History of St. Benilde School

In 1967, Archbishop Philip Hannan traveled to Ireland to find sisters to teach in the parish’s school. The Sisters of Loreto of Fermoy accepted the task of developing a school in St. Benilde Parish. The convent was finished in time for their arrival in September 1967. The original four St. Benilde nuns were Mother Celine Ryan, Sister Goretti Walsh, Sister Augustine Dempsey, and Sister Immaculata Noonan. St. Benilde School opened on August 28, 1968, with grades kindergarten through 5th grade. The St. Benilde School Board and Home & School Association were formed in 1968 and 1970 respectively.

In 1989, a prekindergarten program was added to serve children starting at age four.  A three year old program was added in 1994.  Two year olds were added in 2004, followed by a one year old program in 2010, and most recently a nursery program in 2012.  Today, the school serves children from one year of age through the end of seventh grade, with an enrollment of approximately 300 students. The school’s founding religious order was the Sisters of Loreto.  Today, the school is under the director of the pastor of St. Benilde Parish, a lay principal, and a qualified lay faculty.