St. Louis considers
adding grades K-5

A favorable decision by the
school's board could see the
offering begin within 2 years

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By Lisa Asato
lasato@starbulletin.com

St. Louis School is considering operating an elementary school -- something it has not done since the 1950s.

The all-male Catholic school currently offers grades 6 to 12 and has an enrollment of 821.

"We've appointed a task force to explore the possibility of adding kindergarten through (grade) 5," said Walter Kirimitsu, chairman of the school's board of trustees.

The task force is working "on all the questions and costs involved" regarding potential enrollment, staffing and availability of space and buildings, he said.

The report should be completed by June 2002, he said, adding that an optimistic timetable could see the school expansion beginning "within the next year or two."

Although expansion has been considered in the past, the renewed initiative led by the school president, the Rev. Allen DeLong, is more focused and has the full support of the board, said Diane Peters-Nguyen of the school's public relations firm, The Limtiaco Company.

"Father DeLong obviously sees the need for it, which is why he's made it a priority to work with the board on that," Peters-Nguyen said.

The school had offered grades 1 through 12 for almost a century until 1950, when it began eliminating grades 1 to 8 one year at a time. The board voted in 1979 to reinstate grades 7 and 8, and grade 6 followed.

More recently, DeLong sent a survey dated July 20 to parents, alumni and other interested parties asking for input on the proposed expansion.

DeLong was at a retreat yesterday and could not be reached for comment. But he did issue a statement saying: "A proposal has been submitted to the board of trustees regarding the potential of re-establishing the lower grade levels at St. Louis School. Specifically, it has been proposed that the board consider phasing in over a five-year period kindergarten through grade 5 levels, starting with kindergarten and first grade.

"The question of returning the school to its original configuration is an important one, as it would mean the academic, spiritual and social development that St. Louis School provides for a boy could start during the critical, early formative years."

Peters-Nguyen of The Limtiaco Company said re-establishing the elementary grades would fit well with DeLong's campaign to renew the spirit of the "St. Louis man," which stresses responsibility, community involvement, academic excellence and more.

Board member James Burns, who studied at St. Louis for 12 years, as his father did before him, said adding the elementary levels is a good idea because of continuity.

"It goes back to the 'St. Louis man,' he said. "We think St. Louis offers a unique education, and you want to start them as early as possible."

Of the 31 Catholic schools on Oahu, only two -- Maryknoll School and the all-female Sacred Hearts Academy -- offer a comprehensive preschool-to-12th-grade format, said Louise Wong, associate superintendent of Hawaii Catholic Schools.

Wong also said there is a trend among private schools to expand into all levels of education because parents want to enroll their child at a young age instead of at the high school level, when applying may become more competitive.

Kirimitsu said expansion allows for easier academic planning.

"Just like athletic teams having junior varsity and freshman teams," he said, "you can teach one progressive system of education from (kindergarten) to high school."