Morgan Hill is a very different place today than it was 50 years ago. Then it was a farming community with a population of some 4,000 residents. The sick were treated in 50-bed Wheeler Hospital in Gilroy; north-south traffic passed directly through downtown on Monterey Highway; the largest employers were a signal flare maker, a travel trailer builder and animal feed processors.
It was in 1963 that the parishioners of St. Catherine of Alexandria Roman Catholic Church saw a dream become a reality: the opening of St. Catherine Catholic School. It had a modest beginning – only 80 students in two grades.
Tuition was low because instruction was provided by Sisters of the Presentation, who virtually donated their services. Growth was immediate, an additional grade being added each year. In 1985, seventh- and eighth-grade junior high classes were added. Finally a kindergarten was established in 1991, bringing enrollment up to the present 320 students.
While classroom instruction was traditionally teacher-directed with students learning as a group, today’s classes make use of modern technology with teachers now serving as coaches and guides in learning. Instruction is carefully differentiated so students can master material at their own pace.
More changes are coming. With population growth there are many families who have been unable to participate in a Catholic education, so plans are being formulated to increase enrollment by adding additional buildings.
St. Catherine School fulfills an important role in the life of its parish. Its mission is to deepen the understanding and practice of the Christian faith among the children of the congregation and their parents, and it is a powerful magnet in attracting families to the parish.
For 50 years, the school has provided many services, reflecting the strong social justice teaching in Catholicism.
• Students and parents are involved in Reach Out, Morgan Hill’s ecumenical food program for the needy.
• They also volunteer to help bring a free meal for anyone who wants to come and eat as part of another ecumenical program, Community Suppers.
• At Christmas, classes adopt needy families and provide gifts in the annual Giving Tree program.
The school encourages students to help others through a community service requirement for the upper grades. Sixth-graders must donate 10 hours; seventh- and eighth-graders need a minimum of 20 hours. Since the only restriction is they can’t receive payment for their efforts, many use this opportunity to assist in a variety of ways that follow their interests, such as:
• Helping serve and clean up at the annual Thanksgiving Dinner held at the church.
• Cleaning cages and caring for animals at the local animal shelter.
• Receiving training and refereeing at sports events.
• Providing child care at special functions.
• Visiting patients at a memory-care facility.
On Oct. 26, St. Catherine School held a 50th anniversary celebration to mark this important milestone and share a vision of the future. Events included an open house to tour the facilities and meet with past and present staff, an anniversary Mass with participation from alumni, past principals and a former pastor, and dinner with more than 250 guests to reminisce about the past with alumni, current students and parents, past parents, teachers, principals, religious, priests and community members.
For a half-century, St. Catherine School has provided a Catholic education in an environment of spiritual, academic, social and moral values, preparing students to live their Catholic faith and respond in a personal way to God and society. For more information, contact Anna Quinones at (408) 779-9950.
Chuck Flagg is a retired teacher with a passion for religion. Reach him at [email protected].
