Sarah Mitchell
Helias Catholic High School is a Roman Catholic high school in Jefferson City, Missouri. The school was opened in 1956 as Helias High School and was renamed in 2010 to more clearly communicate its identity as a Catholic school.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year founded | 1956 |
| Year of name change to Helias Catholic | 2010 |
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Helias Catholic High School opened in 1956
Helias Catholic High School, a Roman Catholic high school in Jefferson City, Missouri, opened its doors in September 1956. The school was founded to accommodate the enrolment growth that exceeded the capacity of the former St. Peter High School, which was built in 1930. Local Catholic leaders and families spent four years raising $1 million for the new school, which was named after Jesuit missionary Father Ferdinand Helias.
The school was designed for 600 students and was staffed by the De La Salle Christian Brothers and School Sisters of Notre Dame. It opened with 467 students, and initially operated a co-institutional model, with boys and girls attending separate classes. The sisters taught the girls, and the brothers taught the boys.
In 1969, Helias Catholic High School became fully co-educational. By the early 1980s, while the school's teachers were still religious men and women, the majority of staff were lay men and women. In 1971, James L. Rackers became the school's first layman principal, and the first layman to direct a Catholic secondary school in Missouri.
The original school building remains in use today, and was expanded in 1979 with a new fine arts wing, and again in 1992. In 2010, the school's name was officially changed to Helias Catholic High School to more clearly communicate its identity as a Catholic school and its mission of Christ-centred education.
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The school was named after Jesuit missionary Father Ferdinand Helias
Helias Catholic High School in Jefferson City, Missouri, was founded in 1956 as an interparish Catholic school. The school was named after Jesuit missionary Father Ferdinand Helias. It was designed to accommodate 600 students and was necessary due to the overtaxed St. Peter High School, which was built in 1930 and could not handle the influx of students after World War II.
The school was named after Father Ferdinand Helias, a Jesuit missionary who worked in the area. The specific contributions or significance of Father Helias to the community are not immediately clear, but it is assumed that he played an important role in the establishment or development of the Catholic Church in Jefferson City or the surrounding region.
The school's original name was simply "Helias High School," reflecting its association with the missionary's name. However, in 2010, the school's name was officially changed to "Helias Catholic High School" to more clearly communicate its identity as a Catholic school and its mission of providing a Christ-centered education. This change occurred to emphasize the school's commitment to providing an education rooted in Catholic teachings and values, which had always been an integral part of its curriculum and philosophy since its founding.
The addition of "Catholic" to the school's name served to explicitly highlight this aspect, ensuring that prospective students and their families, regardless of their religious affiliation, were aware of the foundational principles and environment that the school offered. This renaming also helped to foster a stronger sense of community and unity among those who shared the Catholic faith and wanted an education steeped in its traditions and doctrines.
The name "Helias Catholic High School" thus pays homage to the pioneering missionary work of Father Ferdinand Helias while also clearly signifying the school's religious affiliation and educational mission centered on Catholic teachings and the recognition and nurturing of Christ's graces in each person.
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Helias Catholic is a diocesan, Roman Catholic school
Helias Catholic High School opened in September 1956 as a diocesan school named after Jesuit missionary Father Ferdinand Helias. It was founded to accommodate the enrolment growth that exceeded the capacity of the former St. Peter High School in Jefferson City. Local Catholic leaders and families spent four years raising $1 million, and the school initially taught boys and girls separately, becoming fully co-educational in 1969.
Helias Catholic is open to students and families who are not members of the parishes, and the school works in partnership with families to provide each student with an education rooted in faith, community, and pursuit of excellence. The school offers Advanced Placement (AP) and dual-credit courses, allowing students to earn college credit while in high school.
The name of the school was officially changed to Helias Catholic High School in 2010 to communicate its identity as a Catholic school and its mission of Christ-centred education. The school operates under the leadership of the Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City and partners with parochial schools within the diocese to further its ministry of Catholic secondary education in Mid-Missouri.
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Helias Catholic is located in Jefferson City, Missouri
Helias Catholic High School is a Roman Catholic high school in Jefferson City, Missouri, United States. The school was opened in September 1956 to accommodate the enrolment growth that exceeded the capacity of the former St. Peter High School in Jefferson City. The school was named after Jesuit missionary Father Ferdinand Helias.
The school was founded by local Catholic leaders and families, who spent four years raising $1 million to build it. They chose the De La Salle Christian Brothers and School Sisters of Notre Dame to teach its students. The school was designed for 600 students and located on Swifts Highway.
Initially, boys and girls were taught separately, and the school became fully co-educational in 1969. Religious men and women served as the school's first teachers, but by the early 1980s, the school was primarily staffed by lay men and women. In 1971, James L. Rackers became the first layman to direct a Catholic school in Missouri when he was appointed principal of Helias.
Helias Catholic is open to students and families who are not members of the Catholic Church, and the school works in partnership with families to provide each student with an education rooted in faith, community, and the pursuit of excellence. The school is committed to providing excellence in education, as established on the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church for students in grades 9-12.
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The school changed its name from Helias High School in 2010
Helias Catholic High School, a Roman Catholic high school in Jefferson City, Missouri, was initially called Helias High School when it opened in September 1956. The school was named after Jesuit missionary Father Ferdinand Helias and was designed to accommodate 600 students.
Helias Catholic High School was established to address the enrolment growth that exceeded the capacity of the former St. Peter High School in Jefferson City. Local Catholic leaders and families raised $1 million to fund the new school, which initially taught boys and girls separately.
In 1969, the school transitioned to a fully co-educational model. By the early 1980s, the school's staff predominantly comprised lay men and women, marking a shift from its initial religious instructors.
In 2010, the school underwent a name change, officially becoming Helias Catholic High School. This alteration aimed to clearly communicate the school's Catholic identity and its mission of providing a Christ-centred education. The name change reflected the school's commitment to partnering with families to offer a disciplined environment rooted in faith, community, and academic excellence.
Since the name change, Helias Catholic High School has continued to expand and evolve. In 2017, the school unveiled new facilities, including the Science Center, the St. Pius X Chapel, an administrative wing, and additional classrooms. The school also introduced the Crusader Athletic Complex, bringing various sports programmes onto the campus within the Jefferson City community.
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Frequently asked questions
Helias Catholic High School opened for the 1956-57 school year.
The school opened its doors to 467 students.
The school was named after Jesuit missionary Father Ferdinand Helias.
The school was previously named St. Peter High School.
In 2010, the school changed its name to Helias Catholic to better communicate its identity as a Catholic school.
