We at SAIC are blessed with the love and support of our Parish, St. Anthony de Padua. Our Pastor, Father James Garcia, is intimately involved in our religious curriculum, school masses and the relationship between school and parish. The spiritual philosophy of SAIC is to acknowledge and affirm the presence of God and to make the His message known and lived. We instill meaningful values such as integrity, an awareness of social justice, and a commitment to continuing Jesus’ mission on earth through good works. We at SAIC place a high priority on intellectual advancement. It is our goal to create and maintain an atmosphere conducive to learning and to develop a sensitivity and flexibility of mind and spirit, we encourage each child to reach his or her academic and social potential, and inspire all with the need to serve others. SAIC makes every effort to develop the social skills of our students. The reinforcement of fundamentals such as respect, courtesy, and good manners is part of each school day. We encourage an attitude of respect and acceptance of self and others. The emotional self of the child is nurtured at SAIC. We stress responsibility and self-awareness as important steps in development. A sense of warmth and safety, dignity and self-esteem are the qualities that form the foundation and lead to the intrinsic good in the child.

Reconciliation and First Holy Communion

The Second Grade Religion curriculum is based on the preparation for these two sacraments. Students are taught about the importance of reconciliation as a means to strengthen our relationship with God and the Church and as a critical step in the preparation for First Holy Communion. After Reconciliation, the focus of the class is on the the importance of receiving the Eucharist. Regular visits by our pastro augment the preparation done by our teacher.

Confirmation

Students at SAIC can choose to be fully initiated in the Catholic Church through the Sacrament of Confirmation. As eighth graders we feel that the students of SAIC are ready to fully commit to the Catholic faith. This is apparent in the SLE’s that are put into action, the service hours that the eighth graders are expected to perform, and in the work they produce show how sharp their critical thinking skills really are. We begin preparing for the Sacrament after the Christmas break, however, their preparation for Confirmation begins when they first step foot in the halls of SAIC. We have a retreat here at school for the students and their sponsors, which is typically a month before the Confirmation celebration. Students are then confirmed in the spring sometime after the Lenten Season.