History

Saints Simon and Jude School had its official beginning on May 25, 1961 when Reverend Joseph A. Cavanaugh founded the parish for the Catholic families residing in the area.  In September of 1962, the school opened its doors and the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, along with a few lay teachers comprised the first faculty.  Grades 1 through 4 were one classroom each; grades 5 through 8 were double classrooms.

In 1970, the two-story building had 16 classrooms, two for each grade from 1 through 8, and construction of the gymnasium had begun. In 1990, ground was broken for a new wing that provided Saints Simon and Jude School with new classrooms, a library, music room, computer room, faculty room, and a large parish center.  The renovation also included additional bathrooms and a few smaller rooms were constructed for tutoring purposes.  In 1991, a kindergarten classroom opened and in 1992, a second kindergarten classroom was added.

In 2005, a new church was built and the former church was renovated to include a school cafeteria and meeting rooms the following year.  In 2007, the gymnasium was renovated with wood flooring and bleachers.  In 2008, the Chester County Intermediate Unit employees moved from outside trailers to renovated rooms in the building, a Spanish class was added as well as an art room.  The following year a Science Lab was installed for hands-on lessons and experiments.  Then in the summer of 2013, an HVAC system was added throughout the school.  To ensure greater security, in the summer of 2014, the main office was relocated to the front entrance and an additional set of doors were added to create a secure lobby.

April 2016 saw the formation of the Saints Simon and Jude School Board of Limited Jurisdiction.  In September 2017, Saints Simon and Jude’s Little Explorers Preschool opened with a class for PreK 3 and PreK 4 children.

In November 2017, the United States Department of Education recognized Saints Simon and Jude School as an Exemplary High Performing National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. The following month, The Pennsylvania Department of Education awarded Saints Simon and Jude School the Keystone Award of Excellence.  In the fall of 2021, Saints Simon and Jude School was named an Archdiocese of Philadelphia School of Distinguished Instruction. In November 2021, the school hosted an accreditation team that led to full re-accreditation notification by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools in May of 2022.

For the 2022-2023 school year, Saints Simon and Jude opened a third preschool class and a full-time Resource Room. The school’s library and technology rooms were combined to create a new Media Center. The school opened the 2022-2023 school year with 369 students in preschool through grades 8.

Looking to the future, Saints Simon and Jude School continues to incorporate advancements in education and technology to accommodate the entire student body. The faculty, staff, and School Board work together toward the goals set forth in the Middle States plan and long range plan to advance the mission of the school.