School History

St John School was dedicated in 1912 and the first classes were held on September 9, 1912, Fr. Van den Hende, Sr. Benedict, Sr. Teresa, Sr. Clara, Sr. Helen, and Sr. Leona were present.  St John Catholic School is the second oldest continuously operating school in the Tulsa Diocese, second only to Holy Family Cathedral School.

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Father Edward Van Weasberghe started a mission in Bartlesville in 1901, and by 1905 had built a red brick mission church on the corner of Eighth and Johnstone. The St. John Parish was established in 1906, and its first priest, Father John Van den Hende, established and dedicated the St. John Grade School in 1912. The school was staffed by Ursuline Sisters of Padola, KS and was capable of holding 150 students. Students attended daily Mass and were taught Latin in addition to other subjects. The first students graduated in 1916.

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Recently, St. John Catholic School expanded its facilities to include a new gymnasium, classrooms for our Early Childhood Program, dyslexia, music, art, as well as a new office and lobby.

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St John Catholic School offers a core curriculum that empathizes literacy, critical thinking, and problem solving. Limited class size provides each student with individual attention for Early Childhood (Pre-K 3 years, Pre-K 4 years, Kindergarten) through Eighth Grade.