History
Christ the King Catholic School opened its doors to two hundred students on September 5, 1961. Fifty students were enrolled in each of the first through fourth grade classrooms. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet were chosen to staff the school. The first year of operation the school was staffed entirely by religious. The original school consisted of eight classrooms, a library, a health room, faculty room and two offices.
With the addition of another first grade class of fifty students each September, the school reached its full capacity of 400 students, eight grades, and its first graduating class in June of 1966. This same year marked the beginning of departmental teaching in the three upper grades.
In the 1970’s Christ the King Catholic School added Kindergarten classes. The Parent Association (PA) was formed to provide fund raising, parent education, and social events. The first School Board was elected as an advisory body to assist administration in formulating school policy.
In the 1980’s the addition of a Learning Center brought much-needed technological advances to Christ the King. Extended Day Care was also introduced to provide before and after school care for students of working parents. The annual Parish Festival, which began as a one-day carnival, has grown to a two-day major event full of fun activities.
A new junior high wing was built and opened in January of 1999. The school suffered a devastating fire in its central school building in May of 1999. With much hard work, dedication, and loving hands a new school was constructed and opened its doors for the 2000-2001 school year. Christ the King Catholic School’s tradition of academic excellence was continued in March 2004 with the renewal of accreditations from the Western Catholic Education Association and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
2007-2008 saw a major upgrade to our classroom technology. ActivBoards and ActiVotes were installed in all classrooms to bring interactive technology to our students. Teachers received iMac laptops to incorporate their lessons with this new technology. The Media Center computers were upgraded to dual platform iMacs to allow both Microsoft and Apple technologies.
In 2009-2010 the beautiful Garden of Blessing and Prayer Gardens were completed. They provide a peaceful meditation space, an outdoor nature classroom, a fruit and vegetable garden and Stations of the Cross. Throughout their years at CTK, all students spend time working and learning in these gardens as part of the school curriculum.
2010-2011 began with a 6 year renewal of our accreditation from the Western Catholic Education Association and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. It also brought the addition of an outdoor amphitheater to our campus. Located at the edge of our junior high wing, it provides open seating for classes, small performances, and many other school and parish activities. In 2011-2012 we celebrated 50 years of providing Catholic education to our community. Our amphitheater was dedicated in honor of this milestone.
In 2014-2016 we participated in the Western Catholic Education Association and Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WCEA/WASC) accreditation process and were awarded a renewal of our accreditation for six years in the summer of 2016. A protective fence with vehicle and pedestrian gates was also completed in July 2016.
Our 2017 school year began with the opening of our newly renovated Media Lab and Library. It is a multifunctional space with mobile shelving and tables, regular and soft seating, whiteboards, a Lego wall, and wireless projection and technology capabilities. Its flexible design and welcoming atmosphere meet the needs of our youngest students up through our faculty and staff, as well as adult community members.
During the 2018-2019 year, both CTK School and CTK Parish oversaw the completion of numerous construction and maintenance projects. A new roof to the main building of the school was completed during the summer of 2018. In addition, solar panels were installed on both the school and the gym, which will benefit both CTK School and the parish. Additional bandwidth, a new public address system, and bell system were also installed during the year. In the spring of 2019, the parish opened the new Faith Ministry center, and a comprehensive project is currently in progress to complete the renovation of the gym complex, including the restrooms, foyer, and Parish Hall. Lastly, in the summer of 2019, new flooring in the main school building and a new sewage system for CTK School and CTK Parish were installed
The 2019-2021 school years provided unique challenges with the emergence of the COVID-19 virus. In March 2020, schools were forced to close and instruction was delivered virtually through March of 2021, when students returned to campus for modified hybrid instruction. Despite the challenges, CTK was able to make a number of advances in technology and instruction. Fiber network was installed for faster internet access. New Promethean Smart Boards were installed in all classrooms. All students transitioned to 1:1 devices to support at-home learning, and use of online technology increased exponentially. Thanks to tremendous effort from our students, families, faculty and staff, we persevered through the challenges that these years presented.
The 2021-2022 school year resumed a normalized school life pattern as learning returned to campus full-time. Our library’s physical setting was updated and funds were exercised to increase literacy resources and materials in all classrooms. Further, a marketing and communication plan has resulted in a biannual publication titled The CTK Ray, which encompasses many aspects of our school’s legacy, traditions, and lived experiences and is sent out to all stakeholders. Additionally, a new school logo, brand, and mantra, “One Community and One Family, were adopted to support our marketing and communication efforts. Lastly, two major capital projects were completed this school year as well—new asphalt and striping campus-wide and a completely new renovation of our outdoor Garden of Blessing.