St. Mary's Catholic High School is a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

located in

Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, Canada under the administration of the

London District Catholic School Board The London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB), known as English-language Separate District School Board No. 38 prior to 1999) is a separate school board offering Catholic education in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. It serves students from t ...

History

The origin of St. Mary's Catholic School began as a dream of ten Catholic families who formed the members of the St. Mary's

Separate School In Canada, a separate school is a type of school that has constitutional status in three provinces (Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan) and statutory status in the three territories ( Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut). In these Canadi ...

Board in 1900. By 1901, the first stage of a two-classroom elementary school was built. Remodelling was done in 1913 to provide for two more classrooms to accommodate the growing enrolment of 113 students. However, by 1953 enrolment had grown to 162, and the first formal two-room addition was added in 1956. Two more rooms were added in 1958. In 1962, enrolment had grown to an overwhelming 317 and the purchase of portable classrooms became the norm. Expanding Catholic education into the early years of secondary school was realized in 1981. St. Mary's Junior High School was founded and students were given the opportunity of continuing with Catholic education up to the end of Grade 10. With the passage of Bill 30 in 1984, full funding for Catholic education allowed for the extension of the junior high concept and St. Mary's Catholic High School was now a reality. The students entering Grade 9 in the 1984–85 school year began the pioneering work of becoming the first graduating class. In the fall of 1987, the first St. Mary's Catholic High School graduation was held with Bishop Sherlock presiding. The original graduating class consisted of 12 students who braved the new world of Catholic High School education and survived. By 1988, St. Mary's Catholic High School was now a full-fledged secondary school offering courses in Grades 9–12. In 1997, St. Mary's Catholic High School enrolment of 500 plus had outgrown the school building on Oxford Street and the school moved to the current facility located on Juliana Drive. The momentous opening was officiated by Most Rev. John Sherlock,

Bishop of London A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

. Within one year of moving, the population had grown to 800 and a twelve classroom addition was built. The school's continued growth necessitated another addition of science labs, technology rooms and specialty rooms.

References

External links

* Catholic secondary schools in Ontario High schools in Oxford County, Ontario Woodstock, Ontario Educational institutions established in 1984 1984 establishments in Ontario {{Ontario-school-stub