St Xavier’s Private School
Per Ardua Ad Astra — By Hard Work, We Aspire to the Stars
· Phone/Fax : (868) 662 2784
· office@stxavierstt.com
About Our School
As a Catholic school, religion plays an important part in the development of our pupils. We try to inculcate the Gospel values in all our pupils, and foster in them a personal love of Jesus and Mary. Faith has always played a major in all our endeavours, as evidenced by our growth and development in the many decades we’ve been in existence.
First School Building
School Motto
School Vision
School Mission
We the teachers at St. Xavier’s Private School are committed to partnering with all stakeholders to create an effective, nurturing environment that fosters and supports each child’s social, physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual needs through a multi-faceted curriculum.
Values
We strive to develop students:
Who are grounded in faith and prayer
Who are team players
Who seek to explore and enhance their gifts and talents
And whose attitudes emulate our National Watchwords of Discipline, Production and Tolerance.
ST XAVIER’S PRIVATE SCHOOL
Sr. Ann Marie with Sr. Francis Xavier
Our History
Prior to 1966 St. Joseph’s Convent, St Joseph, a secondary school established and operated by the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny, also served children of primary school age. In that year, education in Trinidad and Tobago changed with the introduction of the Education Act of 1966, which introduced compulsory education for children ages 6 to 12. As a result, the Ministry of Education decided that pupils under the age of 12 years would no longer be considered part of government-assisted secondary schools. The Junior section of St Joseph’s Convent, St Joseph was therefore separated from the secondary school classes, to form a distinct school. This new school was named St Xavier’s Private School, in honour of the provincial superior at the time, Sister Francis Xavier Urich.
Classroom in the First Building
Getting the Land
In June 1968, the Allum Poon family was interested in selling their property, which was east of the convent. Following a meeting with Mr. Allum Poon, an agreement was made – TT$55,000.00 and ten years in which to pay. In September of that year, before work was started to convert a dwelling house into a school, a meeting of parents was called. From the veranda, Sr. Francis Xavier addressed the parents. As is customary, when she has a project in mind, she whipped up the interest and enthusiasm of her audience, and invited all to visit the building and see for themselves all that would have to be done.
The land, where formerly there were about 300 fruit trees, had been left unattended and a bulldozer was needed to plough through it so that “the darling little boys and girls would have a nice field where they could romp and play.”
Mr. Sunny Hamid made an offer – he would prepare a bar-b-cue lunch for 600 persons at $1 per plate. Yes, you read correctly… $1 per plate! This was the very first fund-raiser for our school. It was sold out and felt rather like a picnic under the samaan tree.
The 14th of January 1969 was a glorious day in our history, as it marked the occasion when the 116 pupils who had moved over from their classrooms in the convent entered their new school. Reverend Fr. Peter Nicholson, C.S.S.P., our parish priest at the time blessed the school.
Jean-Marc Bayne was the first boy to be accepted to the school. Later in the year, the number of pupils increased and by September 1970, it had become necessary to build 4 additional classrooms. Later, the watchman’s hut (which was located halfway down the hill) was converted into a stage II classroom with Miss Ingrid Chaumette in charge. Even the breakfast shed was often used for classes. Singing and percussion music classes were conducted in the convent hall, and square dancing, poetry, and repetitive lessons were held under the samaan tree.
In May of 1975 the Valpark School Association felt the need for change and approached Sr. Anne Marie Kernahan to take over the Valpark school. It would have been tedious to run 2 schools of the same nature, but more feasible if the school “spread out” and had the Infant Department operating there. And so, in September 1975 after necessary renovations were completed, 110 infants (stages 1 & 2) were accommodated in Valpark. It was ideal for them.
Building the Current Building
By 1980 the children in the upper school in St. Joseph were becoming cramped, and Sr. Francis Xavier, a woman of vision, suggested that it was time proper accommodation was built. A meeting of parents was called. Many did not see the need but others agreed emphatically. The plans were drawn, and when completed, they were approved in 3 weeks. In July 1981 preparation for the foundation of our present school began. We had no contractor, but God was with Sr. Anne Marie Kernahan as she met with the builders two to three times each week to make sure that the building was going according to plan. Indeed, things went according to plan, and the new building was opened on September 27th 1982. The formal blessing blessing by His Grace, Archbishop Anthony Pantin, took place on October 15th 1982.
It was a great day for teachers and pupils. Large enough now to accommodate all our pupils, it was no longer necessary to have our infants in the Valpark School, and so we handed it back to its owners, and rejoined the Stage 1s and 2s with the upper school.
The School Hall
Our school hall is very different from any other school hall in Trinidad and Tobago because it houses something very special in one of its bricks. Built in 1989 to accommodate the many activities we hold each year, the hall is dedicated to St. Joseph and was blessed by Parish Priest Fr. Tom Lawson O.P. on November 21st of that year. If you visit the hall today, you will see on the North wall, a marble slab with the name Chukwuma Osuji. Chukwuma was one of our students who died at the age of 7 from meningitis, after only one day’s illness. He was an exceptionally good child and his classmates as well as his teachers held him in high esteem. Behind that marble slab, placed gently in one of the bricks, are the ashes of this precious young man who left us too soon.
School Hall Constructed in 1989
The Music Room
Music is an essential part of our curriculum, and we approach our music programme with the same dedication as all other subjects. We have a school choir and a folk choir, and students are taught our national instrument as part of the school curriculum, and are prepared for the National Pan exams. Through the dedication of our music instructor, Mrs. Rosalind Garnes, students may also enroll in early morning classes to learn the guitar, piano, violin and recorder. Parents and well wishers are even treated to Chinese Bells at concerts and other functions. In the past, we’ve also had trumpet and flute as part of our music repertoire.
Our present music room was built in 1999, and opened for use on March 19th of that year with the blessing of then Parish Priest Father Joe Kavanagh O.P. Nestled to the back of the school hall, above the school office, the music room is far enough away from classrooms that students can practice their instruments to their hearts content without disturbing the rest of the school. Such facilities have encouraged our youth pan orchestra, the Culture Kids, who have travelled the world sharing beautiful music. Most recently they visited the Netherlands and Germany.
Music Room in 2000
Moving Forward
With each passing year, St. Xavier’s Private School continues to grow and expand. Our current facilities house 22 classes–a Pre-stage 1 class and three of each class from Stage 1 to Prep 5–along with offices, a library, computer room, chapel, and two multipurpose rooms in addition to the main hall and music room. We are proud of these developments, but are most proud of the progress made by our student population, while within our walls and after they’ve left us for bright futures. We are also indebted to our committed 30-member staff, some of whom have been with us since our humble beginnings.
Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey, Mother Foundress of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, whose vision and dedication to the total will of God continues to bless us in Trinidad and Tobago, many miles and decades from when she first opened her heart to His service.