Two schools consolidate to form Sister Thea Bowman Academy in Wilkinsburg
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The name of Sister Thea Bowman may not be widely recognized, but within the Catholic education community, she is celebrated for her commitment to the education of underprivileged children, especially those of African-American descent.
Sister Thea, a Mississippi native and granddaughter of a slave, converted to Catholicism at age 9 and later joined the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Wisconsin.
As a scholar, speaker and performer, she presented as many as 100 inspirational talks per year before her death from breast cancer in 1990 at age 53. At the height of her ministry, she was interviewed on CBS' "60 Minutes."
Over the past two decades, a number of Catholic schools across the nation have been named in her honor. Now her legacy has become part of a newly consolidated Catholic elementary school in Wilkinsburg.
Sister Thea Bowman Academy, for pre-kindergarten through grade eight, replaces the former Holy Rosary elementary school in Homewood and the St. James elementary school in Wilkinsburg. The academy is in the former St. James building at 721 Rebecca St.
The diocesan committee that chose the name for the school was attracted to Sister Thea's "charismatic and prayerful" approach, said the Rev. Kris Stubna, diocesan secretary for Catholic education.
"She is an excellent role model and inspiration for the school," he said.
The consolidation of the schools became necessary because enrollment in each had declined to below 150, Father Stubna said. He added that declining enrollment in those schools reflects fewer school-age children in the city overall. The new academy has 300 students.
The consolidation decreases the cost of maintaining two buildings while enabling the new school to offer more programs, such as new science labs, he said.
The St. James building was chosen for use because it is the newer of the two and because students who live in Wilkinsburg do not have school bus transportation, but those who live in Pittsburgh do.
The decision to recast the school as an academy reflects its focus on "educational excellence and faith formation," Father Stubna said.
The consolidated school, like the two schools it succeeds, is an initiative of the Extra Mile Foundation, which provides financial support to selected Catholic schools located in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods as well as scholarships to cover tuition.
First Published September 30, 2010 5:57 am
