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Describing the southern end of Manchester as "the neglected area" of the city, Msgr. Joseph Donahue, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, founded St. Francis of Assisi School to accommodate its parishioners and neighboring families. Staffed by the Sisters of Charity of Halifax, St. Francis of Assisi School opened its doors in September 1957 to grades one through four.
Sister Mary John, its first principal, guided the school in its earliest years. Enrollment quickly grew so that by the early to mid sixties, grades five through eight were included in the curriculum.
During the period of upheaval, between 1969-1971, when most Catholic schools were forced to consolidate in order to survive, St. Francis remained an independent and self-sufficient school, thanks in part to its dedicated pastor Fr. Horan, the teachers and parents.
The Sisters of Charity remained at St. Francis throughout the sixties and early seventies. By the early eighties only four teaching sisters remained along with Principal Sr. Honora Curran.
St. Francis is staffed by lay people today. The school appointed its first lay principal in 1994 and continues to be lead by a layperson.
The educational offerings were extended in September 1987 when St. Francis opened a Kindergarten program to nurture children and prepare them for first grade. The 7th and 8th grade programs were discontinued in 1990. In the early 1990s, extended day programs were added for the convenience of the school families and to financially help the school.
Also in the early 1990s, under the guidance of the Pastor Fr. Paul Ruzzo, negotiations began with the Manchester Airport for the purchase of the St. Francis Parish complex so that the airport could expand its runway system. Those negotiations came to fruition in 1998 when a purchase and sales agreement was signed. The parish acquired a new 18+ acre site off of Sterling Road in Litchfield, NH. The new church and attached school were dedicated in July 2000. Fr. Dennis Broussard replaced Fr. Paul in June 2001. In 2006, Fr. Ray Labrie came to lead our parish. And in 2007 Shannon Dannible joined as school Principal. Together they hope to grow St. Francis of Assisi School to become a thriving institution and community landmark.
St. Francis of Assisi School consists of grades Kindergarten through six. There are both half-day and full-day kindergarten programs. The school's future is secure and with our new site, future growth potential is great. The school has formed new relationships with the Litchfield School District. It has benefited from increased enrollment from the towns of Litchfield, Londonderry and Hudson.
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