School History:
St. Catherine of Siena, in Reseda, was canonically established in May, 1949. Plans were drawn for a temporary church. This building became the hall upon completion of the permanent structure in 1966.
Monsignor Hackett was the founder of St. Catherine’s. Since its very inception, he had a vision and determination to build what is today a real tribute to his foresight. In the spring of 1981, Monsignor Hackett retired and Monsignor Sean B. Flanagan became the new pastor. Monsignor Hackett died in December, 1988. Earlier that year, the parish hall was named in his honor. Monsignor Sean Flanagan remained the pastor until July, 2002 when he moved to a smaller parish in Long Beach and Father Paul Vigil took over the responsibilities of pastor.
The first unit of the school was begun in 1951 and was opened to students in September, 1952. The school was staffed by Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and the first unit of St. Catherine’s convent was built.
Because of the rapid growth in the area, a second unit of the school was added in 1953. In 1956, additions to the school and convent were made. A fourth unit of the school and a final unit of the convent were built in 1958. The school had two classrooms for each grade level, one through eight, with 50 to 55 students in each classroom.
Due to the population growth in the valley, it became necessary to divide the parish. The territory east of Louise formed the new parish of St. Bridget of Sweden in the year 1955. The parish was again divided with the territory west of Valalden forming part of the new parish of St. Joseph the Worker in the year 1956. In 1971, incompliance with an Archdiocesan mandate, the school began phasing out one classroom each year. The program continued, and we became an eight classroom school in 1978.
The vacant classrooms have been utilized as a faculty/resource room, computer lab, library, school office, health room, CCD office, Youth Ministry Office and a school/parish all purpose room traditionally called the music room.
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet served St. Catherine of Siena for twenty three years, followed by the administration of a lay principal for one year. Beginning in August, 1975 an Adrian Dominican, Sister Elizabeth Nolan assumed the administrative responsibility. Two other sisters of the same community joined the faculty.Kindergarten was added in September, 1981. This has proven to be a valuable addition to our school.
The three Adrian Dominican sisters left in June, 1983. It was at this time Mrs. Marion Falchi became principal. In the spring of 1990, central air conditioning was installed in all the classrooms, library and office. Mrs. Falchi left St. Catherine’s for a position with the Department of Catholic Schools and was replaced by Dr. Don Dyer in September, 1990.
In the spring of 1991, a new public address system was installed. In the fall of 1991, the school began a “beautification project” by planting trees. Painting of the exterior began in the spring of 1992 and the kindergarten classroom was refurbished. During the fall of 1993, a full service computer lab was implemented through the Riorden Foundation and “Writing to Read”. The computer lab was placed in the sixth grade classroom, adjacent to the office. Sixth grade moved to the seventh grade classroom, seventh grade to eighth grade an eighth grade to the former “science” room. This move placed the junior high block all in one wing of the school.
On January 17, 1994, our community was shaken by the Northridge Earthquake. Several classrooms sustained damage, however, all were determined safe to occupy. The church was deemed unsafe and the hall, after some repairs, served as the church for a year. Graduation ceremonies for the Class of 1994 were held in the hall; the first since 1965.
In 1999, following a shooting at a nearby Jewish day care facility, wrought iron security fencing was installed around the school. During the summer of 2000 the modular building obtained after the earthquake was made a permanent structure. The building served as our day care facility and meeting rooms for the parish until 2002 when work began on the building to convert it to a pre-school facility.
Dr. Don Dyer retired in June of 2002 and moved to Tennessee. Dr. Paul Sullivan, Vice Principal, replaced Dr. Dyer as principal of St. Catherine’s for two years. During his tenure, June, 2002 through July, 2004, the pre-school was completed; the computer lab was updated with newer computers and internet capabilities. A new rug was added to the Kindergarten and the bathrooms were steam cleaned and painted. Dr. Sullivan left St. Catherine’s to serve as principal of St. Francis Xavier in Burbank.
The summer of 2004 brought a new principal to St. Catherine’s, but not a new face. Mrs. Terri Glenn, the previous Kindergarten teacher for 23 years became the new principal. Before school opened, the classrooms were painted, the outside trim of the school and the hall was painted, new desks and chairs were purchased for classes four through eight and a new Math series was purchased for all grades. Our pre-school opened their doors on September 1, 2004.
In July of 2009, Fr. Paul Griesgraber was appointed administrator of St. Catherine of Siena Parish, and Mr. Christoper Kruska was named principal of the school. Mr. Kruska succeeded in revitalizing the school through his dynamic leadership, one of the fruits of which was was a dramatic increase in enrollment. In November of 2011, Sister Sheila McNiff assumed the principalship, and the school continues along the trajectory of spiritual and academic renewal.
