Saint Agnes Academy

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For the school of the same name Memphis, Tennessee, please see St. Agnes Academy (Memphis, Tennessee).

St. Agnes Academy
Image:Stagnesacademy.jpg
Motto	"Veritas" (Latin:"Truth")
Established	February 11, 1906
Type	Private, Single-sex, Day school
Affiliations	Catholic, Dominican Order
Principal	Sister Jane Meyer, O.P.
Dean	Brigid Schiro
Faculty	102
Students	849
Grades	9–12
Location	Houston, Texas, USA
Campus	Urban, 30 acres
Colors	Black & Gold
Mascot	Roary the Tiger
Yearbook	Veritas
Newspaper	The Columns
Website	www.st-agnes.org

Saint Agnes Academy is a Dominican university-preparatory school for young women in southwest Houston, Texas, United States. The school is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

1 History
2 Founding Principles
- 2.1 Mission Statement
3 Students and Alumnae
- 3.1 Notable alumnae
4 Before St. Agnes
5 VTV
6 Decade of Peace Program
7 References
8 External links

[edit] History

Pauline Gannon, a nun for the Dominican Sisters of Houston, Texas, founded St. Agnes Academy in 1905. St. Agnes opened on February 11, 1906, at 3901 Fannin in what is now considered to be Midtown. The school was named after Saint Agnes of Rome. The school was founded as a grade 1 through 12 school with boarding facilities.

The University of Texas and the Texas State Board of Education accredited St. Agnes in 1917.

In 1939 boarding was discontinued. In 1952, St. Agnes began to serve grades 9 through 12 only.

In September 1963 the school opened at 9000 Bellaire Boulevard at the intersection of Gessner Drive next to Strake Jesuit College Preparatory in the Sharpstown neighborhood of Houston, where it resides as of 2006. The land was originally donated by Frank Sharp, the developer of Sharpstown, to the Jesuits, who in turn "sold" the land to the Dominican sisters for one penny. ^[1]

Image:SaintAgnesHouston.JPG

The front entrance to the Saint Agnes Academy campus

[edit] Founding Principles

[edit] Mission Statement

The school's mission statement reads: "Rooted in the Dominican tradition, St. Agnes Academy provides a Catholic college preparatory education that encourages young women to develop intellectual curiosity, to work for social justice and to act with integrity and compassion."

[edit] Students and Alumnae

Just as the students at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, the Jesuit high school next door, the students at SAA are required before graduation to complete a Junior and Senior service project, with the Senior service project requiring 100+ hours of community service.

In addition, St. Agnes Academy students, known as "Academy Women", must have a computer laptop as part of their school experience. The school is wireless and many assignments are assigned, submitted and graded via electronic files instead of on paper.

[edit] Notable alumnae

Alexis Bledel, actress in Gilmore Girls
Delores Martin, Mayor of Manvel, Texas

[edit] Before St. Agnes

Students of some private schools, such as Presbyterian School ^[2], The Village School ^[3], Annunciation Orthodox School ^[4], and John Paul II School ^[5], matriculate to St. Agnes.

[edit] VTV

The school uses a closed circuit television system known as Veritas Television (VTV). Televisions are in every class room. Daily morning announcements are presented by the student body president and vice president and are produced by students. This is similar in format to Strake Jesuit's "Strake Jesuit Educational Television" (SJET) closed-circuit system.

[edit] Decade of Peace Program

St. Agnes Academy has responded to the call by Noble Peace Laureates, the United Nations and our Dominican Sisters to take part in the Decade of Peace and Nonviolence. Over the course of the academic year the student body and faculty/staff will participate in the program.