St. John Paul II Catholic High School is a college-preparatory co-ed high school dedicated to Catholic education. This Liberal Arts high school is dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe under the patronage of Pope St. John Paul II and offers a four-year philosophy program led by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia of Nashville.

At St. John Paul II, students receive a unique and high quality Catholic education through a rigorous curriculum, service opportunities, daily prayer, and athletics. The mission of St. John Paul II Catholic High School is to provide an environment that promotes a personal encounter with Jesus Christ through study, community, prayer, and service.

A New High School

St. John Paul II Catholic High School was established in 2018 on the diocesan property adjacent to St. Thomas Aquinas parish and school in Avondale. Although the school is newly built, plans for the school have been in motion for a decade. The then-pastor of the parish Father Kieran Klezewski lobbied the diocese to buy land for a future elementary and high school in 1998. He assisted with the aesthetics of elements of the new school building, particularly the chapel, as it was being built.

In April 2015, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix announced their plans to build the new high school in Avondale. The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia were invited by Bishop Thomas Olmsted to operate the school, and Sister Mary Jordan Hoover became the founding, and current, principal.

Breaking Ground

January 21, 2017 marked the ground breaking celebration event for St. John Paul II Catholic High school. A $100 million capital campaign, “Together Let Us Go Forth,” was launched by the diocese later in the year. Part of the capital campaign funds have assisted with the cost of building the school as well as endowing scholarships for St. John Paul II students (as well as students at other diocesan high schools).

In 2018, a brand new three-story academic building and gymnasium consisting of 107,000 square feet welcomed freshman and sophomore students. St. John Paul II Catholic High School is one of four Catholic diocesan high schools to use a house system. At St. John Paul II high school, all students are assigned to one of six houses, which becomes their family for four years.

New and Improving

In just its first year of operation, St. John Paul II welcomed 150 freshmen and sophomores. Approximately 40% of the student body enrolled from public schools.

Bishop Thomas Olmsted dedicated the new chapel altar in March 2019 featuring the relic of a lock of hair of Saint John Paul II.

St. John Paul II Catholic High School provides a college-preparatory curriculum that is intentionally integrated among departments to achieve high standards. College-preparatory, honors and advanced placement classes are available to challenge students at the appropriate level to help them grow. The unique curriculum integrates philosophy, bioethics, and other classes not found at any other diocesan high school to challenge students to become morally, ethically, spiritually, and intellectually rich as they go out into the world to share their gifts and make a difference. Want to support the Catholic educations of students at St. John Paul II Catholic High School? Arizona’s private education tax credit allows you to choose what your tax dollars support. To learn more about directing your state taxes to student scholarships, contact Catholic Education Arizona today. Individuals can contribute a portion of their state taxes to scholarships and business owners can benefit from the corporate tax credit while changing lives, one scholarship at a time. Call us to learn how! 602 218-6542 or www.ceaz.org