St. Vincent Catholic Schools

We share our Catholic faith with the Perry County community through our parishes and schools.

Current Happenings

Enrollment

PencilHolder Icon

Parent Portal

Hamburger Icon

Cafeteria Menus

Backpack Icon

Giving/Fundraising

givers icon

Education Foundation/Auction

SVDP Catholic School
Transforming Students Through Faith and Knowledge

Since the late 1800s, St. Vincent Catholic Schools has been a cornerstone of the Perryville community. Providing challenging coursework, a wide range of extracurricular activities and a strong foundation in the Catholic faith, the school has made a tremendous impact on thousands of lives.

Offering pre-K through grade 12, the school system is operated by St. Vincent De Paul Parish in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. St. Vincent Catholic Schools are ranked in the top 5% of Catholic schools in the national program and is recognized as one of 300 high-performing Catholic high schools nationwide. Our students excel, with 97% enrolling in college.

St. Vincent Schools follow the Vincentian Philosophy of Education, which seeks to proclaim the Gospel in the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul and, in so doing, to form people that they may bring the Good News to the poor and stand with them in solidarity.

We strive to instill a love for Jesus in each child and also strive to teach the students about His great love for them.

st vincent statue

Preschool

Elementary School

Junior & Senior High Schools

We hope that your child will be able to start their school adventure with us! If you have any questions or would like to put your child on our waiting list for the future, please feel free to call us at 573-547-4300 ext. 325 or email svpreschool@svdepaul.org.

School Theme
Praise

"Give Thanks to The Lord, For He is Good, His Love Endures Forever" - Psalm 106:1

School Theme

12:1

Student/
Teacher Ratio

19

Average
Class Size

95%

Graduates
Attend College

100%

of God’s Children
Welcome

Our Mission

St. Vincent Catholic Schools, united in Christ and guided by the spirit and educational values of St. Vincent, transform each student through the power of faith and knowledge.

Our Crest

Our school Crest was originally designed by the Daughters of Charity, who served our schools alongside the Vincentians for many years. At the top of the crest are the cross and the initials SV, representing our faith and school. Encircling the SV are three words: Religio, Scientia, Cultura (religion, science and culture). 

st vincent school

The History of St. Vincent Catholic Schools

More than 100 years ago, in 1907, the dream of offering a Catholic higher education to the children of Perryville became a reality when the Daughters of Charity arrived. After a small group of Catholics settled in Perry County in the 19th century, they wanted to establish a church and a rectory and so sent representatives to St. Louis to see Bishop DuBourg. He agreed to visit them and arrange for a church and a parish priest. Fr. Joseph Rosati, C.M., from Bardstown, was sent to supervise the building of a mission. The church and rectory were blessed by Fr. Rosati in 1820.

In 1827, the cornerstone of the Church of the Assumption was laid. October 29, 1837, marked its consecration by Bishop Rosati, C.M. On the same grounds was St. Mary of the Barrens Seminary, where young men prepared to become Vincentian priests of the Congregation of the Mission.

The German Catholics of Perryville erected St. Boniface Church in 1866. It was first staffed by priests from St. Mary's Seminary, but in 1869, Fr. Henry Groll, a diocesan priest, was appointed its first pastor. In 1870, a parochial school was established under the direction of the Sisters of the Precious Blood. The Ursuline Sisters replaced them in 1877. In 1947, the Ursuline Sisters withdrew from the parish, St. Boniface was placed under the direction of the Daughters of Charity, and the church was given back to the Vincentian fathers.

The St. Vincent Parish School was opened in 1896 with an enrollment of 33 pupils. The old school building was a large frame structure located on a lot between School and Ste. Maries Streets. At first, lay teachers staffed the school, but the Daughters of Charity assumed charge in the autumn of 1907. St. Vincent High School was begun that same year. It started as a two-year school and in 1917 saw its first four-year graduation class. In 1917, a larger school was built and opened with an enrollment of 332 grade and high school students and a faculty of 10 Sisters. Our present high school building was dedicated in August 1953 by Cardinal Joseph Ritter. Many renovations and improvements have taken place over the years. Some of which include: air conditioning, renovation of the library, new flooring, ceiling, lights, fire alarm system and state of the art technology. From the first graduates in 1909 to the present, St. Vincent High School has fostered Catholic education in the Perryville community.