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HISTORY
St. Cecilia School is a Parish Catholic elementary school servicing students in grades Preschool through 8.
On June 3, 1908, a group of men and women met to discuss securing a Catholic church for the village of Oakley. And that is where the history of St. Cecilia Parish begins. This group of people represented most of the 65 Catholic families then residing in or near Oakley. On July 26, 1908, the pastor celebrated Holy Mass for the first time for the members of St. Cecilia Parish in the Oakley town hall.
Over the next four years, a temporary church was built, the parish continued to grow, and soon there was a need for a school for the children of the parish. In 1912, ground was broken for a new building – the future site of St. Cecilia School – on Taylor Avenue.
St. Cecilia School opened on September 8, 1913, with an enrollment of 125 students. The school was in the charge of three Sisters of Mercy: Sister Mary Bernadette, the first principal, assisted by Sister Rose and Sister de Sales. Enrollment continued to climb year after year, and throughout the 20s, more than 400 children attended the school each year.
In March 1955, four classrooms, a gymnasium, and a nurse’s room were added adjacent to the two-story school building. Today this wing serves to teach grades preschool through grade 2.
In July 2021, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati made the decision to restructure the parishes throughout the diocese. The result was the “Beacons of Light” program which took existing parishes and grouped them as “families” under the direction of one Pastor. St. Cecilia Parish was already a part of the Eastside Region of parishes with St. Anthony and St. Margaret / St. John. In July 2022, St. Mary parish, which also had a vibrant Catholic School, in Hyde Park was added to the family. Up to this point, the two schools have operated separately from each other save any parish activities like Sacramental Preparation and some of the Parish Administrative employees.Located in the vibrant Cincinnati neighborhood of Oakley. St. Cecilia School provides a vibrantly Catholic and academically excellent education. Striving to achieve outstanding academic and character growth in each student, St. Cecilia has much to offer.
DEMOGRAPHICS
- Faith based, inclusive, nurturing environment PK-8
- Daily religion classes and prayer
- Weekly mass
- Sacramental preparation
- Traditional religious devotions and services
Diverse school community
Extensive intervention services
Teacher to student ratio - 1:15
- Pre-Kindergarten - Grade 8 scholarship and financial aid opportunities
- Early Childhood Education Grant
- Ohio EdChoice Scholarships
- Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship
- Kremer Grant
- Parish Tuition Assistance
Full day Pre-kindergarten program
- Athletics program
- Soccer, basketball, volleyball, baseball
After school care 3-6PM
Chromebook 1 to 1 program grades 6-8
Cultural integration and experiences
Fully accredited educational program through the Ohio Catholic School Accrediting Association
- Faith based, inclusive, nurturing environment PK-8