An endorsement of Mariamante Academy
From Anne Carroll, founder and director of
Seton School, Manassas, Virginia

Seton School, founded in 1975, was one of the first independent Catholic Schools and, by the grace of God, one of the most successful. As the Director of the school, I am happy to endorse Mariamante Academy's efforts to establish a high school in the Fredericksburg area.

The need for such a school is obvious, and Mariamante brings experience and dedication to the effort. Mariamante's classical curriculum is in the solid tradition of Catholic education. Though some might be a bit perplexed by the word "classical," its meaning is quite simple. A classical education has a solid liberal arts foundation to provide the student with both needed skills (logical thinking, writing, public speaking, and critical reading, mathematics) and a thorough grounding in the intellectual accomplishments of western civilization, including literature, art and music, history, and science. A classical curriculum respects the minds of the students and challenges students of all intellectual levels to do their best.

Mariamante Academy has been a member of the National Association of Private, Catholic*, and Independent Schools. (NAPC*IS). Both Mrs. Desilets and I are active in NAPC*IS, which accredits schools so that parents can be confident that the school has a sound philosophy and educational vision and is fulfilling that vision.

Some of you may be understandably reluctant to become involved in a new school, even one with experienced founders like Mr. and Mrs. Desilets. I know how difficult it is to get support in the early days of a school. Seton opened with only 16 students and it took us 15 years to reach the magic number of 100. I will always be deeply grateful to those parents of the early years who supported a new enterprise and whose dedication and hard work made our survival and ultimate success possible. If no one had supported us then, Seton would not now exist.

Mrs. Louise Desilets has the resolve and the vision needed to establish a successful high school in the Fredericksburg area. All they need now is support of willing parents who want their children to receive a thoroughly Catholic education.

Mariamante is eager to work with anyone who has the same goals and philosophy of education. I encourage all of you here today to support this new educational venture, which will meet the need for Catholic high school education in the Fredericksburg area.