In the Beginning

The Parish of Our Lady of Sorrows was founded by the Reverend Patrick Mackin in the winter of 1929.  By 1955, the local population grew to the point where the establishment of a separate Catholic school was warranted.  Rev. Eugene Murtha, then the pastor of OLS, was asked by the Archdiocese to lay out plans.

Early OLS

On November 8, 1956, ground was broken for an eight-classroom building, on 6 acres of land adjacent to the Church.  By 1958, the school was blessed and dedicated by His Eminence Francis Cardinal Spellman and opened its doors to students in grades 1-4.  The Sisters of the Divine Compassion were invited to teach at the School.

OLS Expands

In the years following, one new grade was added each year.  By 1960, there were seven grades in the grammar school.  Two years after that, the first 8th grade class graduated.

In 2008, OLS added a kindergarten class and added a new classroom to its middle school wing.

OLS receives accreditation

Beginning in 1995, the School received accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools – a recognition for schools that have strongly and effectively advanced the quality of education of students. In addition, in 2012 OLS received accreditation from AdvancED for its exemplary academic performance.

OLS Develops Leaders

Graduates of OLS – more than 1200+ strong – have gone on to succeed at some of the area’s most prestigious secondary schools. A foundaton grounded in rigorous academics and moral integrity has allowed graduates of OLS to flourish in a wide range of disciplines.