History
Saint Catherine Academy was founded
in 1999 by Cardinal Edward Egan, the third Bishop of Bridgeport.
Through the generosity of a private donation, planning began in
January of 1999 for a school run by the Diocese of Bridgeport
dedicated to students with special needs. In August of 1999, St.
Catherine Academy opened of the campus of the Catholic Center
in Bridgeport and enrolled four students.
Within three years the number
of students grew to ten. In June of 2003, St. Catherine Academy
was granted approval by the State of Connecticut Department of
Education as a private, special education facility which enables
the school to accept placements from public school districts.
Growth continued and by 2005 the school had outgrown the facility
at the Catholic Center. A major capital campaign began and hundreds
of generous donors responded and on June 11, 2006, the Bishop
William Lori broke ground for a new state-of-the-art facility
at 760 Tahmore Drive in Fairfield.
In June 2007, Saint Catherine
Academy celebrated the first graduation. Bishop Lori presented
a diploma to our first graduate. On September 30, 2007, Bishop
William Lori dedicated the new facility for St. Catherine Academy
on the grounds of Holy Cross Church in Fairfield. The State Department
of Education extended approval in June 2008.
