St. Peter Central Catholic Elementary School occupies the original site and building of St. Peter’s Grammar School, which first opened in 1921 and was staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph, Springfield, MA. The school served grades 1-12.
The Worcester Parochial School System, like others in the early 1970’s, was subject to many dramatic changes. The high school population at St. Peter’s was asked to merge with the all-girl Marian High School to form St. Peter Marian Central Catholic High School.
In 1972, Worcester Central Catholic Elementary School (WCC) began its faith journey amid a sea of changes. WCC was a result of a merger between Sacred Heart Academy and St. John-Ascension and St. Peter School. The school was housed on two sites in the City of Worcester. Grades one through five were schooled at the former Sacred Heart Academy on Gage Street and grades six through eight were housed on Temple Street at the former Saint John-Ascension building.
In 1976, the two high schools merged and the Gage and Temple Street buildings were closed. The two schools became one, known as Worcester Central Catholic Elementary School on 865 Main Street, the original St. Peter Grammar School. The school welcomed students from all the schools that had closed.
Within the next five years, Blessed Sacrament, Sacred Heart, Holy Name, St. Casmir, and St. Paul in Worcester and St. Joseph’s in Leicester all closed. Most of the students joined the Worcester Central Catholic School.
Our school has a rich tradition as a Catholic School. Our presence in the Main South, inner city section of the city is strongly respected. Worcester County residents when asking for our location refer to us as the “old St. Peter’s”.
In 1996, Bishop Daniel Reilly, newly installed Bishop of Worcester, changed the name from a “less Catholic title” back to St. Peter Central Catholic Elementary School.
St. Peter Central Catholic Elementary School has a rich history of academic excellence. The opening in 1980 of a Kindergarten led to an increase in enrollment and was followed in 1987 with the opening of the Preschool program.
Today our school serves children from Preschool to Grade 8. Our children come from twenty-two different towns and cities throughout the county. Students represent forty-five different parishes and non-Catholic churches throughout the area. With this diversity as its base, our school is inclusive and responsive to the community in which it is situated.
Our proud history encourages us to look to a bright future as we continue to deepen our Catholic identity and strengthen our cultural diversity while striving to give each child the tools to become good citizens in the church and the global community.
