St. Leo the Great School (San Jose)

St Leo School Crest
Community, Cooperation, and Collaboration
Address
1051 West San Fernando Street
San Jose, California, (Santa Clara County) 95126
 United States
Coordinates 37°19′45″N 121°54′38″W / 37.32919°N 121.910662°W / 37.32919; -121.910662Coordinates: 37°19′45″N 121°54′38″W / 37.32919°N 121.910662°W / 37.32919; -121.910662
Information
Type Private, Coeducational
Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic, Institute of the Incarnate Word
Patron saint(s) Pope Leo I
Established 1915
Oversight Diocese of San Jose
Superintendent Kathy Almazol
Principal Antoinette Cosentino
Pastor Rev. Marcelo Javier Navarro, I.V.E.
Faculty 40 lay
Grades PK-8
Enrollment 307[1] (2012-2013)
Average class size 30
Student to teacher ratio 8.125:1
Campus size 3.28 acres (13,300 m2)
Campus type Urban
Color(s) Blue and Gold         
Athletics 20 teams in 5 sports
Athletics conference Diocese of San Jose
Mascot Leo the Lion
Nickname Lions
Accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges[2]
Yearbook Lion Pride
Tuition US$7,898 (2012-2013)
Athletic Director Joe Ramirez
Website www.StLeoSJ.org

St. Leo the Great School is a private Catholic Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade school serving Silicon Valley. Located in the historic Shasta-Hanchett[3] and St. Leo neighborhood[4] that is named after the school. It is blocks from California's first fruit canneries and San Jose's main train station. The campus consists of 5 buildings and 3 play areas.

Academics

The school is accredited thru WASC, WCEA and the Diocese of San Jose.

The school puts a heavy emphasis on using technology throughout the curriculum. Google Android tablets are used for small motor skills and story reading in PreK-2nd Grade. Students in 3rd-8th grade are assigned Google Chromebooks[5] to access their school email and Google docs throughout the school day. At home students use a web browser to access their homework.

Earth sciences are taught through a partnership program with Middlebrook Gardens[6] where students take weekly lessons in the gardens doing hands on experiments and learn about environmental sustainability.

Inverted math methodology where students watch the math lesson online as homework and demonstrate their understanding through their class work is used.[7]

The school runs on a trimester system with letter grades starting in 4th grade. All online homework and group projects are completed using Google Apps for Education (GAFE). All grades are posted weekly on Blackboard Engage(edline).

First and second honors are given to top achieving middle school students. The school recognizes students of the month at prayer service. The school has monthly goals for each grade where students achieving the goal are recognized.

The school does not teach creationism, sex education or run a summer school program.

Library

The school has a dedicated librarian and over 6,000 printed books available for checkout. Surplus books are donated to a school in Africa. Student use of e-books are allowed via Google Play and Kindle reader for Chromebooks.

Admissions

The school has an Admissions Director that assists parents through the admissions process. The school hosts an open house in early November where parents can visit all grades and observe classes in session. The school participates in Catholic Schools Week in late January with an open house after Mass on a Sunday.

PreKindergarten is for 4 year olds and is capped at 22 students. Kindergarten takes an additional 8 students. All other grades are wait listed unless there is an opening. Kindergarten through 8th grade requires a student screening test. Transfer students are assigned a buddy and are allowed to shadow classes before they join in the Fall.

After school enrichment

The school has a large variety of after school programs. Tabard Theatre, Chess, HSPA preparation, Science, Art, Ink Writers, Odyssey of the Mind, Band, Choir, Soccer and individualized learning via 1:1 special resource teachers.

Athletic programs

The school participates in 5 competitive sports. 5th-8th grade students with good grades are allowed to join Football (boys), Basketball, Volleyball, Softball (girls) and Track. The teams are no-cuts, everyone plays. All games are started with a prayer. The school has an active booster club and conducts several tournaments each season.

School prayer

"God of love Everlasting, You gather us together to unite us in love. May we respond to You and live in peace with one another. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen"

School Traditions

St Leo Turkey Drive 2012

Turkey Drive - Each November the school initiates a 1-hour frozen turkey drive drop-off. The graduating 8th grade class routinely collect over 125 Thanksgiving Day birds that are then donated to Sacred Heart Community Service.[8][9]

Spring Sing - A music and art show focusing on a different theme each year. A yearly favorite is the fashion show featuring handmade clothes from recycled and repurposed items.

Prayer Pals - Each grade is matched with another grade to provide mentorship to fellow students.

Feast of St Leo - A community wide dinner celebration of the school and parish's patron Saint, Pope Leo I that takes place November 10 each year.

Atria Chateau Gardens - The school has adopted this senior citizen living center with regular visits from various grades. Activities include choir, trick or treating, arts and crafts.

Key dates

The original St Leo the Great School building - OCLC-798964538

1915 - St. Leo the Great school was built by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur of Amiens, France and opened with 90 students. Tuition was $2 a year.[10] The original school building is still used today as the PreKindergarten, Gym, Parish Hall and Kitchen.

1919 - St Leo's is one of four parochial schools under the supervision of the Sisters of Notre Dame (St Leo, St Joseph, St Francis Xavier, St Mary)[11]

1923 - St Leo the Great became a parish. The First pastor was Reverend John McNally.[12]

1925 - Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur closed the school with eight grades and 200 students.

1926 - The first church building was built.

1927 - Reverend Henry J. Lyne reopened the school with the support of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM).[13]

1928 - Father Henry McEnery (son of San Jose Mercy Herald Editor Patrick McEnery, Uncle of San Jose mayor Tom McEnery) is assigned to St Leo.[14]

1937 - St Leo student Franklin Lawrence wins the Bellarmine College Preparatory four-year scholarship after getting the highest marks on the entrance exam.[15] This is a scholarship competition open to 8th grade boys from San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

1938 - St Leo student Dick Wehner received a three-year scholarship to Bellarmine College Preparatory after getting the second highest marks on the entrance exam.[16]

1939 - St Leo student Robert Wehner wins the Bellarmine College Preparatory four-year scholarship after getting the highest marks on the entrance exam.

1940 - St Leo student Louis Mattiesen wins the Bellarmine College Preparatory four-year scholarship after getting the highest marks on the entrance exam.

1941 - St Leo student Walter E. Rankin, Jr wins the Bellarmine College Preparatory four-year scholarship after getting the highest marks on the entrance exam. This is a record third consecutive year that a St Leo student has scored the top marks.[17]

1942 - A new uniform for female students, measured to fit, only cost $5.25 at Hart's Department store in downtown San Jose.[18]

1950 - A new school building was built to accommodate the school's 445 students. The original building is converted into a gym.

1953 - A new church was built and dedicated by Archbishop John Joseph Mitty.

1984 - Principal Sister Dorita Clifford, BVM, makes the NY Times for her early adoption of computers at the school.[19]

1985 - The Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary turned over school administration to the lay staff of the Diocese of San Jose's department of education.

1994 - The Convent of the BVM Sisters home is turned over to the school for use as extended care, middle school math, science and administrative offices.

1997 - The Fathers of the Incarnate Word (I.V.E.), based in Argentina, assume stewardship of St. Leo the Great Parish.[20]

2006 - The gym is remodeled with $280,000 in donations.[21]

2007 - "Little Lions" pre-school is added for 4 year olds. Building is an addition to the front of the original school building. It has its own classroom, bathrooms and play yard. It is the first school in the diocese to have a pre-school.[22] The program becomes Pre-Kindergarten for preparing children for Kindergarten.

2009 - The school embarks on a 1:1 computer initiative using cloud based computing for all student's work and becomes one of the first schools to adopt Google Docs.

2010 - St Leo school partner's with California Native Garden Foundation's Middlebrook garden[23] to teach hands on classes in earth sciences and environmental sustainability.

2015 - The school will be celebrating its 100th Anniversary.

References

  1. ↑ DSJ.ORG. "Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose in California". Retrieved 2012-12-01.
  2. ↑ WASC-ACS. "WASC-Accrediting Commission for Schools". Retrieved 2012-12-01.
  3. ↑ "Shasta Hanchett Park Neighborhood"
  4. ↑ "St Leo Neighbourhood"
  5. ↑ "Krause Center for Innovation: Free Technology in the Classroom - Chromebooks in 7th Grade at St Leo"
  6. ↑ "ASLA Education Session: Opportunities to Design and Build Sustainable Eco-learning Labs on School Campuses"
  7. ↑ "Differential Learning"
  8. ↑ "St Leo Turkey Drive benefits the needy"
  9. ↑ St Leo's Turkey Whist Party - Bridge and a raffle for live turkeys
  10. ↑ 90th Anniversary of St Leo the Great School, Rose Garden Resident, April 11, 2005
  11. ↑ Historic Notre Dame Has Its 68th Birthday - Evening News - August 5, 1919
  12. ↑ St Leo starts as a Chapel of Ease
  13. ↑ "St Leo School History"
  14. ↑ St Leo's Catholic Church serves Huge Area, San Jose News Aug 3, 1928
  15. ↑ Local Lads Win Scholarships At Bellarmine Pre, San Jose News - June 14, 1937
  16. ↑ St Leo's Dick Wehner wins 3 year Bellarmine Scholarship San Jose Evening News - May 23, 1938
  17. ↑ St Leo student wins Bellarmine scholarship. San Jose News, May 28, 1941
  18. ↑ Hart's Department Store Sells St Leo School Uniforms
  19. ↑ NY Times, July 19, 1984 "Technological Miracle"
  20. ↑ "1997 I.V.E. New Parish California, USA"
  21. ↑ Rose Garden Resident Oct 2006 - St Leo community comes together to remodel school's gym.
  22. ↑ "Catholic Pre-Schools"
  23. ↑ "California Native Garden Foundation begins teaching classes for St Leo students"

External links

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