History

St. John Paul II Catholic School in Sellersburg, IN has a rich history.  Construction on the school began in 1949.  The first church was located in the basement of the school building.  The second floor of the church/school contained classrooms and temporary living quarters for the three Sisters of Providence who were to staff the school.  St. Paul Catholic School opened its doors on September 12, 1949, with 137 students enrolled in grades 1-8.  In 1970, the 7th and 8th grades were dropped due to a lack of enrollment and funding.  When a new church was built in 1973 the school expanded to the basement.  Enrollment climbed in the 1990s with the increase of homes and businesses in Sellersburg.  A new building with a gymnasium and five classrooms opened in 1999 as a joint effort between St. Paul and St. Joe Hill parishes.  The merging of the two parishes brought with it a new name for our school – St. John Paul II Catholic School for the 2015-2016 school year.  In 2017-18, we were thrilled to announce the addition of Grade 7 back on our campus, followed by the addition of Grade 8 at the start of the 2018-19 school year. 

Today, St. John Paul II Catholic School (JPII) has 280 students.  Our student population is made up of 71% Catholic and 29% Non-Catholic children.

At JPII, we strive to fully use resources from the Archdioceses of Indianapolis Office of Catholic Education and the Indiana Department of Education to help best meet the needs of our students.  Along with important religious studies and sacramental preparation at St. John Paul II Catholic School, we provide a strong academic curriculum based on the Indiana Curriculum Standards.  Our ILEARN scores are outstanding! 100% of our third-grade students pass the IREAD3 test each year!  Woven throughout all subject areas and all parts of our day are the Christ-centered beliefs that are so important to all of us. The children at St. John Paul II Catholic School receive a wonderful moral and academic foundation that is such a strong building block for future success. 

While the academic standards are being achieved, we also have a lot of fun at our school to keep it interesting and exciting! Some of the activities that have become hallmarks of St. John Paul II Catholic School are the Living Rosary, Halloween Costume Parade, All Saints Day Celebration, Santa’s Secret Shop, Christmas Programs, numerous Catholic Schools Week Activities, Passion Play, May Crowning, Derby Activities, Grade Level (6th - 8th) retreats and CYO camping trip, and Middle School (7/8 grade) trips. 

Our Arts and Athletic programs are important to us and continue to grow, in addition to elective course offerings. We look forward to what the future holds for the joint St. John Paul II Parish.  Whatever that may be, it will certainly include a school that continues to educate the whole child so that they will grow to be the person that God calls them to be. Strong foundations start here.  Start here, succeed anywhere!