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St. Dominic School marks 50 years

August 21, 2011 by Editor Leave a Comment

ST. DOMINIC’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL Principal Theresa Cullen, below, said the celebration of the school’s 50th anniversary will be spread throughout the school year. The first day of classes is Wednesday.
David Ryan Palmer/Staff (above); and courtesy photo (below)

Catholic K-8 plans year full of jubilee events

By David Ryan Palmer
Assistant Editor

School isn’t even in yet and 2011 is already a banner year for St. Dominic School: It’s the Catholic school’s 50th at the corner of East Fifth and J streets.

2011-12 is what the private school is calling its jubilee year, and school officials, students and parents alike hope to start it on the right foot, Principal Theresa Cullen said.

The first day at the school at 935 East Fifth St. is Wednesday, and doors open at 8 a.m. “We begin our year with Mass,” Cullen said. “The students come in, drop off their backpacks and go straight to church.”

Students and parents alike will attend Mass at the large, impressive church adjacent to the school at 475 East I St., then take part in a ceremony welcoming each grade into the school, where students will meet the teachers they will be spending the majority of their time with during the year, Cullen said.

“In addition to the regular Mass, there will be a special scholarship presented to an eighth grader. The Mayor (Elizabeth Patterson) will be there to read a proclamation as well,” she said. “After that, the students will come up to the altar and get photos with their teachers.”

From there, parents and students depart — students to their classrooms to acquaint themselves with their new digs, parents — following a special reception that runs until 12:15 p.m.; “it’s kind of a continental breakfast,” Cullen said — on their merry way.

This year, Cullen said, about 325 students are enrolled at St. Dominic between kindergarten and eighth grade, though that number usually fluctuates in the first few weeks of a school year. She said the school primarily draws from the Benicia and Vallejo areas, though students from Fairfield and Martinez are enrolled as well.

“We feed to Benicia High School, St. Patrick-St. Vincent (in Vallejo), De La Salle (in Concord), and Justin Siena in Napa,” Cullen said, noting that most graduates students tend to go to BHS or St. Patrick-St. Vincent.

ST. DOMINIC’S CHURCH at 475 East I St.
David Ryan Palmer/Staff

Of course, the main difference between a public school and one like St. Dominic is the inclusion of religion in the curriculum. But that’s not the only difference.

St. Dominic is also a tuition-based school, and Cullen said that has allowed them to keep many classes that might be on the chopping block in public schools these days, such as art, music, physical education and Spanish. “Some people are willing to pay tuition, because it helps to educate the whole child,” she said.

Tuition at St. Dominic depends on several factors, Cullen said, but the base cost is $4,500 per child. That may change depending on whether a child is Catholic and a local parishioner; not a parishioner but still Catholic; not Catholic at all; whether their siblings go to the school; or if a family is able to take advantage of a number of financial aid options.

“We work with a foundation out of San Francisco that helps pay for first-time Catholic school students,” the principal said, adding that the school has budgeted $40,000 to aid families.

“We also are happy to receive donations and gifts from friends of St. Dominic. We once had a man come forward, anonymously, and he paid for a child’s full tuition,” she said.

Not included in the main student body is a separate preschool nearby, which will be starting Thursday.

“We teach three- and four-year-olds there,” Cullen said.

Cullen said she expects a good start to a great school year.

“This is the 50th year we’ve been at this site,” she said. “From the point of view of making the whole thing work, it really is a community vision.”

For information visit www.sdbenicia.org.

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