Principal’s Corner
By Mr. Michael Buskirk, St. Ann Catholic School, Naples
My name is Michael Buskirk, and I am the new Principal of St. Ann Catholic School in Naples. After spending the past four years as the Principal of St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in the Diocese of Jefferson City, Missouri, I feel truly blessed to have this opportunity to return to Florida and serve the St. Ann Community. Located in the heart of downtown Naples, St. Ann has offered thousands of students and their families throughout Collier County a high quality, faith-based educational experience since 1956.
On Aug. 12, we started the school year by welcoming 266 students to our spiritually enriching community. This diverse student body, representing a variety of backgrounds and cultures, has emboldened our excellent reputation as the most prestigious Catholic School in Naples. Our class sizes help us meet the individual needs of every child in an academically challenging environment that incorporates a strong sense of community by embodying our Catholic teachings to create disciples of Christ.
Our students are taught the skills they need to fulfill their life’s work on Earth and to prepare them for everlasting life in the kingdom of God within a disciplined, caring, loving, and safe environment. Our promise to maintain high academic standards for all students is evident throughout the school’s modern, state-of-the-art campus and well-rounded, faith infused curriculum. We offer gifted, honors, and resource classes that seamlessly integrate the latest technology at every grade level.
The staff and faculty at St. Ann’s help students learn and appreciate the arts with interactive classes in band, choir, art, music, and drama. We also provide a comprehensive physical education and sports program including opportunities to compete in basketball, soccer, volleyball, golf, tennis, and track.
Extra-curricular activities and field trips round out every child’s educational experience. Most importantly, through the amazing dedication and commitment of our compassionate and professional teachers and staff, every child is nurtured to reach his/her potential.
Thanks to the generosity of our parents, parishioners, and community partners this summer we further enhanced the safety of our campus through the construction and reinforcement of walls and fences to offer an added layer of security by directing all campus visitors to a secure single point of entry. We also enhanced our STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Math) initiatives by installing fiberoptic Internet throughout the campus, created an iMac Lab, and completed numerous upgrades to our Media Center to include two state-of-the-art 3D printers. St. Ann is also the first school in Collier County to boast an autonomous lawnmower to help keep our playing fields in pristine condition.
We would love to welcome you and your family to our school community. For more information or to schedule a tour of St. Ann Catholic School, please contact Tracy Farley at 239-262-4110 or visit www.stann.net.
