St. Anthony School is a small, parochial Catholic school located in the city of Gretna, Louisiana. The school was originally established in 1919 at a cost of $7,400. it was staffed by the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration from the Infant Jesus Convent of St. Joseph’s Church. It was closed when St. Joseph could no longer furnish teaching sisters. The present buildings were constructed at a cost of $135,000 and opened on September 26, 1954, staffed by the Sisters of Christian Charity and later by the Sisters of the Living Word. Today the school is served by a lay principal and parishioner, Jo Anna Russo, and a dedicated lay faculty, many of whom are also parishioners.   
 
Gretna is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River, in Jefferson Parish and is part of metropolitan New Orleans. The citizens of this community of 17,500 residents have the advantage of living in a small town while enjoying the economic, social, educational, and cultural advantages of the large port city of New Orleans. Its population is comprised mostly of middle class, blue collar workers and business owners.
 
Many cultural factors influence the community in which St. Anthony School is located. Its close proximity to New Orleans allows students to experience various cultural attractions, such as museums, historical sites, parks, concerts, plays, a renowned zoo and aquarium, and various other tourist attractions. These facilities help to support and enrich the curriculum for students of all ages.
 
Many sociological factors influence the community in which St. Anthony School is located. In the past years there has been a significant immigration of minorities to the area. The school is located in a stable, well-established neighborhood with few areas available for new development. In addition, some children who once lived here have grown and moved away. A significant number of the school population comes from outside the church parish boundaries and are non-Catholics. Also, many children come from divorced parents, single parent families and stepfamilies. Rising tuition costs, a significant change in the ethnic makeup of the school (from 97 minorities in 05-06 to 138 minorities in 08-09), and a lack of bus transportation have contributed to the decline of the school population. The effects of Hurricane Katrina have caused many families to move to other areas for a safer and better quality of life. The advent of the magnet schools for the gifted by the Jefferson Parish Public School System has also contributed to the loss of higher achieving students.
 
St. Anthony School participates in the Non-public School Early Childhood Development program sponsored by the Governor’s Office of Community Services and enrolls 20 qualifying students. We also enroll students from the Scholarship for Educational Excellence program that began this school year.
 
Over the last fifty years, most of St. Anthony School graduates have been accepted into the high schools of their choice and have continued in higher education to become valued and contributing professionals in the surrounding communities. Many are serving their communities as elected or appointed officials. St. Anthony School will continue to strive to uphold this reputation. The family spirit and sound education that has been a tradition of St. Anthony School since its inception has motivated former students to send their children to our school. In fact, fifteen percent of the students currently enrolled have at least one parent who attended the school. Many live outside of the school boundaries.
 
Working with a dedicated, competent staff and a supportive, interested administration, the school continues to prepare students for the challenges that lie ahead, especially during this period of economic turmoil.

Of the eighteen staff members, four are former students whose children attend/have attended the school. Almost fifty percent of the staff has been here over ten years. The staff attends workshops and conferences to keep abreast of the best practices in order to meet the needs of our students.

Technology has long played a vital role in our curriculum. 
 
We continue to seek ways to increase our enrollment and meet the needs of our current student body.
 
With God’s blessings, our goal is to continue to serve His children and bring to life the gospel message to all those entrusted to our care.