HISTORY OF ST. PETER THE APOSTLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL
St. Peter the Apostle School originated in 1952 as the White Settlement Mission School. That year, it opened its doors to 22 kindergartners and 39 first graders. It gradually expanded to include all grades. It was in 1969-1970 that St. Peter’s seventh and eighth graders attended Nolan High School. In 1955, the Benedictine Sisters from Lisle, Illinois came to staff the school. They served St. Peter’s until 1966. The school Sisters of Notre Dame replaced them in August 1966 and stayed until 1980. In 1958, the children from St. Paul’s Parish were bused to St. Peter’s. The school auditorium was used for church, parish hall and cafeteria. The barracks buildings were purchased from Carswell Air Force Base to ease crowded conditions. In 1964, the school worked for accreditation. It added four classrooms, a teacher's lounge, and two offices for administrative purposes and renovated the kitchen area. In 1970, St. Peter’s students were transported to St. Paul’s Parish School. During that period until 1977, the school was known as St. Peter and Paul’s School. In 1982, the students returned to St. Peter’s present facility. There was enrollment of 160 students, three Notre Dame Sisters and five lay teachers. Over the next several years, an upgraded program was provided to meet the needs of the students.
In July of 1981, Sr. Mary Helen Fuhrmann was employed by the school board to administer the K through 6th grade program. There were 158 students that year. It was that same year that the school employed its first secretary and the following year, the school accounts were separated from the parish accounts. In 1982, an after school daycare program was opened to provide care for the students until 6:00pm. There was a growing need for this program due to an increasing number of working mothers. Walls were built to separate the classrooms in the lower grades. In 1984, a Pre-Kindergarten program began for the four-year-olds. In 1987, the Government Lunch program was discontinued. In 1991, Sister Mary Helen left St. Peter. The school's first lay administrator was selected, and Debora Herrera (1992-2004) began the 1992-93 school year. The school's enrollment began to increase in the late 1990's and the decision was made to add seventh and eighth grades back to the school.
In August 2000, the school opened a new junior high facility to better serve sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. The building features a new library, science lab, and lunchroom facilities. Mrs. Barbara Graybeal served St. Peter’s as principal for the 2004-2005 school year. Ms. Erin Vader served as the principal from 2005 until the end of the 2009-2010 school year. Dr. Cindy Cummins served as the principal from 2010-2013. Over the spring and summer of 2012, the school received a complete renovation thanks to the supporters of the St. Peter’s Remember, Rebuild, Renew campaign and the Diocese of Fort Worth. Ms. Christina Mendez served as the principal from 2013 until the end of the 2016 school year. Mrs. Lisa Giardino is the current principal for St. Peter the Apostle Catholic School.
A history can simply be a record of dates, or it can be a record of achievements. St. Peter the Apostle Catholic School is proud to have recorded numerous achievements during its 60 year history. Among them are the following: a committed faculty, relevant curriculum and innovative programs, the continued success of its graduates, the return of many graduates as parents of St. Peter students, and the support and commitment of the families toward a value-based Catholic education.
The school was accredited by the Texas Catholic Conference in 1987 and again in 1997 and in 2007. St. Peter the Apostle School received numerous exemplary and outstanding ratings and full accreditation status each of these times.
Our school community looks forward to on-going achievement and development as an integral part of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Parish. We are proud of our past history and look forward to the future with enthusiasm
