St. Andrew School starts with support of parents, staff

Intermountain Catholic

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RIVERTON — Saint Andrew School opened its doors for the first time to children on August 20, 2008. The student body consists of 113 students with six teachers, pre-k 4 through 5th grade. The diverse population of students transferred mainly from the local public schools. From the beginning, extended daycare was offered for the school-aged children from 7:00 am until 6:00 pm.

Students enjoy the beautiful new facility during the school day and Saint Andrew Parish conducts meetings, religious education, and all church services after hours and on weekends.

Every time we turn around there are firsts. The first school Mass took place in the library, which did not yet have furniture, since the gym was not ready for occupancy.

The students participated in PARA (Parish Athletic Recreation Association) volleyball and now basketball through the generosity of volunteer parents. Parents, teachers and staff have taken pride in the new school offering many hours of service to get everything up and running.

One of the programs we have initiated to build community and spirit is the Student of the Month; teachers choose students based on a monthly virtue they exemplify. The students are honored at the monthly school Mass as well as having a certificate displayed on the main bulletin board for all to see.

Since Saint Andrew does not yet have playground equipment, the whole school walks to a local park some Fridays during good weather to have lunch and play. This was an adventure all enjoyed. Many parents joined the students providing good supervision as well as participating in a great community experience.

The newly formed Parent Teacher Group has many exciting activities planned for the future. The first year of anything is a building process so we look forward to each new step. Next year, the school will add pre-k 3 as well as 6th grade.