Construction of a new school building at Saint Anthony School in San Antonio should be completed in November, with classes scheduled to move into the structure after the holiday break.
(Courtesy of Saint Anthony School)
Ground was broken on the new 17,905-square-foot brick structure last November, and initially the structure was supposed to be completed for the start of classes in the fall. However, the building was not ready when classes began on Aug. 18, so four portable classrooms remain on the campus, while construction continues for students in grades five through eight.
Those temporary classrooms are situated between Saint Anthony of Padua Church and the Convent of the Franciscan Sisters of Saint Elizabeth.
Students in kindergarten through fourth grade, as well as the media center, computer lab, cafeteria, Spanish classroom and administrative offices, continue to operate in the school’s historic building, which was built in 1922, said Sister Alice Ottapurackal, the school’s principal.
The building that’s under construction represents a new chapter in the school’s history. Not only is Saint Anthony School the oldest parochial school in the diocese, it’s also one of the oldest Catholic schools in Florida.
San Antonio was founded in 1882 as a Catholic colony. A year later, a widowed woman named Cecilia Morse moved into the community with her six children.
When she inquired about a school for the children, she was told it could wait until there were more settlers. So she began teaching 14 children, including her children, in her kitchen.
In April 1884, the classes were moved into the church. Then that November, they moved into a frame building.
The new building is the fourth in the school’s history. Unlike previous structures constructed on the school campus, this one is an additional building, not a replacement.
The existing historic brick structure replaced a two-story structure built in 1899, which replaced the original frame structure built in 1884.
The historic brick building will remain and will be used for some school functions.
The school began the 2014-15 academic year with an enrollment of 210, with students coming from nearby places such as San Antonio and Dade City, and farther away, from Zephyrhills, Brooksville, Land O’ Lakes, New Tampa and other communities.
The school emphasizes academic excellence, while teaching the Catholic faith.
Published September 3, 2014
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