The Eastern Vicariate Board of Governors

St Francis Elementary School was founded by the SMSM Sisters in 1909. The school was administered by the SMSM Sisters and included a Commercial School for girls who were well prepared by the Sisters to enter the workforce after graduating. When the SMSM Sisters departed in the mid 1990’s, the Salestian Sisters took over until the year 2012.

In 1988, the Marist Brothers School in Atu’u merged with St Francis Elementary School to become the current Marist St Francis Elementary School. The merge of the two schools occurred after the Religious Brothers withdrew from Atu’u, due to drastic drop in Religious vocations and non-replacement of the aging Brothers.

The Nazareth Sisters were responsible for bringing the Montessori schools into the Diocese of Samoa Pago Pago and located adjacent to their Convent at Fatuoaiga. Mary the Mother Montessori were housed at the old Marist Brothers High School Library in Atu'u for two years, then relocated to Lepua in the mid 1990’s to accommodate the young ones on the Eastern side of the Diocese. Mary the Mother Montessori was administered by the Maryknoll Sisters.

The two Catholic Schools at Lepua, the Marist St Francis Elementary School and Mary the Mother Montessori, are now governed by the Eastern Vicariate School Board of Governors, comprising of parishioners from the following Eastern Vicariate Parish Communities:

Co-Cathedral Parish of St Joseph the Worker, Fagatogo Parish (Catholic Churches of Fagatogo, Utulei and Fagaalu)

St Peter Chanel, Fagasa Parish

Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pago Pago Parish

Immaculate Conception, Lepua Parish (Catholic Churches of Lepua and Afono)

Our Lady of Fatima, Aua Parish

Saints Peter and Paul, Lauli’i Parish

St Peter Chanel, Sailele Parish (Catholic Churches of Sailele, Faga’itua and Masefau)

Sacred Heart, Alao Parish (Catholic Churches of Alao, Amouli and Aoa)

The Eastern Vicariate School Board of Governors took over the two schools in the year 2017

The primary responsibilities of the School Board of Governors is to hire, oversee and evaluate the School Principal and School Operations; uphold the mission of the Church contained in the Catholic Character of our Schools; ensure the Christian Education and the formation of our students; and to ensure the successful academic development of our students.