Inspired by faith, Driven by excellence
Vision
Our Lady of Perpetual Help School nurtures the whole child through academic, social, and spiritual growth guided by Christ's teachings. We create a supportive environment that encourages independence and responsibility, establishing a strong foundation for success. Through collaboration and a dedication to student success, we foster a culture that embraces faith, family, and academic excellence.
Student Life at OLPH
Inspired by Faith, Driven by Excellence.
At Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, student life is filled with faith, friendship, and discovery. From our youngest preschoolers—where we begin potty training and nurturing independence—to our eighth graders preparing for high school, every student is supported in a close-knit, faith-filled community that encourages growth in mind, heart, and spirit.
Each day begins and ends with prayer, reminding our students that God is at the center of all we do. Faith is woven throughout the school experience through weekly Mass, monthly rosaries, religion classes at every grade level, and sacramental preparation for our second graders. Students live their faith through service by preparing extra lunches for the homeless, engaging in community outreach, and, in junior high, choosing Discipleship as an elective focused on giving back.
Our classrooms are alive with curiosity and creativity. Students are challenged academically while supported by teachers who know and care for them. Each class enjoys hands-on learning through field trips, monthly retreats, and enrichment classes built right into the school day—including Music, Band, Art, Spanish, Physical Education, and STEAM through Project Lead the Way (PLTW).
School spirit shines each week during Spirit Days, assemblies, and special events that celebrate our community. Our beloved Buddy Program pairs younger and older students, building leadership, friendship, and a sense of belonging across grade levels.
Beyond the classroom, students can participate in After School Sports, Drama Club, Student Council, Oral Language, and Academic Decathlon. Seventh and eighth graders explore a range of electives, such as Band, Choir, Art, Coding, Discipleship, and Study Hall—helping them grow as leaders and lifelong learners.
At OLPH, students love coming to school because they feel known, supported, and inspired. Our campus is a joyful place where faith and learning flourish together—a true family inspired by faith and driven by excellence.
Quality Catholic Education
Our Lady of Perpetual Help School school offers the finest quality Catholic education that is accredited from WASC/WCEA and is supported by its families, pastor, and the entire parish.
We offer a skills-based, comprehensive, rigorous curriculum that is aligned with Diocesan and state standards. All classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards, TVs/Apple TVs, document cameras, iPads, Chromebooks, and wireless Internet accessibility.
The goal is to instill responsibility, competency, and a willingness to become lifelong learners in all areas of the curriculum
OLPH has received recognition from Project Lead the Way as a 2025-26 Distinguished Gateway School, which recognizes a select number of schools across the U.S. for their efforts to provide broad access to transformative learning experiences for students through PLTW Gateway programs, a grade 6-8 STEM curriculum.
PLTW is offered throughout Kindergarten through 8th grade through out STEAM program.
New Playground
In 2023, OLPH school installed a new playground! Our parent booster club helped make this project complete. It is very modern and is handicap accessible.
New Buildings
The convent that housed the kindergarten class was torn down during the 1987-88 school year and Monsignor Rechenmacher Hall erected on that site. During the construction period, the kindergarten class was held in a portable classroom before moving to its new location next to the library in the old hall. An extended day program was added during the 1989-90 school year, sharing space with the library. In 1998 three new classrooms were built to house first, second, and third grades and kindergarten move again into the old classrooms allowing room for a science lab and a computer lab in the old hall. A new building was built to house the new Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten classes along with a new building for a pre-school.
Up to Date Science Lab
2016-17 the computer lab expanded into the old science room and one classroom was extended to allow for a beautiful new science lab. All this new building to accommodate the growth in the junior high classes.
In 2025, the Science Lab grew into a STEAM classroom where students in Kindergarten through 8th grade enjoy learning Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math in the STEAM Lab.
Our Beginnings
The people and pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish decided to build a school shortly after the foundation of the parish in March 1948. The construction of the church was completed first, and then work on the school began in the spring of 1951.
In September 1951, the doors opened under the authority of the Dominican Sisters of Tacoma, Washington. A sister of the Sisters of Atonement taught Kindergarten. Sister M. Brigid O.P. was principal and teacher of the first and second grades. Miss O'Hare taught third and fourth grades.
Each year brought changes and soon the school had outgrown the original four classrooms. Three separate building projects between 1954 and 1961 brought the size of the school plant to eight classrooms and a hall. A convent was also constructed.
Originally, the seventh and eighth grade boys went to Garces High School campus for junior high, leaving the school with a combination class of seventh and eighth grade girls. In 1961, this practice was discontinued and in 1963, the first full eighth grade class of both boys and girls was graduated. Keeping the junior high boys on campus required additional room; hence the kindergarten was moved to the hall where it functioned for the next two years. The kindergarten was closed in 1963, but a perceived correlation between declining enrollment and the lack of a kindergarten prompted its reopening in 1974.
