St. Theresa School in South Tahoe closed
By Kathryn Reed
St. Theresa School has shuttered its doors.
The Catholic K-8 school in South Lake Tahoe that opened in 1960 will not be offering classes in the 2014-15 school year. Also being displaced are preschoolers.
While the rumor of the school’s closure has been ongoing for years, it is finally a reality. Principal Anne Filce told Lake Tahoe News she was too busy to comment.
The enrollment has been dropping for years, with just more than 50 students this last school year. St. Theresa opened 54 years ago with 120 students. It operated for nine years before closing. Then it reopened in August 1994 with 121 students.
“We are prepared. We can handle it,” Lake Tahoe Unified School District Superintendent Jim Tarwater told Lake Tahoe News of the influx of students. “If we have to make another class, we can, though schools are fairly full.”
It remains to be seen where the St. Theresa students will go. Some families live in Nevada, so Douglas County School District is an option. The nearest Catholic school is in El Dorado Hills.
LTUSD is preparing for an additional 35 students for next school year, which starts Aug. 25. This includes St. T kids and others. This is the second year in a row that LTUSD enrollment is projected to increase.
Tarwater said the bulk of the St. Theresa kids are in grades K-5.
Many of the parochial students have had interaction with LTUSD students either through music, assemblies or outside activities. Most go on to attend South Tahoe High School.
The biggest change will be for the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders who will be at one school of about 800 students. But even for the elementary age, if they transfer into Lake Tahoe Unified, most of those K-5 schools are at about 300 students each.
LTUSD has class size reduction in grades K-3, which means a maximum of 22 kids per teacher. To go over that amount means losing state funding. That is why it’s possible depending on where the students land and in what grade more teachers will be needed.
What will become of the St. Theresa’s School remains to be seen.
There were some good teachers there, but the problem since day one is the parents had to much power. Feel bad for the people that will need employment, watch out LTUSD those parents are coming your way.
There were “some” good teachers there – but there were some “bad” ones too. My child went there for two years before I pulled her out. In my opinion, the teachers got away with too much and answered to no one. People don’t realize private school teachers aren’t regulated like public ones.
I was very surprised when a certain teacher curse and screamed at the children for years – it was common knowledge. When I confronted the teacher, he admitted he had a bad temper and said her “would work on it” but he didn’t.
My child will never forget what hat teacher called her because he was simply having a fight with his girlfriend on the cell phone in the classroom that day.
Frankly, I am not surprised this school closed. The Principal that was in charge prior to the current one had no back-bone.
Breaking news should be reserved for truly ‘breaking news’ like a forest fire, bank robbery, something catastrophic, not the sadness of a school closing that has been in this community for 20 years and has educated countless children-my two included.
This could have waited till tomorrows regular daily news.
Jtahoe, this site post news as they get it, there is no real time that news is uploaded, ie 1 pm every day, you could get a opinion piece uploaded at midnight.
I spent 12 years in “private” Catholic schools, and tremendously value the experience and the education I received. Our educational opportunities were as good as nearby, and widely respected, Berkeley High School, with a lot of philosophy thrown in which I credit to this day allowing me to eventually leave the Catholic Church and pursue my own life. A great example of unintended consequences, without a trace of anger or bitterness.
Today folks seem to send their children to private schools, not so much to open their minds, but to close them to the real world. My bit of experience with St. Theresa’s told me that it was, fortunately, not about indoctrinating students, but was serving the folks who imagined that a Catholic education, regardless of its quality, was somehow superior to the local public schools.
I doubt if they were correct about St. Theresa’s quality; as to Tahoe public schools, I suspect opinions can pretty much land anywhere.
The children themselves will be much happier in a real school…..better prepared for life ….hopefully now they won’t have to endure the “garden rake of life” shock which they would have by continuing to attend
St. Theresa’s.
Wow. You all consider public school to be a good preparation for “real life”? Really? Talk about fantasy. American public schools are a horrible preparation for the world. They do not teach critical thinking, they don’t expose children to real world skills or any kind of view points other than that of the progressive unions who control the teachers and the curriculum.
Don’t worry kids, real life is NOTHING like school, the world is quite wonderful. Unless you decide to go into government service. Then it’s JUST like public school.
I’m grateful for the 8 years my child had under the former principal and sorry the school has been circling the drain the past 3 years. I wish the best to all the teachers – Mrs Napier, Mrs Filipko, Mrs Winslow and Mrs Connell. The kids will do well at LTUSD.
Wow…I went to this school for my 1st through 4th grade classes (back in the early 60s). I remember the nuns (who were the main teachers) were very strict, but fair. I loved my 4th grade teacher, Miss Gill (who then married someone from a very prosperous SLT family and she would not like me to mention her name since I am now 55 years old!). We weren’t even Catholic, but our parents wanted us to have good schooling. We went back to public school because I am a twin and our parents wanted us to be in separate classes. I have many fond memories of ol’ St. Theresa’s…..
Oh the irony dawg, oh the sweet sweet irony.
Dogula: I’ve been reading your crazy comments and those commenting about you for months and never wanted to get involved until now. You really don’t have any idea what you are talking about, do you?! I have taught for over 25 years and am definitely NOT controlled by the union. I, as well as the teachers I work with, do teach critical thinking skills and about “real life” as you call it. In addition to teaching 30+ kids in my class, I also help raise my students because so many are in need of counseling, love, kindness. Please, spend a day in some of the local schools/classrooms and see what really goes on.
I am sorry to hear that St. Theresa’s School is closing because I think it is good for families to have choices. But they will be fine at LTUSD, where most teachers really do care about their students and are NOT controlled by the union!
Valedictorian class of 2013, Salutatorian class of 2012, Valedictorian 2011. Many of the top 10 students in each of the last 8 years all St. Theresa students, by no means am I slighting the fine educators at LTUSD but LT Teacher, stupid comment! We are very fortunate to have fantastic public schools. I am a firm believer in options. That fake school must have been doing something right. As well those children that fell through the cracks at public school had an option of a small school with a great deal of individual attention. I’m a proud parent of two St. T’s graduates. They were both well received at the High School and did and are doing great. It’s a sad day. More of an indicator of the community shrinking than a failure of the school. LTTeacher I read your comment one more time before my post, once again stupid! Tahoe Teacher, right on! We need more like you.
Both my kids graduated from South Tahoe High School in the late eighties. Although I was disappointed that neither one received the kind of open ended exploratory education that I did from the Christian Brothers in the late ’50s, both accomplished college degrees and, now in their forties, are very successful.
My only disappointment is that they weren’t exposed to the kind of thinking and arguments that I experienced in the 50s, but our nation has changed; even the serious and once respected religions are now on the defensive, as they have caused themselves to richly deserve, but no one seems willing to fill the gap and introduce our young students to genuine critical thinking.
Hey Tahoe Teacher : If you teach 25 years n teaching, where do you learn about what’s going on in the world where people have to work to keep a company profitable ? You don’t learn how a real business is run when you teach children for 25 years. So, Dogula is right there.
Then on the critical thinking matter, I agree with Dogula. The public schools are teaching children what to think, not how to think. The public school system is actually indoctrinating children into the liberal mentality. There is this effort prevalent in public schools that everyone should be helping one another. That’s socialism being taught, and indoctrination into the liberal beliefs. There are people that comment here on this forum that are not going to differentiate between critical thinking and indoctrination. The schools do not teach self reliance. That’s because liberals believe that self reliance is selfishness. Self reliance is working to improve your own life, and taking care of your own business. We’ve become this society of people having pity for the lazy bums, and drunks, because that is what is taught in schools. Critical thinking is when your mind is thinking on its own, not following the beliefs of another person. Teachers in public schools want their students believing everything they are teaching. And, they are teaching their social agenda.
You school teachers think you have some sort of monopoly on education and wisdom. I , for one, an sick of this arrogance. Go out and work 20 years for a business that requires profits. Then you’ll have experienced the real world.
how did we get from commenting on the sadness of a school closing to a diatribe against public schools and teachers?
Teachers: thank you for what you do. Yes there are lazy, bad apple teachers, just as there are bad doctors and lawyers and small business owners.
Dogula and pizza eater: I assume you were both home schooled. If not you are hypocritical for while I do not ever agree with a single word you write, you both express yourselves farily articulately — and for that you must thank a teacher!
Amazing comments on a sad event. St. Theresa’s school was like a family. And it’s not over yet. There is still hope that an alternative may be found. I hope so. It is much needed and wanted in this community.
Dogula, you are right. School cannot prepare one for “real” life. They have no classes on how to deal with the narrow minded, backward thinking, misanthropic, uneducated morons (you would be a fine example) that one will encounter in “real” life.
Maybe you could teach a class called “You can’t fix stupid.”
Hey, I’m not the one who said, ‘the children themselves will be much happier in a real school’, insulting St. Theresa’s and its teachers AND pupils.
All you folks who think the only system that works is the government system are silly. The government system is inefficient, unresponsive, bloated and wasteful. But I know most people in this town who are not in hospitality are working for that government, so they like it just fine. Yeah, there are no “narrow minded misanthropic” workers in government jobs. None. Nope. Bunch of saints there.
Haddi, Thank you for my first laugh of the day! I don’t attack people here. Agencies and policies? Yes! But not people. Your comment was funny(I’m sure it was’t to Dogula) but it did crack me up! Take care, OLS
I understand there is a Madrasah opening soon.
The school closing is about money and jobs, not teachers. There are very few new young families in town with good paying jobs who can afford a private school. Please stop making this about more than it is.
Pizza eater……that’s is the strangest comment I’ve ever heard…..”There is this effort prevalent in public schools that everyone should be helping one another. ”
Teaching children to help one another is “indoctrination into liberal beliefs”.
What planet are you from?
So sad to hear this news. Tahoe Arts Project has enjoyed bringing performing arts programs to St. Theresa’s for many years. I always enjoyed presenting to a smaller group. I wish everyone well.
Once again dogzilla and her minions are ripe and hopped up on their morning caffine. If I had my child in a school that was attended by dogzilla id be looking somewhere else as just her presence would raise concern for me.
my child is doing great in our local PUBLIC schools. He has had wonderful teachers, opportunities to expand his opinions in many subjects, the ability to lead his fellow students in class activities, interaction with professionals who volunteer their time to share about their jobs and areas of knowledge. He has teachers that genuinelly love him and are truefriends, he has peers that look out for him and whom he will stand up for. He is exposed to real life situations, problem solving, choice making, responsibilities, peer pressure and he will most likely have his first love relationships with someone he has grown up with.
for dogzilla to insinuate that our school district and its teachers are not adequate for her narrow slice of life makes me ask the question again, why are you still here if its such an awful place to live? Im sure we would all give you a parade right out of town…need a map?
Whats funny is Dog says its a government overreach. But if you look at the documents written by the founding fathers, public education and the post office were THE reasons to have government. Having a standing military wasn’t a part of the plan at all.
I am very sad to hear this. My three daughters, a nephew and 2 nieces went to St Theresa’s and everything was always great.
Dogula, the USA is 34th in the world in education. Countries you couldn’t find on a map do better than us. The mean old government wants to change that by changing the way things are taught using a system called “Common Core”. They are experiencing heavy pushback from people who don’t want change and don’t want government to try and fix things. They have an ” Ifin’ it was good ‘nough fer me, it’s good ‘nough fer my kids” attitude.
Education is the backbone of a nation. If you think kids should be chanting “Were 34, Were 34!” then we shouldn’t have to worry to much about a government, someone smarter will step in and take over.
I am very sad to hear that St. Theresa’s is closing. My boys both attended the school, did very well at our local high school, and my older boy, Mike, graduated in 4 years from Chico State. He is now travelling, and currently living in India volunteering at Mother Theresa’s homeless shelter in Calcutta. My younger boy, Peter is a senior at UCSB, and working for the ACLU in their support for marriage equality. I am very proud of both of them, and convinced that a big part of their success and approach to life is related to the foundation received from the educators at St. Theresa’s. I am very thankful for the years of dedication the teachers gave to our children. Their experience there was truly priceless.
Amen, Maria. And thanks again for saving my life.
If you don’t have a kid enrolled there (who now has no school to return to in 2 months) you have no business running down this school. Tahoe lacks choice in schools and the lack of attention in a public school classroom compared to the personal attention and help the kids got at St. Theresa’s can’t be beat. And they offered good daycare in the morning – the district does not have that early enough for those of us who work at 7 or 8 am. This is a sad day for our family. Don’t use it as an excuse to run down schools and teachers . . . . OR make it all about you . .
haddi, its great to know that the goverment has done such a great job with education! we are number 34, we are number 34, hip hip hurrah! There are many many people who are going to home schooling (esp in this area, i am always running into families who home school here) Because our public system(as well as parents) has failed us all the way down to 34th in the world.
Reloman, is it your stance that the way to fix the national decline in education is through home schooling? When will people start to realize that the reason we are in a decline numerically is because other governments are getting better with what THEY do. We need to step our game up or get totally left behind. We are in big trouble if we become a society of people who can say ” I taught him all I know and he’s still as dumb as me.”
Haddi, i would never make a decision on how other people wish to have their children taught as i believe that is up to those parents. But i did think you kind of stating that people should be using public schools and in the same voice saying those schools have brought us down to 34th in the world, as a odd reason to send children in to this same system. The goverment, schools and parents are failing as witnessed by the steady decline of education. Maybe not in many schools or districts, but in the nation as a whole. The system isnt working and it doesnt look like it will be in the forseeable future.
You misunderstood the point I was trying to make. The decline in US education rankings are due to two factors. One, many countries have realized the importance of higher education and have put their money and efforts into building systems that promote and reward it.
Two, the US has stayed virtually unchanged because of the inability of some political and religious groups to accept change.
The dynamic of the people of planet Earth is changing at an exponential rate. If the citizens of the U.S. think that fighting change instead of trying to stay ahead of the curve is the right path, then I believe we will be sadly left behind.