The History of St. Ambrose School
The first faculty consisted of Sister Dosithea O’Connor, the principal, Sister Zita Murphy and Miss Dorothy Castellion. The Sisters of St. Joseph have been the teaching order associated with St. Ambrose since it began. For years these generous religious donated their services to the Parish, receiving no salary. During its first year, 122 boys and girls attended St. Ambrose School. By the 1940’s, class sizes frequently exceeded 60 students per class, and following World War II, registration soared even further. In 1950, there were 820 students enrolled in a school built for only 700. It was decided to build a new church, and convert the space occupied by the present one into six additional classrooms. In October 1960, following a successful three-year fund drive, the new St. Ambrose Church was dedicated by Bishop James E. Kearney. But plans to begin remodeling were halted unexpectedly on Easter Sunday, April 29, 1962, when the original school building was destroyed by fire. Within two days, students from Grades 1 – 4 were able to attend school in the Annex. The community generously offered aid, and the remaining DPs [Displaced Pupils] attended class at St. Rita’s, Annunciation, and Corpus Christi. In the following school year, 400 students and eight teachers used the third floor of Immaculate Conception School for Grades 5-8. St. Ambrose School students met in the parking lot before school for prayer and a blessing before boarding buses. Exactly eighteen months after the fire, the present St. Ambrose School was ready to open, with eighteen carpeted classrooms, a new and innovative idea at the time. The neighboring school of St. James, which is now part of the Peace or Christ Parish, closed in June of 1990 as the Diocese of Rochester School System reorganized into quadrants. Many of those students and several of their teachers as well, became an asset to the St. Ambrose School community, as part of the Northeast Quadrant. The St. Ambrose School from 1962 to 2006 was a living Christian community. It embraced the future from a solid continuity of tradition. The students and the parish saw the Church and the School as a family, an ideal the St. Ambrose founders began eighty years ago and would be proud to see sustained and enriched today.
The History of St. John Neumann School
In the fall of 2005, due to declining enrollments across the diocese, Bishop Matthew Clark, announced that seven schools would merge into 3 schools. This meant that St. Ambrose School and St. John the Evangelist School on Humboldt Street would become one school. The new school was to hold sessions in the old St. Ambrose School building and the school was renamed St. John Neumann School. The name is appropriate as Bishop Neumann established the first diocesan school system in the United States in 1852. The new St. John Neumann School opened its doors in the fall of 2006 under the leadership of Ms. Marie Arcuri, with many new teachers on the staff as well as many new students who quickly became good friends establishing a solid new school community. As diocesan school enrollments continued to decline, Bishop Clark again was forced to announce in the spring of 2008 that 13 additional Monroe County Catholic Schools would be forced to close their doors across the diocese. St. John Neumann became the only elementary school on the east side of the Genesee River with proximity to the City of Rochester, and again saw many additional changes. It went from having one of every grade level, preschool through sixth grade, to having two of every level except third and sixth grade. Students, faculty and staff, from across the diocese, from Gates to Greece to Webster and Fairport joined together to once again form a warm and caring community. Many new and exciting traditions were established which students continue to look forward to every year. Many service projects were by classrooms and the school to help the community outside the school’s walls. In 2011 the Diocese again decided to revise the format of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Rochester, and the formerly diocesan schools once again reverted to the parishes starting in the fall of 2011. Peace of Christ Parish welcomed the St. John Neumann School into its community with open arms and another new era began for the Neumann students. Working together the students and staff continued to build a strong faith-based family community.
The History of St. Ambrose Academy
In the fall of 2017, St. John Neumann was renamed St. Ambrose Academy, to increase name recognition within the Rochester community. A gala fundraiser encouraged connections with Peace of Christ Parish and alumni. An auction to name classrooms after persons instrumental to the school’s history became a successful means of fund raising. Parishioners now provide school supplies and clothing for students as needed. Since St. Ambrose is the Patron Saint of Bees, extracurricular student service groups were named The Busy Bees and The Bumblebees. These groups provide outreach to veterans, food cupboards, and nursing homes. A restorative approach to discipline was adopted as students met each morning for prayer and self-esteem affirmation. A fulltime counselor was added to the faculty to further address student needs. The Ascension Council of the Knights of Columbus adopted the school, providing activities and materials for students along with financial support through fundraisers and scholarships. In 2022- 2023 the Peace of Christ Catholic Community, working with the St. Ambrose Academy School Board, prepared to celebrate the 100th Centennial year of our school. Communication with alumni and past employees was re-established, and numerous events were held, including a fund-raising gala, several school open houses, and a reception after Sunday Mass for students and parishioners, past and present. All present were proud of the long and rich history of faith based education at St. Ambrose, and pray for its future success by embracing the school’s 101st year and beyond.
