Our Mission and Beliefs

History

Saint Elizabeth Parish School opened its doors on September 6, 2006, six years after the approval to establish and build our new parish was obtained. Father Thomas M. Mullin, our founding pastor, worked with parishioners to plan, build, and create our new parish from the ground up. The name of our parish, St. Elizabeth, was chosen by the families who established this new parish. Saint Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist and relative of Mary, is honored for her confident trust that God keeps his promises. Together with Elizabeth, the parish community is called to "magnify the Lord, who has done great things" for us. The name Saint Elizabeth STARS was born from a parish-wide contest. We are called Saint Elizabeth STARS because a star is drawn with five points of light and Saint Elizabeth was drawn from five parishes, but now shines brightly on its own.

When the parish school opened in 2006, Kindergarten through Sixth Grade classrooms were filled with students. In 2007, a Seventh grade was added. In 2008, Father Mullin presided over the parish school’s first commencement exercise.

St. Elizabeth Parish School met the twelve standards of the Middle State Association and was awarded accreditation to the Middle States Commission of Elementary and Secondary Schools on December 1, 2013.

In 2015, the first “lifers” graduated, i.e., students who attended St. Elizabeth from Kindergarten to 8th Grade.

Our Mission

Saint Elizabeth Parish School, rooted in Catholic identity, strives to extend God’s kingdom one person at a time. The community’s collaboration fosters a safe and nurturing environment where students grow spiritually, ethically, academically, and socially. Saint Elizabeth Parish School empowers students to discover the stewardship gifts bestowed upon them to reach their unique potential.

Our Belief

Inspired by the example of Saint Elizabeth, our students will come to recognize Jesus as a living presence in them and in others, and will answer their baptismal call to serve others in Jesus'name. We provide a warm spirit of hospitality and a safe learning environment for all our students. We offer a broad-based curriculum in which our staff strives to meet the needs of every student. We are committed to fostering in our students a lifelong love for learning and the development of the skills needed to become well-informed, accomplished, and dedicated leaders who live each day following the teachings of Jesus. We believe that Jesus calls us to be the stewards of the gifts that God has entrusted to us in our thoughts, actions, and words. Our Parish Stewardship Prayer which is recited daily provides the foundation for this belief:

“Gracious and loving God, we know that it is through your hand that we receive all that we have and all that we are. We believe that you call us to be stewards of the gifts you have entrusted to us. Help us to respond to your generosity through our generosity to all in need; to respond to your forgiveness, by our willingness to forgive others. Lord, help us always to place you at the center of our lives and keep us ever grateful for your constant love. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen”

Our Philosophy

The parish community of Saint Elizabeth Roman Catholic Church is committed to educating all our generations, and, in particular, to helping our youth in their quest for fulfillment as disciples of Jesus Christ and citizens of the world. Saint Elizabeth Church is committed to the belief that the ministry of religious education in the Catholic school is an integral component of our mission as a Catholic parish to provide faith formation for future generations of Catholic believers. As a parish community dedicated to Catholic Stewardship, we recognize that the parish school is another of the rich blessings bestowed on us by God.

Saint Elizabeth Parish School exists as an evangelical arm of Saint Elizabeth Church, ready to assist parents (guardians) as they strive to raise their children in the Catholic faith. We believe that our primary goal is to teach the message of the Gospel: love of God, love of others and love of self.

We see each of our students as capable learners, who, with the help of loving parents and dedicated teachers, can acquire those skills necessary for a lifetime of learning. Our school strives to develop the whole individual – spiritually, morally, intellectually, physically, socially, emotionally; within a safe and nurturing environment.

We encourage respect for the value and dignity of all persons and seek to create an atmosphere of peace and justice within the school. Realizing that children learn best when they are actively engaged, our faculty strives to provide learning experiences that are rich in meaning and applicable to daily living. Technology is integrated into classroom learning to prepare our students for the practical demands of life in the twenty-first century. Our students will develop the skills to be critical thinkers, problem solvers and Christ-centered decision makers as they grow and mature into productive citizens.

As our parish youth continue their faith journey, Saint Elizabeth Parish School supports their sacramental milestones within the parish community. In our school, the Catholic religion permeates all that we teach. Daily prayer experiences both emphasize praise and honor to God and foster responsibility toward the diverse peoples of the world. Our students will come to live the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy through service to others.

The faculty members and staff at Saint Elizabeth serve as role models to our students. Through their compassion and trust, their understanding and forgiveness, by the very example of their lives, our teachers proclaim the Good News of Salvation. Interactions among staff members are marked by collegiality and mutual respect. Encounters with students are positive and aimed at promoting self-discipline and a lifelong love for learning.

In meetings with parents (guardians), our teachers show a genuine desire to learn from them and work with them for the good of our students, for we believe that our parents know their children best and our teachers know how to teach the children well. Through the intercession of Saint Elizabeth, Mother of John the Baptist, our team of educators turns to God for his guidance in doing what is right for the children he has entrusted into our care.

It is our hope that children educated at Saint Elizabeth Parish School will grow to full, active participation in the faith life of the parish community and will reflect the presence of Jesus Christ by the conviction of their words, the goodness of their deeds and the witness of their lives.