Biz Look: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School
Edmond parents don’t need to go far to find a high- quality Catholic education for their children. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School has been serving the community since 1990, offering an academically rigorous, faith-based curriculum to students through eighth grade.
“First and foremost, we’re Catholic,” says principal Laura Gallagher. “Our faith is infused into everything we do.” Students attend weekly mass, and curriculum for all grades includes religious studies. Even the youngest children are encouraged to live out their faith through community service and church involvement.
St. Elizabeth’s, or SEAS, began with just 85 students in four grades. Now it serves around four hundred students. Recently it upgraded its Pre-K4 program to an all day program and added an all- day Pre-K3 class.
Along with gaining a solid academic foundation, students enjoy many extracurricular activities, including band, theater, and sports. As a member of Catholic Grade Schools Athletic Association, SEAS allows primary-school students to compete in sports—an opportunity that isn’t available in most public schools.
Most eighth grade graduates go on to study at OKC’s three Catholic high schools. Many of them score well on college entrance tests, and some have been accepted by the nation’s top universities.
Although Gallagher takes pride in her students’ achievements, the greatest reward for her is the chance to help them grow in their faith. “I value the community that has been established here and appreciate the opportunity to combine faith with my passion for education,” she says. She is a Catholic school graduate herself, and she was inspired to work in education by one of her favorite teachers at Mount Saint Mary High School in Oklahoma City. After holding teaching and administration positions in Joplin and Ardmore, she returned to her OKC area roots five years ago to take the helm of SEAS.
Gallagher appreciates the school’s ties with the Catholic Parish of St. John the Baptist, its sponsoring church. “We feel fortunate to be a part of the vibrant and active community of St. John’s,” she says.
As a Catholic institution, SEAS gives enrollment preference to families who attend St. John’s and others who are a part of the Roman Catholic faith. But they welcome students of any faith. Generous need-based financial aid is available.
As the school approaches its twenty-ninth anniversary, it continues to be inspired by the example of the great teacher it was named for, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. “It’s an honor to be able to carry on what she started so long ago in opening the first Catholic school in the U.S.,” says Gallagher. “We truly try to embody that spirit.”
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School is located at 925 South Boulevard in Edmond. Openings are still available in some grade levels for the 2019-2020 school year. Learn more at www.stelizabethedmond.org.
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