Past

Present

The history of St. Agnes School dates back to 1924 when a combined church and school building was erected on the corner of 50^th Street and MacCorkle Avenue in Charleston, WV.  The school was staffed by two Sisters of the Congregation of St. Joseph.  The enrollment that first year was 65 students.  In 1939, an addition enlarged the school with one additional Sister of St. Joseph joining the staff.  In 1955, the first lay teacher, Mary Hacala, was hired.  A new parish was built on 49^th Street by Reverend Lawrence Gallagher.  In 1958, the staff increased to eight consisting of both Sisters and lay teachers, and in 1959 the school reached its highest peak of enrollment with 237 students.  The Seventh and Eighth Grades were closed in 1970 following a study of the Catholic School System in Kanawha Valley by West Virginia University.  In 1971, Sister Judith Ann Teufel became the principal of St. Agnes School.  In 1981 the kindergarten was opened for half day sessions; all day kindergarten began in 1994.  A childcare program was begun in 1986 to accommodate working parents; a preschool 4-year old program was begun in September 1989.  The school has held a First Class Certification by Kanawha County Board of Education and the State of West Virginia since 1974.  A new addition to the school was built in 1994 consisting of a library, computer lab, gym, administrative offices and a daycare.  In 1995 the Preschool Program expanded to 3-year olds.  The Middle School was once again opened with Grades 6 and 7 in 1996 and Grade 8 added in 1997.  Due to low enrollment, the Middle School closed in 2008.  Sister Judith Ann Teufel retired in spring 2008 with 37 years of service.  Theresa O’Leary, a product of the Sisters of St. Joseph, through her education at St. Francis de Sales in Beckley, became principal in the fall 2008.  Today, St. Agnes educates students of all faiths, from preschool through 5^th grade and has an onsite daycare facility.