Saint Agnes Academy
Encyclopedia
St. Agnes Academy is a Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...

 college-preparatory school for young women grades 9 through 12 in Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...

, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 at the edge of both the Alief and Sharpstown communities. The school operates within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston encompasses of ten counties in the southeastern area of Texas: Galveston; Harris; Austin; Brazoria; Fort Bend; Grimes; Montgomery; San Jacinto; Walker; and Waller.The chancery of the diocese is located in Downtown Houston. The Archdiocese's...

.

History

Pauline Gannon, a Dominican Sister, founded St. Agnes Academy in 1905. St. Agnes opened on February 11, 1906, at 3901 Fannin Street in what is now considered to be Midtown. The school was named after Saint Agnes
Saint Agnes
Agnes of Rome is a virgin–martyr, venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Communion, and Lutheranism. She is one of seven women, excluding the Blessed Virgin, commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass...

 of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

. The school was founded as a grade one 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 nine through 12 only. In 1963, the school moved from its Fannin Street location to its current location at 9000 Bellaire Boulevard in the Sharpstown area of Houston, Texas. The school motto is Veritas, meaning truth.

Location

In September 1963, the school moved across town to its current location at 9000 Bellaire Boulevard (near the intersection of Gessner Drive and Bellaire Boulevard). St. Agnes Academy is located near Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
Strake Jesuit College Preparatory is an all-men's Jesuit, university-preparatory school for grades 9-12 in the Greater Sharpstown area of Houston, Texas. It is located in proximity to Alief....

, a Jesuit school for high school boys. The two schools hold some joint classes together, including choir and band.

Mission statement

The school's mission statement reads:
Since 1906, St. Agnes Academy has been synonymous with excellence, leadership, service, and faith. True to the founding mission, an Academy education reflects the balance between achievement and aspiration. The St. Agnes community shares a common purpose and a shared responsibility:

To inspire in young women the pursuit of excellence by providing every opportunity for self expression, personal discovery, and individual accomplishment.

To instill in students the responsibility of leadership by challenging them to think and to act beyond themselves - not in a world of what is, but rather in a world of what could be.

To immerse students in the selflessness of service by embracing the Dominican call for understanding, tolerance and respect in who we are, what we do and how we serve.

To invite young women to explore the lessons of all faiths so they can better appreciate a diverse global community and celebrate their own spiritual journey.

The essential values of a St. Agnes education are as meaningful today as they were more than 100 years ago. Times are different, yet the commitment in preparing young women to achieve their highest potential, in all facets of life, endures as the lasting legacy of a St. Agnes education.

Alumnae Association

St. Agnes Academy alumnae are a part of a network of more than 9,000 graduates as of 2011. St. Agnes encourages ongoing relationships among classmates, current students and the school community, and offers a variety of ways for alumnae to get involved throughout the year. Classmates can reconnect at saaconnect.org.

External links

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