Our History

In 1952 when the second Pastor of Saint Anne Parish, Fr. John J. Ryan was appointed, one of his first projects was the construction of a Catholic grade school. Built mostly by volunteer workers, the brick and mortar brigade laid the cornerstone for Saint Anne Catholic School, located at 1813 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89104, in the county of Clark. It was to be the second Catholic school in Las Vegas. The school opened in the fall of 1954 with grades one through four staffed by two Sisters of the Holy Cross of Notre Dame, Indiana, and two lay teachers. The total number of students enrolled the first year was 184 (102 boys and 82 girls). In December 11, 1955, Saint Anne Catholic School was dedicated by the Most Reverend Robert J. Dwyer, D.D., Bishop of Reno.

Each year after the 1954 school year, another grade was added until all eight grades were opened. The first eighth grade graduation was held in 1959. In 1983 a modular unit was added to the campus and a kindergarten offering morning and afternoon sessions was opened. In 1984 the last two Holy Cross Sisters left Saint Anne Catholic School to return to California. At that time, Saint Anne Catholic School hired Mr. Neil Harrington, its first lay Principal. One Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration joined the staff as librarian and teacher of advanced math, grades six through eight, and an honors science class for eighth grade. Specialists in art, music, and physical education were added to the staff as well.

In the summer of 1988, an addition to the library/annex building created a larger space for the kindergarten, which had changed to an all-day program under the direction of one teacher, and one aide for the second semester of the 1987-1988 school year. In the fall of 1988 an all-day pre-kindergarten program was opened in the modular unit with one teacher and an aide. In September 1988 Saint Anne Catholic School began an After School Program for the benefit of working parents in which a staff member as supervisor and two aides oversaw the program.

The second lay Principal, Mrs. Rosemary Ashton, a former Saint Anne Catholic School Assistant Principal and 5th grade teacher, was hired the summer of 1989. Father Robert Votta was appointed Pastor in 1992. The third lay Principal, Phyllis Joyce, was hired in 1994. During the same year the Diocese of Reno/Las Vegas split and Saint Anne and all Catholic schools in Southern Nevada became known as the Diocese of Las Vegas.

In 1995, Mrs. Ellen Ayoub was appointed superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Las Vegas. In the fall of 1997 under Father Votta’s leadership, Saint Anne Roman Catholic School and Parish broke ground for the development of a multi-purpose center to be named the Fadwa Ghanem Center. In March of 1997 the school opened its gym and computer lab in the new building.

At the end of March 1997, an Administrator, Father John Andrew Sullivan, was assigned to Saint Anne Catholic School and Parish. In the year 2000, Dr. Richard Facciolo took over as superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Las Vegas. Beginning with the 2000-2001 school year, Saint Anne Catholic School instituted a daily hot lunch program since there now was a full service kitchen in the multi-purpose center. In July of 2001 a new Pastor, Father John Ahearn, M.M, replaced our parish administrator, Father John Sullivan.

During the 2001-2002 school year, the 1988 addition of library/annex was renovated to refurbish a large meeting room and expand the library and computer lab. This building was named Ryan Hall II.

In August 2002, Father Francis Timoney came to Saint Anne as Pastor. Upon his retirement, Father Dave Casaleggio became Parish Administrator, effective February 1, 2008. The fourth lay Principal, Dr. Kathleen Dunne, was hired in May 2007. At the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year, Dr. James Machinski was appointed Principal. Mrs. Elizabeth Flanagan became Principal July 2011. In April of 2012, Mr. Thomas Ruggles was appointed as the seventh lay principal. In July of 2014 Monsignor Gregory W. Gordon was appointed Pastor of Saint Anne Parish.

The beginning of the 2015-2016 school year, the Diocese appointed a new Superintendent of Schools, Catherine Thompson. Mrs. Thompson became Superintendent of Schools after serving as Principal at St. Francis de Sales school for 17 years. On July 1, 2015 Mrs. Nadine Villarreal became the eighth lay principal at Saint Anne Catholic School. Followed by Mary Beth Zentner, the ninth lay principal.

In June of 2019, Abigale Carpenter became the tenth lay principal. Mrs. Carpenter is the current principal.