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Who We Are

Founded in 1995, The Guardian Catholic Schools is a non-profit organization located in Jacksonville, Florida created by community and business leaders of diverse faiths. Our mission is "to participate in God's work by providing advocacy, resources and governance to St. Pius V and Holy Rosary Catholic Schools. These resources enable the schools to provide spiritual education opportunities to children and families regardless of their financial situation or religious preference". To date, the Guardian has raised more than $9.0 million in assistance to help fund the school's daily operations, expansion programs and scholarship assistance.

Through fundraising efforts, Guardian raises money and solicits in-kind gifts, donations from private citizens & businesses, writes grants, and establishes community partnerships which benefit our students 100%. The legacy of our work has been to make a profound difference in the lives of children and a positive impact within the life of our community. If you would like to take part in this important mission, find out how to become a Guardian Catholic Schools supporter by clicking here.

 

 

Our History

Facing the truth of having to close its doors to over 400 high risk children due to the lack of funding, The Guardian Catholic Schools was founded in 1995. This 501©3 non-profit organization was created by a group of concerned citizens to raise funds for two inner-city schools. The focus of the Guardian is to provide educational scholarships to children living at or below poverty level and/or have needs that extend beyond the realm of education. More than 80% of our students receive tuition assistance from the Guardian. This support enables our schools to remain active driving forces that address child literacy within inner-city neighborhoods.

St. Pius V Catholic School was established in 1921 by the Diocese of St. Augustine to serve Jacksonville's African American population. Operating under the same founding principles pledged over 89 years ago, St. Pius V continues to provide quality education and spiritual support for families on Jacksonville's north side.

Holy Rosary Catholic School was founded in 1958 to serve families in the Brentwood area of Jacksonville. This 52 year old school continues to serve Jacksonville's inner city.

 

History Timeline

• 1919: St. Pius V, a new parish, was formed in the Diocese of St. Augustine Catholic Church on State and Lee streets
• 1921: St. Pius V Catholic School was founded in May
• 1921: Holy Rosary Catholic Church was founded in October
• 1951: St. Joseph Academy moved to the Diocese of St. Augustine Catholic Church, providing impetus for Holy Rosary Catholic School
• 1958: Holy Rosary Catholic School opened with 344 children enrolled in September
• 1961: St. Pius V Catholic Church and school was relocated to the present location on 13th and Blue streets
• 1995: Guardian of Dreams (now called The Guardian Catholic Schools) was founded to provide for St. Pius V and Holy Rosary Catholic schools
• 2004: Childhood Excellence Campaign was launched to raise funds for school expansion programs
• 2007: Holy Rosary Catholic School dedicates $1 million building expansion in April
• 2008: St. Pius V Catholic School dedicates $1 million building expansion in August
• 2008: $2.5 million capital campaign concluded
• 2009: Guardian hired its first full-time Executive Director, Shariffa A. Spicer, M.S.

 

Executive Director

Shariffa is a bi-lingual certified Mental Health Professional who received her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Tuskegee University, Master of Science in Conflict Resolution from Nova Southeastern University and is certified in Deprivation Mediation in the state of Georgia where she served as the Mental Health Director for the Child/Adolescent & Adult Departments.

Shariffa comes to Jacksonville with over fourteen years of experience in Health Care Administration, Program development, building community partnerships, overseeing budgets, grants & contracts, and event planning. As an active Public Health Educator she has been acknowledge and recognized for her great work and contributions for co-publishing statewide statistics regarding high risk health concerns affecting youth (About Our Youth- June Edition 2001,GA).

Having served as a consultant for the Dekalb County School System and Fulton County Housing Authority, Shariffa contracted services addressing the need for improved classroom behavioral management, coordinated leadership programs with various government branches, administered contract audits for Fulton County programs, orchestrated community coalitions, and planned events for County Elected Government officials. As a past member of the Dekalb Community Service Board Speakers Bureau, Mrs. Spicer is a dynamic motivational speaker that inspires through communication. She firmly believes life is about indentifying, correction, and consistency that should ultimately bring about overall improvement.

 

Message from the Executive Director, Shariffa A. Spicer

It is truly an honor to have been appointed the Executive Director of the Guardian Catholic Schools. I welcome the opportunity to engage in the ongoing collective efforts of Guardian and its community partners. In order to remain an active driving force that addresses the educational needs of children in north Jacksonville, particularly the Durkeeville and Brentwood communities where our schools are located, The Guardian Board of Trustees has clearly outlined three primary areas of immediate focus. These areas involve maintaining great relations with our existing donor base, special efforts placed towards identifying & securing national grants and foundations, and placing greater emphasis on expanding our existing donor base.

We invite you to read through our website, which contains snap shots of the latest trends of donor contributions and highlights of our overall successes. We stand ready to assist you in any way we can on particular matters on school reports, statistics and community collaboratives. Please, do not hesitate to call us if you think we can be of some help.

I look forward to continuing in the efforts of formulating a better Jacksonville, one student at a time.

 

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