History & Mission

St. Theresa of the Child Jesus School builds a strong foundation of academic excellence while embracing the Catholic faith, respecting diversity and fostering community.

Our History

St. Theresa of the Child Jesus School was founded in 1926 by Fr. James O'Brien, the rector of the St. Catherine of Genoa Church. The school, originally staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph, taught students from the surrounding Somerville community. In 1953, Msgr. John Mahoney renamed the school St. Catherine of Genoa School to promote a closer relationship with the parish. In 2019, the Somerville parishes of St. Ann, St. Catherine of Genoa, and St. Joseph combined into the Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin parish, with the school returning to its roots as St. Theresa of the Child Jesus School. St Theresa is the daughter of Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin and so a return to the school’s original name was befitting of the newly realigned parish and its historic mission.

Today, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus School is a dynamic school community that meets the intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of its students. Staffed by experienced educators who understand students' needs and abilities, we ensure that students not only feel the safety, comfort, and care of a private elementary school, but that each student reaches their God-given potential. The students of St. Theresa’s today are from Somerville, Medford, Cambridge, Everett, Arlington, and other surrounding communities. Many of our students matriculate to competitive, well-known area Catholic and independent schools.

"My favorite thing about St. Theresa is that you are treated like family." - Student, 2021

"I enjoy St. Theresa School because everyone cares about you and your education.  All the teachers in the school are friendly and care about what they are teaching." - Student, '24

The purpose of this board is to promote and advance the mission of this Catholic school for the education and instruction of students in assisting them to “reach the fullness of the Christian life.” (See canon 794 §1). In keeping with the principles of the Roman Catholic Church, this board ensures that this school fulfills its mission of forming the human person for our final end and for the common good. (See canon 795). The board also ensures that the finances of the school remain healthy and ensures a course of education as prescribed by the Archdiocese of Boston and the applicable policies, rules, and regulations of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

With assistance from the Healey Foundation, a Board of Specified Jurisdiction was formed in 2020. A full copy of the bylaws and operating principals is available upon request. 

Peter F. Regan, Esq., Interim Chair - Business Manager, St. Louis and Zelie Martin Parish

Mr. Tom Bent - Bent Electrical Contractors

President & CEO of Bent Electrical Contractors, Inc. which he founded in 1979, is a full service union electrical contractor (IBEW Local 103) servicing the diverse electrical needs of a wide range of clients including many of the Greater Boston’s commercial, industrial, educational and healthcare institutions. Tom is a product of a Catholic education graduating from Don Bosco Technical High School in Boston, taken courses at Bunker Hill Community College, Northeastern and Purdue Universities; he has been a lifelong member of St Catherine’s Church. He along with his wife Roseanne are the parents of two wonderful daughters who graduated from St Catherine’s School (now St Theresa’s) who then went on to Arlington Catholic High School, Harvard and Tufts Universities, one has a Ph.D. from UMass Amherst and the other a Master’s Degree from Georgetown University. Tom is currently a member of St Louis & Zelie Martin Parish Finance Committee.
An interesting note is that Tom and Roseanne’s mothers were both in the first graduating class of what was then St Theresa’s School.

Chrissy Durden, Development Committee - Former Parent

Chrissy Durden...

Barbara O'Brien, Enrollment Committee - Principal Emeritus,

Barbara O'Brien...

Rev. Anthony Cusack - Pastor, St. Louis and Zelie Martin Parish

Fr. Anthony Cusack joined the Somerville Catholic community in 2023 as Pastor of St. Louis and Zelie Martin Parish with St. Theresa Catholic School. Fr. Anthony was born to a family from Gate of Heaven Parish in South Boston. He initially did not entertain the idea of being a priest for the first 22 years of his life, but then he thought that perhaps God might be calling him to a vocation to serve as a priest. After receiving an invitation to attend a vocations retreat, Fr. Anthony applied to and attended St. John Seminary. 

Fr. Anthony’s interview with The Pilot from May 15, 2015 states: "I made an unspoken agreement between myself and God," explained (then) Deacon Cusack. "I told myself that I wouldn't leave the seminary because I was having a bad day, or because I really like girls, or because it got hard -- and all those things happened -- but I would only leave the seminary if I thought God was calling me to something else." "That never happened," he said. Instead, the opposite occurred. "God revealed to me that not only was this what he wanted me to do, but at the end of the day, this is what I wanted to do," he said. "More than anything, I want to give of myself in such a way that it would encompass my whole life," he said. "I want to help people get closer to God." 

Fr. Anthony has served at several parishes since his Ordination in 2015. He served as Parochial Vicar at St. Ambrose and St. Mark Parish in Dorchester, Administrator at St. Christopher Parish in Dorchester, and Moderator of Team Ministry at St. Mary of the Nativity Parish in Scituate. Please keep Father in your prayers.
 

Danielle V. Auriemma, Development Committee, Chair - Managing Director, Alumni Affairs and Development, Harvard Medical School

Danielle V. Auriemma is a fundraising and alumni relations professional with 10+ years of experience at Harvard Medical School, MIT, and Boston College. She is a product of Catholic education, having earned her undergraduate degree in economics and graduate degree in higher education administration from Boston College. Danielle is a member of several Councils and Committees with educational-focused missions and is passionate about supporting formative and whole-person education.

Mary MacDonald, Enrollment Committee - alumna and parent

Mary MacDonald has been a member of the St. Theresa’s School (formerly St. Catherine’s) community since childhood.  As both an alumna of the school and the mother of two sons who have graduated from St. Theresa’s, Mary along with her husband have always valued the benefit of a Catholic school education.  The academics and values instilled through St. Theresa’s contributed to her furthering her learning and ultimately earning a Master’s degree in Licensed Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Art Therapy.  Currently, Mary works as an Art Therapist working with children on the Autism Spectrum. 

Pope Carlos, Development Committee - Associate Creative Director, PrecisionEffect

A passionate proponent of a well-rounded Catholic education, Pope Carlos joined the board in the fall of 2020, lending his expertise in branding, marketing, and communications. Having spent his formative years being schooled and "raised" in the Jesuit tradition at Ateneo de Manila University and Boston College, he takes to heart the tenets of being "a person for others" and doing things well "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam" above all. He currently serves as the Creative Director of Forge, a boutique Back Bay ad agency helping companies who do meaningful work do more.

Beth Tanner, Enrollment Committee - Principal, St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School

Beth Tanner is a life-long educator and a parishioner of Sts. Louis & Zelie Martin Parish.  Having spent ten years as a classroom teacher in her native Duchess County, New York, she relocated to Greenwich, Connecticut to assume the role of Director of Early Childhood Programs for Family Centers.  Always ready for a new challenge, Beth relocated to the Boston area to be the founding Director of Good Shepherd School in Charlestown.  Following many years as an inner-city Principal in Central Falls, RI and appointed member of the RI Early Learning Council, Beth was blessed to be hired as Principal of St. Catherine of Siena School in Norwood in 2019. She has a firm commitment to Catholic Education and belief that every child deserves a Catholic Education and has been a member the Catholic Schools Foundation School Advisory Committee since 2021.  Beth lives in Somerville with her husband and loves spending time with their two dogs, Cece and Willis!

Alex Patturelli, Enrollment Committee, Chair - Director of Undergraduate Admission, Regis College

Alex, originally from Medford, MA, attended Catholic school from Kindergarten through his Master’s.  After receiving his bachelor's in Business Management at Stonehill College, he went on to receive a master's in Strategic Communication from Regis College and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration at Northeastern University. His research was centered on improving the college admissions process for low-income students.  His passions include college access initiatives for students and building relationships as a catalyst for students feeling a sense of belonging on campus. Having grown up in Massachusetts as a first generation college student, he is particularly passionate about working with student populations in New England.  Outside of work he enjoys spending my time with his wife, son, and dog in his home north of Boston.  He joined our school board in 2022.  

If you are interested in supporting our mission, please reach out to Troy Norman or a member of the board.