Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic School: Preschool through Middle School.
As Bend, Oregon’s premier K-8 Catholic school, St. Francis of Assisi educates the whole child in a Christ-centered community. From preschool through middle school, we actively celebrate individual strengths, help students overcome challenges, and foster life-long friendships. Our official school colors, blue and gold, proudly stand for the academic and personal success we instill in our students through a proven legacy of service, leadership, and excellence.
We proudly trace our foundational Christian education back to August 8, 1936, when Sister Mary Margharita and Sister Catherine Mary of the Sisters of the Holy Names arrived in Bend. Generous parish families fully funded our private elementary school, allowing us to officially open on September 21, 1936. Our original building featured just four equal-sized rooms housing two classes each, a humble basement lunchroom, and a single wood furnace.
As our vibrant parish and the city of Bend expanded, so did our premier faith-based school. Today, our 17-acre campus on the east side of town serves 180 students. We actively blend our rich history with modern innovation, outfitting every classroom with one-to-one devices and advanced technology. We comprehensively serve families by guiding students from our three- and four-year Pre-K classrooms through our private middle school.
Students
We offer an exceptional educational journey starting at age 3 and continuing through eighth grade. Our small class size private school model deliberately caps our enrollment at around 180 students, strictly maintaining an average 18:1 student-to-teacher ratio. This ensures educators deliver highly individualized attention. While we deliver a robust Catholic curriculum, we warmly welcome all families; currently, about 60% of our student body is Catholic.
Teachers
We employ a team of highly qualified, dedicated educators who actively hold credentials and licenses from the Oregon Teacher’s Standards and Practices Commission. Furthermore, a significant portion of our teaching staff pursues and holds advanced degrees, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to rigorous professional standards, continuous learning, and standards-based curriculum expertise.
Parents
St. Francis of Assisi actively cultivates a strong sense of community through a robust parent volunteer program, recognizing families as vital partners in education. To ensure this collaborative approach thrives, each family enthusiastically commits to contributing 36 hours of volunteer service annually. This engaged parent network directly supports our safe, inclusive environment.
Standard school hours are 7:59 am to 3:00 pm, with modified times on Early Release Days. Extended Care is available until 6:00 pm. Daily hot lunch is offered. Saint Francis of Assisi is a Parish school, not an area school.