St. Peter Catholic career and technical high school to open in Houston

Eighth-grader Arturo Alonso said he prayed to be accepted into the inaugural class of Houston’s first Catholic career and technical high school. He became its first student. Alonso was also the first student to apply to St. Peter Catholic Career and Technical High School, the first of its kind in Texas and one of two Catholic technical schools in the country. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo said the school intends to educate its students in the Catholic intellectual tradition while also preparing them for the jobs that are in high demand. “Our students will be well-trained, career ready workers upon graduation,” DiNardo said. “Our goal is to provide an affordable Catholic education for students who want to develop the skills they need to become working professionals right after graduation.” Alonso said he became interested because he has a passion for architecture but is not sure if a four year college is in his future. The St. Christopher Catholic middle school student said he wants to go straight to the workforce when he is done with high school. HOUSTON SCHOOLS GUIDE: Rankings, resources and analysis to help parents pick the right place for their children “When I found out of this brand new school I told my mom, ‘Let's apply and there’ and God-willing get accepted,” Alonso said at a celebration Tuesday for the school’s August opening. “It feels amazing being the first one accepted and seeing the new campus.” The school at 6220 La Salette is on the 10-acre, partially-renovated site of a Catholic grade school that suffered declining attendance and shut down in May 2019, principal Marc Martinez said. Classrooms have been expanded and the entrance of the school was moved to a different side of the building. While Alonso is ready to embark on the next journey, the school still has more work to do before its doors can open completely. The school will open in phases. The inaugural freshman class starting August 2023 will be capped at 50 students, of which 16 have applied and have been accepted. Tuition is $15,000 and with fundraising, school officials hope to provide tuition assistance for families who need it. In phase one of opening, the curriculum will focus on preparing students for career paths in information technology and web development; business, marketing and finance; architecture and construction; and education and training. In phases two and three, more areas of study will be added. The studies chosen are based on industry demands, Martinez said. “We will look to bring the latest in technology trends that support industry needs and demands as we prepare students academically for the workforce,” Martinez said. EDUCATION: With an HISD state takeover looming, here's how the TEA has taken over other Texas school districts The school was created by the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston along with community partners, and school officials said so far $9.3 million has been raised for the renovation. Renovations are expected to be completed in September, and until then, students will have class at the nearby St. Dominic’s Center. With 16 students on the roster as of March, no teachers have been hired yet, Martinez said, but he hopes to hire about four or five before August. “It's almost which comes first — the chicken or the egg,” Martinez said.

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Catholic career and tech high school to open in Houston, the second of its kind in US

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