Our History
St. Anthony of Padua School, staffed by Dominican Fathers and Brothers and administered
under the direction of the Dominican Sisters, Congregation of Mary, is a Catholic parish school
serving the children of its own parish and neighboring parishes. Because of its strategic
location, it also serves students whose parents work in the city but live in outlying
neighborhoods. The Dominican emblem VERITAS, emblazoned on the school uniform,
summarizes the school’s identity and purpose, the search for truth.
St. Anthony of Padua School, located at 4600 Canal Street, was established in 1915 by a
Spanish Dominican priest, Father William Martin. That year, the school consisted of grades 1,
2, and 3. The following year, four Dominican Sisters joined the lay staff. Subsequently, grades
were added until it became a Primer through eighth grade school. A beautiful three story stucco
building was built in the 1930’s and the annex and convent were added in the early 1960’s. As
the enrollment increased throughout the years, the facilities were renovated to accommodate
the growth of the school.
St. Anthony of Padua from its beginnings has provided excellence in education. Many of the
city’s most prominent citizens were St. Anthony of Padua students. In the late 1970’s, aware of
the growing need for child care and development, St. Anthony of Padua responded by
establishing an Early Childhood Program. One of the first Before and After Care Programs in the
New Orleans area was established at St. Anthony of Padua to assist working parents. Summer
camps, sports, choir, band, ballet, quiz bowl, geography bee, and chess have been offered to
the students throughout the years to address the needs of the whole child.
St. Anthony of Padua School continues to meet the challenges of providing educational
excellence for today’s children who will be tomorrow’s Christian leaders in their families and in
their society. Ever mindful of the changing society, St. Anthony of Padua School adopted the
Montessori Method in the Early Childhood. The school offers a balance between academics
and the arts and takes pride in being on the cutting edge of the technology development since
the 1980’s. The school offers Spanish instruction to all students in order to introduce a second
language to the English speaking students and to address the needs of the Hispanic population.
The music program has been enhanced by introducing vocal and instrumental instruction. A full
time art teacher provides art classes to address the interest and talents of all SAS students.
The school provides speech therapy and counseling on as-needed basis. Sign language,
taught once a week, is the latest program to be introduced to the curriculum.
St. Anthony of Padua School is accredited by LA Department of Education and has been
recognized with the following awards:
The National Blue Ribbon School Award
The National Distinguished Principal Award
The NCEA Distinguished Teacher Award
The NCEA Presidential Award
The Principal in Leadership Award
The Walt Disney Company American Teacher Award
Historically and currently, St. Anthony of Padua School is a Catholic school which strives to
create an environment in which each child makes his/her faith become living, conscious, and
active through the light of instruction.
Mission, Vision and Beliefs
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