History

Espirito Santo School opened its doors on September 19, 1910. The parishioners celebrated the completion of the new building that housed the parish church on the second floor and the first Portuguese Catholic grammar school in America on the first floor. A full day kindergarten program was added to the school in 1925. The second floor church remained the parish’s place of worship until the early 1960’s. In 1963, a new school and church were built to accommodate the increasing numbers of families and students that immigrated to the Fall River area in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. The educational program expanded in 2001 with the addition of a four year old Pre-Kindergarten program and again in 2002, when a three year old pre-school program was added.

The mission of Espirito Santo School is to educate the whole child, morally, spiritually, and intellectually, within a caring Christian environment. With the traditions of the Catholic Church, and the teachings of the Gospel as our foundation, we strive to instill in our students the importance of a strong work ethic, a lifelong commitment to service, and the preservation of our Portuguese heritage and culture; the foundation of our global diversity.

• 90% of our students are of Portuguese descent and the majority are bi-lingual.
• Students are educated in Portuguese traditions and culture to help them function and serve the Portuguese-American and global communities.
• Espirito Santo School has the highest percentage of students who are parishioners attending the school compared to other area parishes with schools.

Attending Espirito Santo School has become a family tradition; grandchildren of alumni are attending this school here just as their family members did before them.

Espirito Santo School has been supported by a dedicated, generous, faithful and united parish community. We are now in our second century of educating the children of Espirito Santo Parish and surrounding areas. It is with pride that we reflect on the rich tradition and history that have made Espirito Santo School an important presence in the city of Fall River.