Christ the Good Shepherd/St. John Paul II Classical Catholic School has a rich history. Father Joseph Torzewski founded Christ the Good Shepherd in Lincoln Park in 1947. This year is the 75th Jubilee anniversary.
In 1950, on a five-acre section located just inside the Lincoln park city limits, construction began on Christ the Good Shepherd School. In late summer of that same yar, Sisters of St. Joseph arrived to assume administration and teaching duties at the school. That fall, classes began using the upper and lower levels of teh church as classrooms. There were 330 students enrolled.
In 1951, students began classes in the first ten classrooms built. The following year, 428 students attended the school. In 1955, the current church was built. It was designed to be a gym, with a new church to be added at a later time. In 1957, a larger convent was built, and another eight classrooms. At this point, approximately 1,300 students attended the school. In 1961, six more classrooms were added. Enrollment at the school hit its peak that year with 1,548 students.
In 2000, the Christ the Good Shepherd Activities Building was opened. It consists of a full-sized gymnasium with locker rooms, as well as a well-equiped cafeteria and kitchen.
By 2010, due to declining enrollment, the decision was made to enter into a merger school arrangement with Mount Carmel Catholic School, and Wyandotte Catholic School. The merger school would be housed in the Christ the Good Shepherd building. This merger school was renamed John Paul II Catholic School and opened in 2011. The merger arrangement would last eight years before being disolved in 2019.
In the fall of 2019, a new parish school emerged at the Christ the Good Shepherd site.
This new entity is Called St. John Paul II Classical Catholic School.
And that brings us to today. We now have a total of 27 classrooms, and a team of dedicated faith-filled, loving teachers.