School History
In 1877, under the direction of
Father Francis J. O'Neil, plans for the construction of Kent's first
Catholic school gained momentum with the purchase of property for the
purpose of building a small schoolhouse. Starting in 1881, church members
worked together in their spare time with their own tools to construct the
first Catholic school in Kent. After five years, early in 1886, the
construction of the four-room, wood-framed building, west of the original
Portage Street Church, was completed. Sisters of the Humility of Mary
were contacted to obtain a qualified teaching staff. That September four
nuns arrived to assume the teaching duties.
St. Patrick School stayed open until a severe lack of funds caused a fourteen year closing from 1891 to 1905. But the parishioners refused to give up their dream. When it was financially able to reopen, it took only two years for each classroom to house up to 60 children! Around 1915 a small house was built in front of the school to house a full-time custodian.
Because of overcrowding and shabby conditions at the old school, the parishioners raised $90,000 and a new eight classroom structure was built adjacent to the church in June of 1924. This building served the community for thirty years, but the school eventually needed more rooms. In 1957 the Home & School Association was formed and worked toward an addition to be built on the west side of the 1924 building after the old church was torn down. The newest section of the school was completed in 1958 with a third floor added in 1960.
Between the 1940's and 1980's many special progrms, employees, and equipment were added to the school. Some examples are school bus service, sports teams, a library, computers, music and gym classes, and the latchkey after-school program.
Mike Lenzo, the first lay principal, was hired in August 1985. Under his direction the faculty and staff worked closely together to implement the Middle School and the All Day Kindergarten programs. A computer network was added to the media center and middle school.
Today, thanks to the dedicated faculty, staff and volunteers of St. Patrick
School, together with the generous support of the parish, it remains a Catholic
school that is wonderful and keeps growing better and better!