a chance to honor St. Mary’s past and support its current mission.
• The 50th semiannual Spaghetti Dinner will be held Friday, May 4. Begun as a fundraiser by the Men’s Club to support athletics, this year it will feature recognition of the school’s history with a photo display of past events.
• In June, St. Mary’s Class of 2008 will graduate from various high schools. On Wednesday, May 9, they are invited back for a class reunion featuring a simple meal and ample time to visit with each other and the school’s staff.
Much has changed at St. Mary since 1871: the original school building (including classrooms, parlor, dining room and dormitory) cost just over $5,000; the science lab, built in 2006, cost $400,000. Tuition has increased from $26 in 1953 to $6,300 this year.
But much has remained the same. Principal Christa Hanson said, “So many lives have been touched through the ministry of the school and parish. God is indeed with us – in the past, in the present and will be in the future. Together we look forward to a bright future. We are proud of all our graduates, our current students, our faculty and staff. May our journey of excellence in Catholic education continue far into the future.”
