Letters from Co-Chairs
Letter from Deborah Gremillion
When the opportunity to co-chair "Building on the Legacy" presented itself, it was easy to say "yes" to the invitation. You see, this community has become a very central part of our family's life - we have been transformed by the experience of St. Catherine's Montessori - for this reason, supporting the mission of the school is a privilege.
When our children started at St. Catherine's, in 2005, they were welcomed into wonderful, prepared environments; filled with materials which were exquisitely designed to be irresistible to the children. These spaces and materials were made possible by countless parents and community members who responded to the vision of Sister Edna Ann Hebert, O.P. and Sister Shirley Owens, O.P.+.
As our family has grown and matured, we have continued our love for St. Catherine's. Our oldest child is now a Guide in one of the Primary classrooms and two of our grandchildren are students here!
Working on this capital campaign, has reminded me of all the families who have supported St. Catherine's over the past 50 years. I'm so grateful for all who have believed in the mission of St. Catherine's Montessori, and who have stepped up to bring vision and mission to reality. This school has changed my children's lives and it has changed me.
With its 50th anniversary on the horizon, St. Catherine's has reached beyond its capacity and needs to build additional "prepared environments" for our families and families yet to come.
Dear friends, it's our turn. We stand on the shoulders of the sisters, the parents and our benefactors who have come before us as we boost St. Catherine's Montessori into the next 50 years by "Building on the Legacy".
Please join us!
Letter from Kristina Devereux
My first experience with St. Catherine's was as a Primary student. The school was at Holy Rosary then, Sister Edna Ann was my teacher, and my brother Jean-Pierre was in class with me, while my older brother Jordi was in the "big kids' class". Given that I was a very small child when I attended St. Catherine's, I don't remember much about it, but these feelings come to mind when I think back on my earliest school memories: happiness, peace, and pride in my work.
When it came time to find a school for our daughter Sophia, four of my nieces and nephews were at St. Catherine's (at the Castle). In spite of the fact that they were thriving at the Castle, and even though I had my own wonderful memories of Sister Edna Ann and of St. Catherine's, the researcher in me still had to explore every reputable school in the area before deciding on the best school for Sophia.
I diligently researched and toured most of the schools on that list, and, while many seemed fine to me, I just couldn't picture our daughter at any of them. Then, I started to study and learn about Montessori, and I realized that it was the philosophy and educational approach that resonated with me. Perhaps, too, my studies brought back memories of me as a three- year-old and those wonderful feelings of joy, security and accomplishment I had experienced. As it happened, the next school on my list was St. Catherine's (at the Castle). The moment I walked through the Castle door, I was overwhelmed by the sense that THIS was the school for Sophia. I saw the characteristics I knew to expect in a Montessori school- the classroom materials were beautifully laid-out, the children were happily engaged in their work, the environment was calm and peaceful- but it was the feeling, the spirit of St. Catherine's that simply spoke so clearly to me.
Today, Sophia is an Adolescent Community (AC) student, and we are so grateful for the educational experience she has had at St. Catherine's, from Primary all the way to AC. Just as the founders of the school envisioned, Sophia has received an education of heart, mind, and spirit. She loves school, she loves learning, she is passionate about her work, she has a strong sense of community and of helping those less fortunate, and she feels confident and prepared for the road ahead.
Over the last 50 years, families have realized the blessing that St. Catherine's is in the lives of their children, and they have done their part to carry this school forward through each step of its evolution - from the old St. Agnes building, to the Holy Rosary location, to the Castle, and now to the expansion of our permanent home on Timberside.
While I still cannot put my finger on exactly what that essence or spirit of St. Catherine's is, I know that it is a unique, special school and that it is now our turn to do our part to carry the mission and the spirit of St. Catherine's forward so that the children of today and tomorrow may experience it as well. Please join us in supporting the Capital Campaign, "Building on the Legacy", and help St. Catherine's continue the vision of its founders to educate the hearts, minds and spirits of children for the next 50 years.
