• Faith centered, Christian atmosphere with religious education curriculum

  • Before and after school programs

  • Full and half day 3 and 4 year old Pre-K programs

  • Enrichment program

  • Weekly mass

  • Library

  • Computer lab

  • Music, art, physical education

  • Community service

  • Resource room

  • Student council

  • Sports

  • Hot lunch program

  • Bus transportation via the public schools

  • Resources for special educational needs

  • Handicap accessiblility

  • Accelerated math program

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Southern Tier Catholic School is a non-profit, Catholic Elementary School. Located near the west end of Olean on the Archbishop Walsh Academy campus, Southern Tier Catholic School provides instruction for pre-K-3 through eighth grade. At STCS we celebrate the ultimate diversity of each child as a unique gift from God. Our school embraces all children, of any faith, with open arms as our children and provides them a grounding in both our faith and a knowledge that will shape their entire lives.


At STCS Faith and knowledge meet and complement each other. Because we literally acknowledge a purpose beyond this world our standards must be high. Based on tests taken by our fourth grade class over the trailing four years, Business First of Buffalo has ranked our elementary school #4 out of 292 public and private elementary schools in Western New York. This ranking makes us the #1 rated elementary school south of Buffalo.


At STCS we are committed to the principle that no child desiring a Catholic education will be denied access to that experience due to an inability to pay. For information regarding tuition and financial aid please contact us.

 

We encourage parents of prospective students to come and tour the school. Please contact us and set up an appointment or contact us with any questions you may have.

 

STCS currently has 140 students enrolled.


STCS originally opened in 1923 as St. Mary's Academic School next to St. Mary of the Angels parish and has remained open continuously since then. In 1998 St. Mary's school was renamed Southern Tier Catholic School when it became a regional school serving all of the Catholic parishes from Cuba to Salamanca to Ellicottville. STCS is now the only remaining Catholic elementary school in the southern tier of western New York between Wellsville to the east and Jamestown to the west.

 

Curriculum enhanced programs at STCS include the area's only language program for young students. Spanish is taught from Kindergarten through 8th grade. Additionally, the area's only Latin program is offered from 4th through 8th grades.

 

STCS enjoys a special connection with St. Bonaventure University and its nationally-accredited School of Education. This connection includes discounted educational opportunities for our faculty, tutoring service for our children from SBU's student teachers and access to SBU facilities and programs, including special culture and art programs at the Regina A. Quick Arts Center.

 

STCS students are taking advantage of the area's Challenger Center for math and science enrichment. The Challenger Center is a NASA-recognized learning program for schoolchildren of all ages, available only in cities that invest and build them. We are fortunate to have one of only 50 available in the United States. Our Challenger Center is located on the campus of St. Bonaventure University and sponsored by two of the area's major employers.