The St. Anastasia Catholic School Community welcomed the Florida Catholic Conference Visiting Team in November of 1998. After spending three days on the

St. Anastasia campus, the team found the School provided students with a "strong Catholic academic program" and the opportunity for these students "to develop their full potential through a variety of curricular and extra-curricular experiences that promote excellence." (Report of FCC, Nov. 1998.)

The Visiting Team certified that the school had no deficiencies nor violations and recommended re-accreditation for St. Anastasia. The Visiting Team gave nine commendations, and made seven recommendations. The first six of these recommendations were referenced in the school’s self-study.

This summary will provide information regarding how each of the recommendations has been addressed since the report was filed in 1998.

The Visiting Team recommended that the administration investigate the feasibility of installing a local area network that would provide classroom access to the Internet.

In the summer of 2000, Internet connection was installed in all classrooms, offices, and the media center. This Internet connection project included a T1 Line, which provided high-speed Internet connection.

Since 2000, many other updates have taken place. Currently there is 1 server, infrastructure that connects the rooms in the 4 buildings on campus, and 137 machines. Of these 137 machines, 75 machines are under 2 years old, 31 machines are between 2 and 6 years old, and 31 machines are over 6 years old.

Additionally, St. Anastasia Catholic School hosts its own website, and provides class and homework assignments on-line for parents and students.

The administration was encouraged to provide for construction of a roof to shelter lunch tables in the courtyard and a system of covered walkways as soon as it is financially feasible.

Within several months of this recommendation, umbrellas with concrete stands were provided for the shading of the lunch tables in the courtyards. The administration did investigate the financial feasibility of providing a system of covered walkways. In the year 2000, estimates for this project were $100,000, with a major concern being the durability of such covered walkways during a hurricane. The issue is still being considered by the present administration.

To explore a plan to make efficient use of the library building/old convent was the third recommendation.

After many meetings with a local architect, it was decided to demolish the old convent that housed the library. In August of 2006, the Sowinski Family Media Center opened to students, faculty, and staff to include 2 computer labs, a primary grades library, middle grades and middle school library, a music room, art room, uniform store, reading resource room, foreign language classroom, a large student activities room, offices, a teacher reference area, and a multi-media production room. This state of the art 2 story building was dedicated by the Bishop in October of 2006 following a morning Prayer Service held in the Church.

The fourth recommendation was that the administration examine the length of the school day and make adjustments where necessary to meet curricular needs.

After studying the time needed to meet diocesan requirements, the Principal’s Council recommended that school begin fifteen minutes earlier. This allowed for double language arts periods in grades 5-8 for at least 3 times per week, and a longer teaching period for science, social studies, math and religion several times per week.

When the starting time of the school day was moved back to 8:00 a.m., a study skills class was added to every seventh and eighth graders’ schedule. The study skills classes meet each Thursday for 44 minutes.

It was recommended by the visiting committee to proceed with plans to open a pre-school.

In August of 2000, the Vincent and Lillian Guettler Early Childhood Learning Center opened to 75 3- and 4-year olds. A developmentally appropriate playground was constructed for these young children, and the High Reach curriculum was implemented in each of the 4 classrooms.

Development personnel were encouraged to continue to investigate alternate sources of funding.

The school’s Endowment Board of Directors meets bi-annually and usually explores this topic.

In the fall of 2006, one member of the school’s development team and the most recent former principal, met with the current principal to plan fundraising strategies to assist in the debt service payments of the Sowinski Family Media Center. One goal in this area is to reduce interest costs on the loan from the diocese.

The seventh and final recommendation was that the faculty and administration continue to update textbook editions in keeping with the Diocese of Palm Beach rotation cycle.

The school adopted a textbook rotation plan that is parallel to the Office of Schools of the diocese textbook selection program. Annually, the rotation plan is updated, and the principal appoints faculty representatives to serve on the diocesan textbook selection committee. St. Anastasia makes their selections from the texts proposed by the diocese.