Our Mission
St. Elizabeth Catholic Academy empowers students to grow and develop values, academically, emotionally and spiritually in a safe and disciplined environment.
Our Vision
Saint Elizabeth Catholic Academy…
LEADS students to be disciples who know and live the Catholic Faith
INSPIRES a learning community to foster academic excellence
MOTIVATES young people to fulfill the two great Commandments of Jesus Christ by loving God and self in order to be responsible and give service to our neighbor.
Our Academy
St. Elizabeth Catholic Academy seeks to proclaim and teach the gospel message to its students.
The religious education program strives to awaken its students an awareness and eventual internalization of Christian values. Liturgies and sacraments are made accessible to every student to help them understand and appreciate the richness of the church and sacramental life. The principal, pastor, priests, teachers, and parents all share in the spiritual formation of the child. Each one helps the child to acquire the skills, virtues, and habits of the heart and mind.
Administration and faculty view teaching as a ministry. Each student as unique in his/her abilities, talents, and positive attributes. Every effort is made to meet the academic needs of the individual child. The administration, teachers, and parents all work together to modify, adapt, and enrich our curriculum and methodologies to better meet the needs of each child. We are committed to teaching within a Christian environment to better enable our students to develop to their full potential.
At St. Elizabeth Catholic Academy, children are taught that they are God’s special and unique creation. The school’s warm, nurturing and accepting environment makes children feel secure and comfortable. Opportunities for success and achievement in academics, the arts, and service all help students to view themselves as valued members of the community to which they belong.
Students in the early grades are introduced to the basic skills, while the emergence of their special needs and abilities is planned for and noted. Older students strive for mastery of content with a greater emphasis on critical-thinking and abstract reasoning skills.
Most of our students remain at St. Elizabeth Catholic Academy for many years. Our atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. Every effort is made to make new students feel comfortable and accepted. When differences do arise, students are encouraged and taught to seek peaceful solutions and to carry on in a spirit of Christian forgiveness. School and classroom rules are made known to students and families. Discipline is constructive and always preserves the dignity of the child.
Within our school environment students are taught to respect their bodies as God’s gift. They are guided to form mutually supportive and cooperative relationships through daily classroom interaction and organized after-school activities. Older students have many opportunities to assist and work with children in the lower grades. Service projects encourage students to come together in a spirit of Christian kindness and charity.
Teachers are Christian role models for their students. Friendship, familiarity with school routines and procedures, and a commitment to quality catholic education are reflected in a congenial, organized, and dedicated way. In addition to sharing ideas at meetings, workshops, and retreats, teachers support each other in times of sorrow and share each other’s joys.
Parents are partners in the education of their children. Teachers are available to discuss parents’ concerns and to learn more about the children entrusted to their care. Parents’ ideas are given careful consideration and implemented whenever possible.
The office of Catholic Education of the Diocese of Brooklyn determines educational policies and the pastor, principal and faculty work together to implement these policies. The curriculum is mandated by the State of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn. The teachers at St. Elizabeth Catholic Academy are trained catholic educators who bring both academic expertise and an enthusiasm for learning to their students. Teachers organize their classrooms, plan daily lessons, utilize school materials, and choose the methodologies that work best with their class. Evaluation of teachers and students is ongoing throughout the year. The dialogues, modifications, and improvements that result from evaluation enable us to better meet the needs of our school community.
Our History
In 1885, Fr. Aloys Steffen purchased the Woodhaven Station of the Long Island Railroad and moved it to St. Elizabeth Church property at 87th Street and Atlantic Avenue. This building became the first St. Elizabeth parish
school, opening its doors in September 1885. The teaching staff was made up of three nuns from the Dominican Order.
The converted railroad station was eventually too small to handle increasing school enrollment. In 1912 Fr. Gustave Baer authorized the construction of a new school building with 10 classrooms and a basement for meeting and recreational facilities. Fr. Baer also purchased 10 lots across the street from the school. Years later, a new 16 room school with library and administrative offices would be built on those 10 lots. The new school building was opened in 1962.
To accommodate pre-K and kindergarten enrollment, four classrooms in the old school building were renovated and modernized in 1986. Today seven Universal Pre-K classes, the auditorium and the cafeteria are housed in this
building. The auditorium was recently remodeled and air conditioned.
St. Elizabeth School Catholic Academy is located in Ozone Park, New York, a multi-ethnic, urban community, 30 minutes from Manhattan.