Our History

When more than half the remaining Catholic schools in the Diocese of Rochester closed in 2008, a small group of lay Catholics came together with a vision. Pledging resources, time and prayer, they launched a new model of education in the Catholic tradition. Our hope is to create a network of affordable, small elementary schools with the widespread support of others who share their belief that Catholic families should be given the chance to provide their children with a stimulating, classical, faith-based education. Formation, not simply information, will prepare children to become fully engaged in the life that God has prepared for them.

Heeding the Pope’s call to help revitalize Catholic education and family life, St. John Bosco Schools opened its first venture in September 2008. Our mission:

to support parents in their God-given role as the primary educators of their children through the cultivation of the whole person – mind, body and soul – by uniting work, study and play.

As each element has fallen into place, St. John Bosco Schools has grown quickly from a dream into a thriving reality with momentum. The model works. The fruits are obvious in the satisfaction of children, parents and teachers.

“It was certainly a leap of faith to enroll our children when we did not yet have a location or a clear path,” said one father with five children at St. John Bosco Schools. “But within a year, the school nearly tripled in size and we cannot say enough about the ways in which this experience has enriched our family.”

The school’s inaugural year was a reflection of the old saying, “the Lord is never early, He is always just on time.” When the initially selected site proved unusable just days before opening, a local clergyman came to the rescue and offered interim space. A mid-year move to a site in Mendon involved temporary classroom walls and frequent weekends spent moving supplies and boxes to meet the landlord’s needs. In a spirit of adventure, teachers and parents pitched in to meet each new challenge. What emerged is now a closely bonded community with a shared sense of purpose.

By the start of the second year, growing enthusiasm led to a surge in enrollment. St. John Bosco Schools nearly tripled in size, to 65 students in pre-kindergarten through seventh grade. Under the leadership of a new headmaster, additional teachers were hired. A new home was found in the historic First Baptist Church at the four corners of Fairport Village. Traditions were established with weekly school Masses, daily prayer assemblies and special feast day celebrations that bring the entire school together in a shared faith.

With our distinctive approach to academics, St. John Bosco Schools offers the only classically-based curriculum in the Rochester area. SJBS has partnered with the Angelicum Academy, whose educational program has been recommended by the rigorous Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College. Small class sizes, limited to 15 students, promote extensive discussion and the development of critical thinking skills. Dedicated SJBS teachers are inspired by the intellectual depth and breadth of the program. At every grade level, children have been energized by a challenging curriculum that frames the relationship between faith and reason.

What once seemed like an outrageously bold proposition has, in a short period of time, become a story with a hopeful future. Just ask the students at St. John Bosco Schools. Ask their parents.