On August 8, 1936, Sister Mary Margharita and Sister Catherine Mary, Sisters of the Holy Names came to Bend to develop plans for a convent and school. Funded by the parish families, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School opened its doors on September 21, 1936. The original building consisted of four rooms of equal size. There were two classes to a room and a lunchroom in the basement. The school was heated by a wood furnace.
Over time the school grew to include middle school and kindergarten. The parish and the city of Bend also grew. Today, the school sits on a 17-acre campus on the east side of town and serves 121 students. The school is equipped with state of the art technology in every classroom. While we still have middle school and kindergarten, we also serve our littlest students in three and four-year Pre-K classrooms.
We continue a 79 year culture of excellence by setting an academic standard in education that is hard to match. Parents participate by volunteering in support of the desire to keep a faith-based education affordable in today's economic climate. Our Catholic heritage is celebrated with the help of the Sisters of Mary of Kakamega , with weekly Masses and school wide events. St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School students perform service hours in the spirit of our patron saint and go on to be a community and academic leaders in Bend's high schools.