Saint Patrick Academy, formerly known as Saint Patrick's School, is a coeducational, Catholic K–8 school in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It was founded in 1868, making it the oldest private school in Portsmouth.
| Saint Patrick Academy | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
315 Banfield Rd 03870 United States | |
| Information | |
| Motto | Education Fully Alive |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Founder | Sisters of Mercy |
| Oversight | Hope for Tomorrow Foundation |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Accreditation | New England Association of Schools and Colleges |
| Website | saintpatrickacademy |
History
editThe school was founded in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1868 as St. Mary's School by the Manchester, New Hampshire congregation of the Sisters of Mercy. It was renamed for Saint Patrick to represent Portsmouth's large Irish American population; many students were the children of Irish immigrants who moved to the United States during the Great Famine.[1] The school, whose former primary facility was built in 1904,[2] was part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester.[3] By 2013, when the school celebrated its 145th anniversary, it was the oldest private school in Portsmouth.[1]
In 2014, Portsmouth city officials notified the school that its facility did not meet modern-day building code, bringing its future into question.[4] Saint Patrick's determined that renovating the building was unfeasible, and in 2016, it announced plans to relocate to a new facility.[5] Under the plan, the school was renamed Saint Patrick Academy and became independent rather than a parochial school;[3] the Hope for Tomorrow Foundation was started to take fiduciary responsibility for it.[5] The groundbreaking for the new facility took place in May 2017,[6] and it opened a year later.[7] The old building was demolished in 2019 to clear the area for a church parking lot.[2] The school opened an additional facility, Saint Sebastian Hall, on its campus in 2021.[8]
Program
editSaint Patrick Academy is a K–8 school and is accredited with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.[1][4] According to the Portsmouth Herald, 87 percent of students partake in extracurricular activities.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b c "St. Patrick's School celebrating 145 years". Foster's Daily Democrat. October 17, 2013. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ a b Dinan, Elizabeth (August 15, 2019). "Plans progress to demolish former St. Patrick School". Portsmouth Herald. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ a b Beimler, Nik (August 10, 2016). "St. Patrick changes from parochial to independent Catholic school". Portsmouth Herald. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ a b McMenemy, Jeff (September 28, 2016). "Variance clears way for St. Patrick's Academy". Portsmouth Herald. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ a b "A new beginning". Portsmouth Herald. May 12, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ McMenemy, Jeff (September 28, 2016). "St. Patrick Academy breaks ground on new school". Foster's Daily Democrat. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ LaCasse, Alex (April 5, 2018). "Alumni say farewell to St. Patrick School building". Portsmouth Herald. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ a b "Saint Patrick Academy celebrates grand opening of Saint Sebastian Hall". Portsmouth Herald. October 28, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
Further reading
edit- Haas, Kimberly (February 16, 2021). "Portsmouth private school is growing and expanding". New Hampshire Union Leader. Retrieved June 19, 2024.