St. Elizabeth Seton School, sponsored by the Daughters of Charity, Province of the West, realized a million dollar dream when the Fr. John Hester Early Learning Center opened its doors to the Kindergarten class on August 21 and preschoolers on August 26 for the 2013-14 school year.
The Center houses both the new preschool and the Kindergarten classroom, which moved from its old site on campus to the new, modern building. Twenty-eight preschoolers were welcomed as the first class of the St. Elizabeth Seton Little Saints Preschool. Located in Palo Alto, the preschool offers quality Catholic education to 4-year old English language learners from East Palo Alto and neighboring low-income communities. A full-day program accepts children from under-resourced communities regardless of the family’s ability to pay tuition.
The addition of the program to Seton School’s academic curriculum was made possible by the dedication and support of many people. In 2009, the school received its initial anonymous donation of $1 million for this purpose. As the construction costs rose, the project was delayed. Filling a gap of $850,000 was needed in order to complete the construction.
Mary A Baracchi, a long time parishioner of St. Thomas Aquinas Church came forth and offered to donate the remaining portion. Her deep understanding of the need to offer a quality education to a child in his early years provided the motivation for this particular project. With the help and support of her longtime friend, Fr. John Hester, chaplain at Stanford Hospital, she arranged to bequest the amount upon her death.
She was just short of her 103rd birthday when she died peacefully in 2011. On September 27, Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul, the founder of the Daughters of Charity, the St. Elizabeth Seton School community celebrated the new addition. Bishop Patrick J. McGrath, bishop of the Diocese of San Jose, presided over the Mass, along with Fr. John Hester as concelebrant. Following the Blessing of the Center, a reception was held. St. Elizabeth Seton School includes a diverse student body of almost 300 students from preschool through eighth grade.
Patricia Smith
Public Relations Manager
Daughters of Charity Health System
Daughters of Charity, Province of the West
26000 Altamont Road
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
Tags: Daughters of Charity
