Saint John Paul II Academy now officially a Catholic school

It was a big moment for the small high school called Saint John Paul II Academy in Surrey.

The academy might only have a few dozen students and no dedicated classrooms, but as of Oct. 22 it is officially a Catholic school.

“It is an incredibly proud moment for the school and all those who have worked so hard to make this school a reality,” said Troy Van Vliet, board chair of the Saint John Paul II Academy Foundation.

The official status – marked with the signing of agreements between Archbishop J. Michael Miller and school representatives – takes Saint John Paul II Academy one step further in its vision for a quality new high school in the South Surrey area.

Currently, its students (Grades 8-10) are receiving their education in rented space from Star of the Sea Parish while they wait for construction of the academy’s permanent home at 184th Street near 24th Ave. Construction had been expected to be complete by 2020, but as of Sept. 15 the site has only been blessed with building yet to start.

While construction hurdles are still ahead, the official status as a Catholic school is seen as an important step in a dream many years in the making.

“It is another step forward for us, and I wish to thank Archbishop Miller for his steadfast support of this project from day one,” said Vliet.

The official documents are dated Oct. 22, the Feast Day of St. John Paul II and a significant date for a school aiming to live up to the late Pope’s values.

The new agreements allow the academy to call itself Catholic and use resources available through the Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese. It also outlines that the academy is not a CISVA school, but a new non-regional institution under a different funding model.

CISVA schools are regional schools that receive students from the areas covered by contributing parishes. Funding models include parishes shouldering 50 per cent of construction costs and the Archdiocese of Vancouver the other 50 per cent. The affiliation agreement describes this model as “no longer economically feasible.”

Instead, the new school is more dependent on parents than parish funding. The new model includes a higher per-student tuition than a regional secondary school and temporary enrolment deposits from families who can send their children to Saint John Paul II Academy from anywhere.

Thanks to the affiliation agreement, the academy can access CISVA resources including professional development, consulting, and scholarships. Its teachers are recognized and can transfer between Saint John Paul II Academy and CISVA schools.

It was one year ago, Oct. 22, that Traditional Learning Academy also officially became a Catholic school. It was running under faith-based principles for 28 years before it gained the designation.

More information about the Saint John Paul II Academy is at www.sjp2academy.com.