St. Patrick Catholic School, also called St. Patrick Parish School, is a private Catholic school

Catholic school

Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...

 located at 3700 Garden Avenue, Miami Beach

Miami Beach, Florida

Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...

, Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

. It is the parish school for the St. Patrick Catholic Church

St. Patrick Catholic Church (Miami Beach, Florida)

St. Patrick Catholic Church was the first Catholic parish on Miami Beach. The church is located at 3716 Garden Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida. Monsignor John Vaughan is pastor.-History:...

.

History

In 1926, Monsignor William Barry and five Dominican sisters

Adrian Dominican Sisters

The Adrian Dominican Sisters are a Catholic religious order of Dominican sisters in the United States. Their motherhouse is in Adrian, Michigan. Their official title is the Congregation of the Most Holy Rosary.-Current mission:...

 from Adrian, Michigan

Adrian, Michigan

As of the 2010 census Adrian had a population of 21,133. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 84.1% white, 4.4% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 5.9% from some other race and 4.0% from two or more races...

 changed five polo stables that Carl G. Fisher

Carl G. Fisher

Carl Graham Fisher was an American entrepreneur. Despite having severe astigmatism, he became a seemingly tireless pioneer and promoter of the automotive, auto racing, and real estate development industries...

 had donated to the parish into five classrooms and a cafeteria.

Due to the damage caused by the September 17, 1926 hurricane to the school buildings, the school did not open until two weeks after the hurricane had passed. Also, only 20 of the 150 students registered prior to the hurricane attended on opening day.

In 1927, two more classrooms were added. There was only one high school graduate in the class of 1927, 1928, and 1929, and only three graduates in 1930.

A $75,000 building permit was issued on May 31, 1930, for St. Patrick Catholic Elementary and High School. The first of three units opened in September of the two-story school building, which was completed in 1932.

Accreditation in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...

 became a reality in 1933, along with the acceptance by the State of Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

.

The last 12th grade graduation was in 1972 and there were 37 graduates. The school has continued to have 8 grades.

In 1976, the school was first accredited by the Florida Catholic Conference. In 1988, it was named a "National School of Excellence" by the U.S. Department of Education

United States Department of Education

The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...

. Mrs. Bertha Moro is the school principal.

First Five Sisters at School (1926)

• Sister Miriam Fenner
• Sister Francis Margaret Grix
• Sister Jane Catherine Hauser
• Sister Blanche Kelly
• Sister Leo Clare Thornton

Principals

• Sister Blanche Kelly (1926–1930)
• Sister Leo Clare Thornton (1930–1936)
• Sister Ann Terence McClear (1936–1942)
• Sister Rose Ann McIntosh (1942–1946)
• Sister Mary Aurelia Gray (1946–1952) -- Grade School
• Sister Hildegarde Brennan (1946–1952) -- High School
• Sister John Therese Singer (1952–1958)
• Sister Marcella Gardner (1958–1964)
• Sister Hildegarde Brennan (1961–1962) -- High School
• Sister Patricia Ellen (Mary June) Secor (1964–1972) -- Grade School
• Sister Hildegarde Brennan (1964–1966) -- High School
• Sister Ann Catherine Gleason (1966–1970) -- High School
• Sister Mary June Secor (1970–1972) -- High School
• Sister Jean Elizabeth Nugent (1972–1979) -- Grade School
• Sister Eva (1979–1980)
• Unknown (1980–1982)
• Sister Enedina Rodriguez (1982–1983)
• Mrs. Christine Lamadrid (1983–1994)
• Sister Winifred (1994–1996)
• Mrs. Josephine Kenna (1996–2000)
• Mrs. Bertha Moro (2000–Present )