St. Catherine's Academy

Founded in 1889, St. Catherine’s Academy is a private, Catholic day and boarding school with a military tradition for boys in transitional kindergarten through 8th grade. We offer the structure and values of a military school along with outstanding academics and a spiritual foundation based on the Dominican Pillars of community, ministry, study, and prayer. Our exclusive combination of programs gives our students a foundation for lifelong success. We are located in Anaheim, Orange County, California. St. Catherine's Academy is also an international school offering day and boarding options for boys.

St. Catherine’s Academy (formerly known as St. Catherine's Military School)
Location
Anaheim
,
California

United States
Information
TypePrivate
Military boarding & day school
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established1889
PresidentSr. Johnellen Turner, OP
GradesK-8
GenderBoys
Student to teacher ratio12:1
Campus8 acres (3.2 ha)
Color(s)Green and gold   
Athletics conferenceParochial Athletic League
MascotKnights
AffiliationDominican Order
Former nameSt. Catherine's Military Academy
Director of Admissions/RecruitingDeisy Escobedo
Websitehttp://www.stcatherinesacademy.org

History

St. Catherine’s Academy was founded by Mother Pia Backes, the foundress of the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose. The school was dedicated on March 19, 1889, and opened on March 22, 1889, as an academy for girls and a parochial school for local families. St. Catherine’s also spent time as an orphanage and a school for boys before becoming a military school in the 1920s. The name was changed to St. Catherine's Military School and later St. Catherine's Military Academy. In August 2007, the academy began using its original name, St. Catherine's Academy. The Dominican Sisters continue to be a presence on campus. Today, sisters hold positions in administration, resident care and teaching.

Campus

St. Catherine’s Academy has an 8-acre (3.2 ha) campus in Anaheim, California, two miles (3 km) from Disneyland. Resident cadets stay in one of four dormitories.

The school’s chapel is the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel. Decorated by the artist Jan Henryk de Rosen, it is dedicated to the memory of Captain William Maguire, the cadets' chaplain in the 1950s. Maguire was a United States Navy Chaplain to the Pacific Fleet during World War II. He was at Pearl Harbor, preparing to celebrate mass when the Japanese attacked.

Accreditations and memberships
  • Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)[1]
  • National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)[2]
  • Catholic Boarding Schools Associations (CBSA)[3]
  • Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States (AMCSUS)[4]
  • International Boys' Schools Coalition (IBSC)[5]

Academics

St. Catherine’s academics adhere to the standards of both the State of California and the Diocese of Orange.[6]

Military tradition

St. Catherine's Academy military tradition promotes a variety of life skills, such as planning, following directions, working as a team, setting goals, and overcoming obstacles. Through this unique program, SCA students become responsible, self-confident young men. They learn to be leaders of honor and integrity through hands-on experience in our peer leadership program.

Students in 3rd - 8th grade grade are full members of our military program. They participate in daily military activities, earn rewards and consequences based on the merit/demerit system, and receive promotions in rank. Recognizing the needs and abilities of younger students, elementary school cadets focus on learning basic drill movements, maintaining a proper uniform, and following orders. These basic skills lay a foundation for self-confidence and personal responsibility.

Extracurricular activities

St. Catherine’s competes in the Parochial Athletic League (PAL) in three sports: flag football, volleyball and basketball. The school has won championships in all three sports (basketball — 2006-2007; flag football — 2003-2004; volleyball — 2001-2002).[7] The music program is among the oldest ongoing programs in Orange County, with over 70 years in existence. In addition to weekly music classes, students can take individual guitar and piano lessons. The school’s band, The Marching Knights, participates in local parades and concerts.[8]

St Catherine's Academy was used for exterior shots in the 1955 movie The Private War of Major Benson, where cadets filled every role other than the principal roles, including all of the extras as well as many other, insignificant parts.

References
  1. WASC Directory
  2. NCEA Directory
  3. CBSA School Locations
  4. AMCSUS School Directory
  5. IBSC Member Directory
  6. Academics Overview
  7. Athletic Director's Welcome
  8. Instruments and Fine Arts

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