Our History
Situated on the edge of Mill Creek across from historic Fort Monroe, Saint Mary Star of the Sea School has been educating the children of Hampton Roads, Virginia, since 1923.
Father Thomas J. Wilson, pastor of Saint Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church, recognized the need for a Catholic school and, by 1920, had secured sufficient funds to begin the endeavor. Judge Frank Kearney, William Gibbons, Patrick J. Flynn, and John Mugler joined him in committing to the establishment of the school. In 1923, a property known as Bright View was purchased from a local family. Formerly a Civil War hospital for soldiers, the old mansion was quickly converted into classrooms, and Saint Mary Star of the Sea School opened its doors to its first student body of fewer than 100 children.
That same year, the Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of Saint Cecilia of Nashville, Tennessee, arrived to administer and staff the school. They have remained ever since, serving as a constant and faithful presence in the Church’s apostolate of Catholic education.
The following decades reflected the population growth occurring throughout the nation, particularly after World War II. Enrollment at Saint Mary’s increased dramatically, reaching a peak of 910 students during the 1960–1961 school year. As the original buildings became inadequate, major construction projects were undertaken in 1951 (the front wing of the lower building), 1953 (the back wing of the lower building), and 1960 (the upper building).
These expansion projects also marked a significant change in school operations, as tuition was charged for the first time in the school’s history: $2 per month for one child and $1 per month for each additional child, up to four children. Beyond that, tuition was free.
From the 1970s through the 1990s, enrollment stabilized at a more manageable size, serving one class per grade from Junior Kindergarten through eighth grade. The next major phase of development began in 2000, when extensive renovations were completed on buildings that were then 40 to 50 years old. Roofs, windows, ceilings, floors, and lighting were all fully updated.
In 2004, a long-standing vision was realized with the construction of a dedicated gymnasium and cafeteria, made possible through a successful capital campaign. These facilities are now situated between the upper and lower buildings.
In 2013, the school’s Waterfront Classroom and Laboratory was constructed through a grant from the Virginia Environmental Endowment, along with generous donations from friends and families of Saint Mary Star of the Sea.
In 2023, Saint Mary’s proudly celebrated its 100th Jubilee, marking a century of providing strong Catholic education to generations of children on the Peninsula.
Today, Saint Mary Star of the Sea School serves students from five Catholic parishes—Saint Mary Star of the Sea (Fort Monroe), Saint Vincent de Paul (Newport News), Saint Joseph (Buckroe), Saint Rose of Lima and the Korean Martyrs (Wythe), and Immaculate Conception (Riverdale)—as well as families throughout the greater Hampton Roads area.
Saint Mary Star of the Sea School continues to do what it has always done best: providing a Catholic education in which students grow in truth, love, and service.