To say that St. John Paul II Catholic Secondary School opened its door to its first students on September 6, 1983, would be true but misleading. On that day, 135 students arrived at 685 Military Trail to begin their academic careers at JPII. But there were many doors to open. The school community of that day was housed in the former St. Bede's Catholic School and in a dozen temporary portable classrooms. In 1984, the student population doubled as did the number of portables. Portables were to be our reality as the new school was constructed.
The physical structure took six years to complete. In the spring of 1989, the building was officially blessed and opened as Pope John Paul II Catholic Secondary School. Pope John Paul II was canonized in 2013, and the school was officially recognized as Saint John Paul II.
One of the first Catholic high schools to be built under extended provincial funding, the school was built in a circle enclosing a landscaped courtyard. The school has 41 classrooms, four science laboratories, three gymnasiums, a large library, a student services area, a drama room, two music rooms, a drafting room, two tech shops, and two art rooms. At the heart of the school is the chapel. The design and decorating of the chapel were paid for from monies raised by the students for this purpose.
