St. Anastasia School History
On June 12, 1954, Bishop James Byrne blessed the cornerstone of the first
Catholic school in Hutchinson. The school
was dedicated on August 29, 1954, and the doors were opened for students on
September 8, 1954. So a dream came true
as the first Catholic school in Hutchinson became a reality.
It was, most proud parishioners agreed, a beautiful four-room school,
built under the direction of the Rev. Marion Casey and staffed by Benedictine
Sisters of St. Joseph, MN. During the
first 45 years, numerous Benedictine nuns dedicated service to the parish. An important part of their philosophy, and the philosophy currently
in place, is that religious and moral values, for which the school exists, must
be interwoven into the curriculum.
In a few short years, the Glen Street school became inadequate for the needs
of the parish. A basement classroom and a
classroom in the church sacristy helped alleviate the overcrowding for a short
time. Along with the crowded classrooms
there was also the problem of lack of a play area.
Plans for a new School Building Appeal were formulated in the fall of
1949 by a committee under the guidance of the Rev. John C. Ward, pastor.
Groundbreaking of 15 acres of land on Lake Street took place on April 4,
1960. Thus a new school and parish center
were built.
The new school was a “U-shaped” structure with a combination gymnasium
–auditorium serving as the church enclosed the center.
There were 12 classrooms. For the
first ten years, until construction of the present parish duplex in 1970, the
north wing of the facility served as home for the Sisters.
Also, included in the school building were a cafeteria-kitchen area,
principal’s office, library, and several other rooms now used for
miscellaneous purposes.
In the early years of St. Anastasia School, all students were encouraged to
attend Mass every morning. Now, there is
a school Mass once per week, typically on Fridays.
The students are involved with the liturgy, with the classes taking turns
serving in the various ministry roles.
With declining enrollment, the top two grades were dropped.
The eighth grade was terminated in 1966 and the seventh grade was dropped
the next year. In 1981, the Board of
Education voted to begin a Kindergarten class. Twenty-three
students enrolled in the 1983-84 school year.
The school is currently staffed by all lay teachers.
There are 114 students in grades K-6.
A preschool and childcare center is also part of the facility—Kids’ Depot
(see this link on the website).
