Holy Rosary School

HISTORY: 

Holy Rosary School opened its doors September 8, 1952. The first school building was formerly part of the Central Wesleyan Orphan Home. Bishop John J. Cody directed the purchase of the facility for the Archdiocese and the parish

The old brick building was periodically remodeled to accommodate the parish school, convent, chapel and meeting hall. It originally provided living quarters for three Sisters of the Most Precious Blood of O’Fallon, Missouri, two classrooms and a chapel. The basement included a meeting hall and kitchen.

Increasing enrollment through 1970 lead to the conversion of the chapel and a portion of the basement into additional classrooms. For nearly ten years, the lower classroom was repeatedly dismantled each time a large area was needed for parish functions.

Construction of a Parish Activity Center in 1979 enabled the school to further expand by using part of the basement for classrooms. Parish growth continued and the school board began to plan for a new school with the Archdiocesan Building Commission and the Catholic School Office.



Robert Saxe was one of many Holy Rosary parishioners dedicated to Catholic education. Upon his death in 1982, he left his estate to the church to be used for construction of a new school building to serve the children of Holy Rosary Parish.

Efforts coordinated by Rev. Ambrose F. Stratman for a new parish educational facility culminated in Archbishop John L. May’s permission to build. Ground breaking ceremonies were celebrated October 28, 1984.

Enrollment in the old facility during the construction year reached 137, with no room available for further expansion. The new building was completed a week before opening day of the 1985-86 school year. The addition of a kindergarten class brought enrollment to 161.

Former pastors, Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, teachers and other visitors joined Rev. John G. Dempsey and the Holy Rosary Parish family to celebrate Archbishop May’s dedication of the new school on October 6, 1986.

The school was served by three Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, one of whom was the principal. Seven full-time teachers, one part-time teacher, and full time secretary completed the staff.

In the spring of 1990 Father Eugene Brennan became pastor of Holy Rosary.  During the 1991-92 school year the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood no longer staffed the school. One Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet was hired as principal with eight full-time teachers, one part-time teacher and a full-time secretary complete the staff. Because of the need for a Music/Science room, one was built in the basement using part of the storage area.  The Physical Education Program was expanded to two classes per week per grade.

In the Spring of 2002, the completion of a new wing provided the school with a new Kindergarten room, library, computer laboratory and a Family Center with a gymnasium and stage. What used to be the Kindergarten room in the basement of the main building is a science room; the former
science/music room is used just for music; and a space in the same area has been designed for a health classroom.

In 2003 Father Erich A. Fechner was  appointed as Pastor of Holy Rosary Parish and Ginny Burrus became the principal of the school.  In 2006, Michael Etter became the new principal of the school. In 2008, Father William Thess was appointed as the Pastor of Holy Rosary Parish.  Currently, we
have 8 homeroom teachers, three specialty teachers, and in August of 2011 Jim Ford was hired as the new school principal and religion teacher for grades 4-8.
 

School Goals

Students will be nurtured in their faith through formal religion classes, participation in the sacraments, liturgies, and prayer. Gospel values will be integrated into all areas of the curriculum and school activities. 

Students will develop moral consciences based on the Gospel and be encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions.  

Students will be made aware of their purpose in life, accepting their faith not merely as a concept, but as a reality to be lived.

 Students will receive a strong academic education that meets their individual needs and talents challenging them so that they develop to their full potential.

Students will continue to grow spiritually.  Students’ positive qualities will be emphasized which to build a positive self image.

Students will be given a respect for life, our natural environment, and an appreciation for all that is good and beautiful in God’s creation.  Students will learn about lifelong good health habits to develop a sound mind and body.

Students take their place in the Church and society through active participation in the Mass as lectors, gift bearers, servers and choir members and through promotion of mission activities, visits to nursing homes, and other service projects.

Call Us Today!

636-456-3698

Or visit!

716 E. Booneslick Rd.
Warrenton, MO 63383 

Principal

Jim Ford

Email: hrprincipal@earthlink.net

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Parental Witness Statement

The Church through the ages has consistently called its parents to understand and appreciate their special dignity as God’s instruments of His love to their children. In recent years the Church in its official teaching has given even greater prominence to the importance of this truth.

The Second Vatican Council in its “Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity” stressed the importance of the Parents providing the first experience of their faith to their children. They (Christian husbands and wives) are the first to communicate the faith to their children and to educate them; by word and example they train their offspring for the Christian and apostolic life. (Paragraph #11; November 18, 1965)

The Council Fathers even more emphatically expressed the irreplaceable role of the Parents in communicating the Faith to their children in its “Declaration on Christian Education.”

Since parents have conferred life on their children, they have a most solemn obligation to educate their offspring. Hence, parents must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their children. Their role as educator is so decisive that scarcely anything can compensate for their failure in it. (Paragraph #3; October 28, 1965).

Therefore, it is with a complete awareness of the Catholic Church’s vision on my vocation as a Catholic parent, that I enroll my child in the Catholic School. In doing so, I acknowledge and accept my privilege and responsibility to be the primary religious educator of my children. I understand the Catholic School as a way in which my Church seeks to share and assist me in my vocation. However, I know that no matter how clearly and effectively the CatholicSchool communicates the truth of our faith, unless my children see these Truths take flesh in our family, then there is little hope that the Faith will take root in their hearts. I believe that the Catholic School can deepen, enrich and re-enforce a Faith that my children experience in their home. I understand my own witness as essential to the religious development and growth of my children. Aware of the dignity of my call from God with a reverent awe for the responsibility which is mine, I commit myself to be in word and deed the first teacher of my children. Practically, I understand this to mean:

1. Participate consistently and actively in the Sunday Eucharist.

2. To speak to my children about God and to make prayer an integral and important part of the environment of our home.

3. To participate and cooperate, as our Catholic School requests, in the Religious education and especially the sacramental preparation of my children about the things of God and to make prayer an integral and important part of the environment of our home.

4. To accept my responsibility to support the moral teachings of the Catholic Faith in order not to contradict in my home what is proclaimed in the school.

5. To teach my children by word and example to have a love and concern for the needs of others, especially the poor.

6. To do my fair share in financially supporting the Catholic School.

    Holy Rosary School Logo 

            Rosary for World Peace       Each colored decade shown here on the World Rosary represents a different continent.