Our Mission and Vision
As a mission of the Diocesan Church and the local parish communities, and in partnership with the family, Diocese of Youngstown Catholic Schools provide an education through which the rich tradition and truth of the Catholic Church are handed on, lived, and fostered. Children and young people are, in a unique way, prepared to participate in the life of the Church and society through a commitment to faith, self, lifelong learning, social justice, and service to the local and global church and community.
Catholic schools in the Diocese of Youngstown are valued for their clear Catholic identity, academic excellence, safe environments, and ability to inspire passion for learning and service within every student. Our philosophy of care for the whole child (cura personalis) will nurture and sustain the unique God-given gifts of every student to enable each one to pursue and strengthen the Kingdom of God.
There are 25 Catholic schools throughout six counties in the Diocese of Youngstown and seven additional Early Childhood Centers.
We invite you to contact one of our 25 schools and discover the difference a Catholic education can make in the life of your child(ren) – both here and for eternity!
Our History
The roots of Catholic School education in the Diocese of Youngstown can be traced back to the same location at which the First Sacred Liturgy was celebrated in 1812. The remote Community of St. Paul a mile or so from where the town of Dungannon developed was the site of Daniel McAllister’s cabin, the gathering place for the early Catholic immigrants to attend a mass offered by Father Edward Fenwick. Those same immigrants eventually constructed a small church on the site and named it for St. Paul. By the time Dungannon village had been plotted out and the cornerstone of St. Philip Neri had been laid (1846) the St. Paul congregation had already begun making bricks for the construction of a Catholic School. They were so committed to the idea of Catholic School Education that, as they ceased operation of the old St. Paul site and migrated up to Dungannon and St. Philip Neri, they hauled the bricks with them. Even though the bricks were deteriorated the hope of a Catholic School was not diminished.
As it happened, by persistence of the St. Paul/St. Philip Neri congregation, a Catholic School opened 1855. St. Philip Neri however is not listed as the first Catholic School in the Youngstown Diocese. That honor belongs to St. Joseph Randolph, established in 1832. St. John, Canton (1845) and St. Mary Massillon (1848) must also be recognized among the earliest of Diocesan Catholic Schools. This cluster of parish schools share a distinction of having been founded prior to the decrees of the 1852 Plenary Council at Baltimore. Flowing from Baltimore was the national wave of Catholic School establishments that came in conformity to the directions of Chapter 9 of those first decrees that declared that every parish should build a Catholic School.
The early parishes and pastoral leadership of the Diocese of Youngstown, especially the community in which the first liturgy was celebrated in that log cabin, deserve credit for their vision, diligence and dedication to the Idea of Catholic School Education. Nearly two centuries have passed since the Community of St. Paul started making bricks but their labor lives on in the children and families of the schools of the Diocese of Youngstown.
It is certain that Catholic School Education in the Youngstown Diocese will move into its third century keeping true to its theological, philosophical and professional foundations. Just as certain is that our Catholic Schools will embrace the challenges and opportunities of changing governance models, cooperative initiatives, technology and advancements in the art and science of instruction. The heritage, parental and pastoral dedication, and perseverance in the name of Catholic School Education will continue to serve our Church in the Youngstown Diocese.
Our Accreditation
The Diocese of Youngstown Schools are Fully Accredited by the Ohio Catholic School Accrediting Association (OCSAA), a collaborative undertaking of the Catholic dioceses in Ohio governed by the Superintendents of Schools. The purpose of the OCSAA is to strengthen Catholic school identity and mission and to engage Catholic schools in the ongoing improvement of student learning. Accreditation through the OCSAA assures that Catholic Identity is a priority, and that all of the State of Ohio operating standards for schools are followed to insure the health and safety of our students as well as offering a quality academic program.
Staff in the Office of Catholic Schools
The Office of Catholic Schools provides leadership, support, and supervision for Catholic schools to be an integral, viable element of the Diocesan Church’s mission of education. The Office establishes the climate and framework for fostering excellence in education in the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Youngstown.
- Steven Jones, PhD, Superintendent
- Jennifer Fischer, Director of Curriculum & Instruction
- Christa Capper, Coordinator of Technology and Licensure
- Richele Merdich, Administrative Assistant
Announcements
Reduce Your Tax Return with a Donation to the Good Samaritan Scholarship Fund
Donations to the Good Samaritan Scholarship Fund can apply for a potential state tax credit up to $750 (or $1,500 married filing jointly), reducing your state tax return.
