About Us
At St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School, we pride ourselves on the strong partnership that exists among the home, the school and the parish.
How We Meet the Diverse Needs of Our Students
At St. Kateri Tekakwitha , we focus on creating and maintaining a Catholic learning environment where students are inspired to learn and develop their natural skills.
While the teaching of the formal religious education program at all grade levels is central to this process, the creation of a Catholic environment is much more than this. Our attitudes and interactions with others are predicated on each individual's infinite value in the sight of God. Therefore, dignity and respect for others are the hallmarks of our interactions.
Our school community is made aware of the Gospel message in many different ways. Formal and informal prayer are integral parts of school life whether in the classroom, before meetings or in our liturgical and paraliturgical celebrations, either in the church or in the school. Displays within the school, the tone of assemblies, our involvement in charitable endeavours, our emphasis on the importance of being models of peacemakers, all challenge us as a community to develop and model these Catholic values. In addition, children are involved in monthly rosary prayer sessions through The Rosary Apostolates.
We strive to meet the needs of our students in a variety of ways. We are connected with our local church, Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Church. We encourage parent involvement in the education of their children either through volunteering or through our Catholic School Parent Council (CSPC).
St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School has beautiful school grounds which back onto Van Horne Park. In our community, we take advantage of the resources that are located close to us such as the Pleasantview Library and the Pleasantview Community Centre skating rink. There are many parks in the area which provide for wonderful nature exploration. We provide a safe and welcoming environment throughout our community.
We are proud to say that St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School is truly a community school. We strive for excellence through programming, through connections with our parent community and local church and through partnerships with local community organizations.
School History and Tradition
Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School celebrated its official opening in 1983, and was renamed to St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School after her canonization in 2012.
The school is named after St. Kateri Tekakwitha, a native North American, born in 1656 near Auriesville, in present day New York state. When she was young, her parents and brother died of small pox and she was adopted by her two aunts and uncle. She first learned about Jesus from the Jesuit missionaries and was baptized in 1676.
On the priest's advice, she left for a Christian colony in Canada and arrived in 1677. She made her first holy communion on Christmas day that same year. Through prayer and personal sacrifice, she devoted her life to Christ.
Kateri died on April 17, 1680. Her last words were, “Jesus, Mary, I love you.”
On June 22, 1980, Pope John Paul II declared Kateri Tekakwitha "blessed'. She was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI at Saint Peter's Basilica on October 21, 2012. She became the first Native North American saint of Aboriginal descent. We celebrate her feast day on April 17.