History of Ascension
Catholic
School
Ascension Catholic School was built in
1939 and staffed by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, opened with an
enrollment of 240 students. Facilities consisted four classrooms and a parish
hall. The enrollment grew rapidly to about 600 students. Four classes attended
school in the hall. In the early 1950ís additional classrooms were built, and
later a primary building consisting of four classrooms and lavatories was built,
making Ascension a 12 room classroom school.
As enrollment decreased in the late 1960ís due
to freeway construction and change in population, the school was redesigned to
be a nine classroom school.
The ethnic population
of the school has changed over the years. In the early 60ís, the population was
about 50% Black and 50% Hispanic. In the late 60ís and 70ís, the population was
about 89% Black and 11% Hispanic. In the early 80ís, the Hispanic population
grew and the Black population began to decline. At present the student body is
71% Hispanic and 29% Black.
The Sisters of St.
Joseph served at Ascension until 1985.
As educators at Ascension Catholic School, our mission
is to enable students to realize their spiritual, intellectual, and social
potential. We provide our students with a peaceful learning environment and a
strong Catholic community. We teach our students to appreciate the value of
education, the importance of faith, and to prepare themselves for their future.
We, as Catholic educators, recognize our responsibility to the students and
parents. We believe the parents to be the primary educators of their children, and
further believe the school, home, and church must work together for students to
reach their full potential.