Queen of Peace Catholic School is a warm, welcoming, and inclusive community. The school encourages students to be life-long learners with a focus on Christ-centered and service-oriented academic excellence.
Over the last few years, Queen of Peace Catholic School has grown its enrollment through scholarship programs. Directed Catholic tuition Tax Credits have allowed the school to grow its curriculum and hire experienced instructional staff, improving students’ learning and development.
From Church to School
In 1908, the Franciscan Fathers at St. Mary’s Church in Phoenix founded the Sacred Heart Mission where they served the Catholic community until 1923 when the Spanish Claretian Fathers in Phoenix assumed mission leadership. Reverend Vicente Mestre became the first resident pastor of Sacred Heart in 1934, serving 100 parishioners. Today, Queen of Peace Church serves approximately 3,000 families.
Under the guidance of Sister Mary Electa of the Sisters of Mercy of the Precious Blood, Reverend Leo Gattes opened a mission school in fall 1940. The school opened in 1942 with 85 students in four grades. A new church and the present Queen of Peace Catholic School were constructed in 1947. A school gathering area and new parish hall were added in 1968. Another renovation of school took place in 2014 through the generosity of Shea Homes, creating a 21st century learning environment with updated infrastructure and modern learning spaces.
Growing together
Madonna Hall was constructed in 1978 to meet the growing needs of the parish. Today, the hall is used for assemblies, school plays, school community meetings, lunch, and music lessons. The Sisters of the Precious Blood served the school until 1984 at which point the Salvatorian Priests and Brothers took responsibility for administering the parish.
In 2001, a prekindergarten room, science lab, and two classrooms were added to the school. In 2005, a new prekindergarten and primary playground were added thanks to funds from the Virginia G. Piper Foundation.
Today, headed by Principal Renee Baeza, Queen of Peace Catholic School serves 175 students from prekindergarten through Grade 8. The school is dedicated to teaching students the gospel values of justice, love, peace, community, and faith in Christ.
Interested in directing your tuition Tax Credits to support the Catholic education of a student at Queen of Peace? About 56.6 million students across the U.S. attend elementary, middle, and high schools, and rely on scholarships to support their academic success.
Want to help children attend Queen of Peace Catholic School? By directing your Arizona state taxes to Catholic Education Arizona for the Private Education Tax Credit, you can contribute to tuition scholarships for underserved students and families that choose a Catholic education. To learn more about how to contribute through Individual Tax Credits, visit https://catholiceducationarizona.org/individuals/. To learn how to become a corporate partner and contributor visit https://catholiceducationarizona.org/corporate/, or contact Catholic Education Arizona today at 602 218-6542.
