By Patsy Linares - Church of the Little Flower, Coral Gables (St. Theresa)

CORAL GABLES | St. Theresa School kicked off an extraordinary celebration this month: the 90th anniversary of its foundation.

Back on Sept. 15, 1925, the first group of 70 students crossed the threshold of what was then St. Joseph’s Academy, beginning a tradition for generations of Coral Gables families.

St. Joseph’s Academy was renamed St. Theresa School in 1932, and graduated its last high school class in 1958. Today, it is a pre-kindergarten through eighth grade school with an enrollment of over 970 students. Administered by the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augustine from its foundation until 1987, the school has been under the administration of the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles since 1991.

Students, staff and parents kicked off the year-long celebration by unveiling a 90th anniversary banner which hangs from the third floor of the school building. The banner proclaims: “Celebrating 90 years of service from 1925-2015."

Present for the Sept. 15 unveiling were St. Theresa’s principal, Sister Caridad Sandoval; Little Flower’s pastor, Father Michael Davis; Coral Gables Mayor James Cason; and Louise Fitzgibbon Bennett, a graduate of St. Theresa’s Class of 1946 who also holds the title of retired teacher, parent and grandparent of St. Theresa students.

Bennett entered St. Theresa in kindergarten in 1934 and graduated from the high school in 1946. She returned in 1973 to teach there after all her children were born, and retired in 1999. Not only her children but now her grandchildren have graduated from St. Theresa, and she still lives in the area.  

According to Assistant Principal Gloria Marti, also an alumna from the Class of 1974, Bennett’s story is the story of many other teachers and staff at the school.

“We are very proud to say that many of our alumni are currently parents and grandparents who have come back keeping the strong tradition alive,” Marti said. “Our faculty and staff is comprised of 25 percent alumni who are giving back to STS. This says so much about our school and the love and loyalty exhibited here.”

The school building itself is part of that tradition and forms part of the Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables. It features beautifully authentic detailed stucco and reliefs that convey the Mediterranean visions of Coral Gables founder George Merrick.

St. Theresa School emphasizes a quality spiritual and academic formation. It is fully accredited by the Florida Catholic Conference and recognized by the National Council for Private Schools accreditation.