From the early schools run by priests and nuns to a year-round school system, Red Deer has a long history of leadership in Catholic education.

Catholic education in Red Deer began with the founding of Red Deer Separate School District No. 17 in 1909, to serve the growing Catholic population in the area, particularly in the Village of North Red Deer. Led by Sister M. Agathe, the Filles de la Sagesse (Daughters of Wisdom) religious order from France responded to an invitation from the Pères de Sainte Marie de Tinchebray (Tinchebray Fathers) and Father Henri Voisin to bring Catholic education to the Red Deer community. In 1908, the Daughters of Wisdom opened St. Joseph’s Convent on Mission Hill as a boarding school for children ages 6 to 18.

Lack of classroom space led to the expansion of St. Joseph’s Convent in 1913. In 1914, the Tinchebray Fathers built St. Mary’s Apostolic College to offer French language secondary studies and preliminary training for young men aspiring to the priesthood. Their students included Camille J. Lerouge, future CPR employee, councillor for the Village of North Red Deer (1936-1941), and secretary-treasurer of the Catholic school board for 35 years.

While the Tinchebray school closed in 1916 due to the impact of the First World War, the Daughters of Wisdom leased the building as a dormitory and additional classroom space. In 1925, the Sisters bought the building and renamed it Montfort School. There was another expansion to the Convent in 1928.

Even with these enlargements, student space was still limited on top of Mission Hill. In 1950 the Red Deer Separate School District acquired the old YMCA building and other old barracks at the A-20 Army Camp for additional classroom space, renaming it Sacred Heart School. In 1955 classes were moved across the street from the Convent to the newly built second Montfort School.

In 1962 the repurposed barrack classrooms were abandoned all together, along with the boarding programs within the district, as they could no longer fill the student need. Since 1962, many day schools were opened including St. Thomas of Aquinas High School (Grades 7-12), St. Martin de Porres Elementary School (Grades 1-6), Camille J. LeRouge Collegiate (Grades 10-12), St. Elizabeth Seton Elementary School (Kindergarten to Grade 5), St. Patrick’s Community School (Kindergarten to Grade 7), and St. Theresa of Avila Elementary School (pre-K to Grade 5).

During this time, Catholic education was innovative in Red Deer as year-round schooling became an option at St. Patrick’s Community School. Red Deer’s first and only year-round school.

The Catholic school division continued to grow with the opening, renaming, and repurposing of schools like École Camille J. LeRouge (pre-K to Grade 9) and Notre Dame High School (Grades 10-12), alongside newer additions like St. Francis of Assisi Middle School (Grades 6-9), Father Henri Voisin Elementary School (Kindergarten to Grade 5), St. Joseph High School (Grades 10-12), and most recently, St. Lorenzo Ruiz Middle School (Grades 6-9).

Timeline

1904 – Father Henri Voisin arrives in Red Deer

1908 - Sisters of Wisdom (Filles de la Sagesse) convent is erected under Sister M. Agathe, convent expanded in 1913 and 1928

1908 – Red Deer Separate School District No. 17 was established

1914 – St. Mary’s Apostolic College opens for secondary learning

1925 – St. Mary’s Apostolic College building is bought by the Daughters of Wisdom and renamed Monfort School (later referred to as ‘Old Monfort School’)

1950 - Red Deer Separate School District acquires its first school, the old YMCA building at the A-20 camp, renamed as Sacred Heart School

1955 – Some classes are moved into the newly built Montfort School

1958 – Classes held at Montfort School (Grades 1-6), Sacred Heart School (Grades 1-6), Maryview School (Grades 1-6), and St. Joseph’s Convent

1962 – St. Thomas of Aquinas High School opens (Grades 7-12)

1963 – St. Martin de Porres School opens (Kindergarten – Grade 5)

1968 – Camille J. LeRouge Collegiate opens (Grades 10-12)

1976 – St. Elizabeth Seton School opens (Kindergarten – Grade 5)

1978 – Demolition of St. Joseph’s Convent

1981 – St. Patrick’s Community School opens (Kindergarten – Grade 7)

1986 – St. Theresa of Avila School opens (Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 5)

1988 – École St. Louis de Monfort opens (Kindergarten – Grade 5)

1992 – Holy Family School opens (Kindergarten – Grade 5)

1996 – Camille J. LeRouge Collegiate renamed École Camille J. LeRouge (Kindergarten – Grade 9)

1996 – École Secondaire Notre Dame High School opens (Grades 10-12)

1996 - École St. Louis de Monfort closes with students being transferred to École Camille J. LeRouge or École Secondaire Notre Dame High School

1998 – St. Patrick’s Community School turned into a kindergarten to grade 9 year-round school (the only school of its kind in Red Deer)

1999 - St. Thomas of Aquinas High School renamed St. Thomas of Aquinas Middle School (Grades 6-9)

2003 – St. Francis of Assisi Middle School opens (Grades 6-9)

2014 – Father Henri Voisin School opens (Kindergarten – Grade 5)

2017 – St. Joseph High School opens (Grades 10-12)

2023 – St. Lorenzo Ruiz Middle School opens (Kindergarten – Grade 5)