John Paul II Catholic School (Houston, Texas)
Encyclopedia
John Paul II Catholic School (commonly abbreviated to JPII) is a Catholic private school
for grades Pre-K
through 8th grade
in western Houston, Texas
. The school is within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
. As of 2008 it serves over 700 students.
The mission of John Paul II Catholic School is to promote educational excellence, personal responsibility, and balanced growth; and thereby to help its students discover and develop their talents and achieve their best potentials. Our students learn from an experienced, dedicated and enormously talented faculty and staff, who challenge, inspire, encourage and nurture. As Catholic educators, we strive always to educate the mind, heart and spirit in the ways of Christ. Our school provides a challenging academic curriculum with particular emphasis on the integration of academic subject areas.
through the Texas Catholic Conference Accreditation Commission. The school is a registered, non-profit corporation
in the state of Texas with a corporate Board of Directors. John Paul II opened with 56 students in Pre-Kindergarten through third grade in the fall of 1988 having temporary trailer buildings as classrooms/offices.
by the U.S. Department of Education, one of only fifty private schools to be so honored nationally. Poised for future growth, John Paul II moves forward as a unique Catholic school. Its graduates are currently enrolled in many of the private high schools in the area including Duchesne Academy, Pope John XXIII, St. Agnes Academy, St. Thomas High School, Strake Jesuit, St Pius X, and Incarnate Word Academy.
As the student population has grown, new programs, facilities and staff have been added. A new $1.2 million-dollar classroom building was opened in the fall of 1994. Additional classrooms and a gym/cafeteria were opened in the fall of 1998. In January 2005, new construction added more classrooms, three computer labs, a library, a band hall, and two classrooms dedicated to fine arts. Early in 2011, construction began on campus in order to expand the school adding a new office workspace, separate cafeteria, theater stage, theater arts/music classrooms, art room, and a chapel. A mosaic of Blessed John Paul II is currently being made for the school. The expected date to place the finished artwork is in July. It will be put near the entrance of the chapel. Building is expected to be complete and ready by the beginning of the 2011-2012 year.
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
for grades Pre-K
Pre-Kindergarten
Pre-kindergarten refers to the first formal academic classroom-based learning environment that a child customarily attends in the United States. It begins between the ages of 3-5 depending on the length of the program...
through 8th grade
Eighth grade
Eighth grade is a year of education in the United States, Canada, Australia and other nations. Students are usually 13 - 14 years old. The eighth grade is typically the final grade before high school, and the ninth grade of public and private education, following kindergarten and subsequent grades...
in western Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. The school is within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston encompasses of ten counties in the southeastern area of Texas: Galveston; Harris; Austin; Brazoria; Fort Bend; Grimes; Montgomery; San Jacinto; Walker; and Waller.The chancery of the diocese is located in Downtown Houston. The Archdiocese's...
. As of 2008 it serves over 700 students.
About
The mission of John Paul II Catholic School is to promote educational excellence, personal responsibility, and balanced growth; and thereby to help its students discover and develop their talents and achieve their best potentials. Our students learn from an experienced, dedicated and enormously talented faculty and staff, who challenge, inspire, encourage and nurture. As Catholic educators, we strive always to educate the mind, heart and spirit in the ways of Christ. Our school provides a challenging academic curriculum with particular emphasis on the integration of academic subject areas.
Opening
John Paul II Catholic School was established in 1988 as a private independent Catholic School and is fully accredited with the Texas Education AgencyTexas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
through the Texas Catholic Conference Accreditation Commission. The school is a registered, non-profit corporation
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
in the state of Texas with a corporate Board of Directors. John Paul II opened with 56 students in Pre-Kindergarten through third grade in the fall of 1988 having temporary trailer buildings as classrooms/offices.
National Blue Ribbon School Awards
During the 1996-97 school year and again in 2008, John Paul II was named a National Blue Ribbon Exemplary SchoolBlue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
by the U.S. Department of Education, one of only fifty private schools to be so honored nationally. Poised for future growth, John Paul II moves forward as a unique Catholic school. Its graduates are currently enrolled in many of the private high schools in the area including Duchesne Academy, Pope John XXIII, St. Agnes Academy, St. Thomas High School, Strake Jesuit, St Pius X, and Incarnate Word Academy.
Expansion