Chesterton Academy in Windsor to build permanent

Chesterton Academy of St. John Paul II Catholic High School (Screenshot from Chesterton Academy of St. John Paul II Facebook page)

A new Catholic school will soon rise within the Windsor, Colorado neighborhood. As reported, it will cater to grade 9 to 11 students.

In a news release, the Chesterton Academy of St. John Paul II High School announced plans of building a permanent facility at 1250 7th St.

As mentioned, the property is located within the Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church. The school recently acquired the parcel of land at the Northwest corner of Highway 34 and County Road 13.

St. John Paul II High School (JPII) said they are currently processing the due diligence for the 50-acre land and pray it goes smoothly.

Dream Come True

In the past few months, the JPIIs Board of Trustees reportedly conducted an “extensive market and financial-capacity survey.” The process was made possible through the help of the Archdiocese of Denver.

After that, the new school received strong support to fund the future site of Northern Colorado’s first Catholic high school.

JPII Headmaster Blaise Hockel said it was a dream come true to finally acquire the site for the school’s permanent location. He even called it “an authentic answer to prayer.”

According to Hockel, there are already “strong indications” that their school will succeed in its mission. Such signs include “early momentum of our school, the power of its curriculum and professional faculty, and the blessing of the young men and women we’re educating.”

Meanwhile, Board of Trustees Chairman Deacon Ron Lanciotti said they carefully selected the location of the soon-to-rise Catholic school.

He added that they wanted all cities in Northern Colorado to have access to faith-based education.

For him, it is the “perfect property” for them to serve all Catholic children in the region.

“It’s fantastic to see how Catholic families are coming together to rally around the crucial imperative of high-quality, Christian, classical education,” he added.

St. John Paul II High School

As stated on its official website, Chesterton Academy of JPII is an independent nonprofit organization. It operates closely with the Archdiocese of Denver.

The Archdiocese reportedly helps to establish and promote the new school.

As explained, the Catholic body oversees the school’s theology curriculum and mission. It also serves as one of the school’s Board of Directors.

Through the blessing of Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, the school officially opened its doors in Windsor on Aug. 17, 2020.

During its first year, the school only had a reported 25 students in both grades 9 and 10. In the following year, they expanded to grade 11 and doubled its faculty members.

The JPII said they are looking forward to adding a grade level each year until they have a full high school.

Currently, the school is operating on a temporary location in a rented space at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church.

To offer quality Catholic education, JPII provides an integrated curriculum. It reportedly aims to deliver classical instruction, robust spiritual and personal formation.

While it is a Catholic school, JPII said they accept all students regardless of faith and religious affiliation.