Mission Statement

The mission of St. Anthony Catholic Parish School is to inspire our students to follow Christ's example.

Philosophy

The St. Anthony School community adopts a philosophy rooted in Catholic faith, love, and respect. We acknowledge that our students vary in academic ability, needs and back­grounds, and are uniquely gifted. We believe that the parents are the primary educators of their children, and that the teachers facilitate the learning process for all students.

The administration, teachers and staff at St. Anthony School are committed to helping parents in the holistic development of each student, and strive to instill responsibility for words and actions.

In the spirit of the Gospel, St. Anthony School serves culturally diverse children from surrounding communities. We reach out to the wider community of the world, trusting in Christ, who is the inspiration, teacher, and reason for being.

History

St. Anthony School, Atwater, California was established in 1953 when the local pastor secured the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary from Chigwell, Essex, England to staff the school. Five sisters came; four sisters staffed the school in grades one through four, and the fifth was the Mother Superior who did not teach. Each year, an additional grade was added and more sisters came until the school furnished grades one through eight. In 1978, kindergarten was added; in 1989, the Extended Care program began; in 1996, our preschool opened; and in 2019 a junior kindergarten began.