St. Catherine School Brochure

St. Catherine School family registration form

SCHOOL DIRECTOR

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Pat Timko as  Director of St. Catherine Catholic School.  Mrs. Timko holds degrees from St. Joseph Junior College and Barry University. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Degree in Elementary Education from St. Leo College and  holds a professional license from the State of Florida Department of Education. Her Florida Professional Educator's Certificate includes certification in early childhood, educational media, elementary education, and English to speakers of other languages (ESOL).

Mrs. Timko has taught over 20 years, chaired many committees and has had many administrative responsibilities.  She served as a representative of the Executive Council to the Florida State Education Association and was a member of the By-Laws and Rules Committee.  She is a former President of the Highlands Education Association.

 As a teacher in both Catholic and public schools, a devout parishioner, a well respected community leader, and an advocate for all children, Mrs. Timko brings many gifts to this newly created position. We are blessed to have her as part of the St. Catherine Catholic Parish/School Community. 

                                                                           Fr. José

Parents, children have first look at new school

 St. Catherine School hosts an open house for parents and prospective students.

Young children near the campus of St. Catherine Parish will become a common sight in August when the 15th school in the Diocese of Venice opens in Highlands County.

The St. Catherine School held an open house for prospective parents and students to give them an opportunity to see the new school and to sign up for classes. Many families came to look at the school and several signed up for classes right away. Registration began in January, but the interest level has been increasing recently said Ginger Carlisle, who is on the steering and finance committee for the school and will also be sending her son Max, 5, to kindergarten. 

“It is wonderful to have something here for people to see; something tangible to know this is going to be a reality,” Carlisle said.

The school will serve students from 3-year-old prekindergartners to first-graders and possibly second-graders, depending on demand, and will be capable of expanding as needed. The younger children will be in a building on the east side of the parish property, while the older children will have formal classes in the youth center across from the church.

During the open house, children played with toys and games, had a chance to draw in coloring books and have their faces painted while their parents learned the details of what they can expect from the school. Chastini Manint said it will be important for her children, Anthony, age 3, and Isabella, almost 4, to receive a proper Catholic education so close to home.

 “It is the morals and values of a Catholic education that attract me to want my children to go to school here,” Manint said. “The nearest (Catholic) school is in Winter Haven and that’s a 45-minute drive away. It would have been worth it, but now we have something so close. It’s truly wonderful.”

The idea of putting a school in Highlands County began when Father Jose Gonzalez came to the parish in 1994. With the support of Bishop Frank J. Dewane, Father Gonzalez found there was enough community support at St. Catherine and at neighboring parishes to warrant the school. 

Father Nicholas McLoughlin of Our Lady of Grace Parish in nearby Avon Park said his parishioners are excited about the new school. “This is a wonderful opportunity to bring a good Catholic education to the community,” he said. Father Vincent Clemente of St. Michael Parish in Wauchula in Hardee County said some of his parishioners are also planning to send their children to the school. 

The timing of the school is important because Highlands County is one of the fastest-growing areas of the diocese. The last school to open in the diocese was in the Dreams Are Free Academy in Fort Myers in 2002. The goal of a Catholic education is to develop children spiritually, cognitively, socially, emotionally and physically. The school will be part of the diocesan program and will be accredited by the Florida Catholic Conference and will provide an inclusive education experience with art, music and physical education, something that has been on the decline in public schools. Everything taught will be developmentally appropriate and follow state and national standards. 

BOB REDDY | FLORIDA CATHOLIC VENICE BUREAU EDITOR                                                                              Published: 04.25.08

 

Easter celebrates the core of our Catholic faith: that Jesus rose from the dead and has promised all those who believe life eternal. That message is ours to share and celebrate with others. With the start of our new Catholic school, our children will not only learn about the resurrection and the teachings of the church, but they will learn to live and love their faith.

The new "Catholic" school will utilize national and state standards in teaching the curriculum. All teaching materials will be developmentally appropriate.

Teachers and administrators will be licensed and certified. All schools in the Diocese of Venice are accredited by the Florida Catholic Conference, which is part of the National Association of Non Public Schools. St. Catherine Catholic School will begin the process of accreditation.

Eventually, the school will include pre-K 3 through 8. To begin, we anticipate opening pre-K through grade 2. Financial assistance is available through the McKay Scholarship, Corporate Tax Scholarship, VPK Program, and the generosity of some donors. All faiths are welcome. More details and registration forms are available on our web page www.stcathe.com. For more information, you can also call 385-0049.

How can you help? You can help by spreading the good news of the school in the community, at local businesses you frequent, and to families with young children. Also you can help financially: write your checks to “St Catherine Catholic School” and deposit them in the collection basket. For more information call 385-0049. This is history in the making and you can be an important part of it....

CATHOLIC SCHOOL WEEK

Catholic Schools Week, the annual celebration of Catholic schools and their contribution to their communities and the nation, is set for Jan. 27 through Feb. 2, 2008. For more than three decades, the nation’s Catholic schools have spent the last week of January recalling what makes Catholic education special.

 The 2008 theme is “Catholic Schools Light the Way,” which highlights the mission of Catholic schools to provide a faith-based education that supports the whole child academically and spiritually and prepares students for future success.

 Across the country, schools will observe the week with special Masses, community service projects, academic and artistic showcases, and athletic and family events. Many schools will hold open houses so that community members can learn more about the value of Catholic education. We, at St. Catherine, will begin our registration process for our new school Jan. 27.

 “With their emphasis on academic excellence and moral values, Catholic schools enjoy high satisfaction among students and parents and high achievement rates,” said Marie Powell, executive director of Catholic Education at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. “This is a message we want to share with our nation’s leaders and with the general public.”

 

The document Renewing Our Commitment to Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools in the Third Millennium was developed by the Committee on Education of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). It was approved by the full body of U.S. Catholic bishops at its June 2005 General Meeting

Notre Dame task force issues report on future of Catholic schools

 

Diocese of Venice

Eastern Deanery

Exploring Interest in a Catholic Elementary School

St. Catherine Catholic Parish, Sebring

Father José González, Pastor of St. Catherine Church and a committee of parishioners at St. Catherine, Sebring, have been exploring the possibility of opening a Catholic elementary school in a building already existing on the parish campus.  However, no school is possible without families who want to send their children to a Catholic school and people willing to support the school as it grows.  We want your input and the input of the people you know. This short survey asks for your initial reactions to the idea of such a school.  Your experiences and opinions are critical to this effort.  Please respond to this survey even if you do not have children of school age in your home at this time.  Thank you for your cooperation

Survey Exploring Interest in a Catholic Elementary School PDF Format

Survey Exploring Interest in a Catholic Elementary School WORD Format

Thank you for your participation!

Please return the completed survey to 

St. Catherine Church

882 Bay St

Sebring, Fl 33870

 

or E-mail it to frjose@stcathe.com

 

 

 

Fr. José González