Our mission at St. Leo Catholic School is to educate the whole child within the framework of gospel values and Catholic traditions in order to develop responsible citizens of our nation and the world.
We accept and encourage students of all faiths and backgrounds to apply. All are welcome!
Catholic education in North Carolina began in what was once considered mission territory, with very few Catholics across the region. In 1886, the Benedictine Fathers from Belmont Abbey College began mission work in Forsyth County, helping to establish and grow the Catholic faith in western North Carolina.
In 1942, St. Leo Parish transitioned from the care of the Benedictine Order to the Diocese of Raleigh, and Father Michael J. Begley was appointed as its first pastor. The following year, Father Begley, who would later become the first bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte, welcomed the Sisters of St. Joseph from Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania. The sisters quickly became an important part of the parish community, initially teaching religion, art, and piano.
In 1949, they opened Villa Maria Anna Academy, the first Catholic grammar school in Winston-Salem. Just a few years later, in 1953, with the purchase of property next to St. Leo the Great Catholic Church, St. Leo Parish School was established, laying the foundation for the vibrant school community we know today.
The mission of Catholic education remains as important today as it was at our founding. As the Church teaches, Catholic schools play an essential role in forming the whole child and contributing to the good of both society and the Church.
At St. Leo, this formation is lived out each day.
Faith is integrated into every part of our school day, shaping our classrooms, conversations, and daily routines. Grounded in the Cardinal Newman Society standards, our Catholic identity is woven into all subjects, ensuring that faith and learning are never separate. We begin and end our day, classes, and meals in prayer, and students actively participate in weekly Mass, with families and parishioners always welcome to join us.
Throughout the year, traditions such as Advent and Lenten outreach, Stations of the Cross, Christmas pageants, Catholic Schools Week, Ash Wednesday, Saints Day celebrations, and retreats deepen students’ relationship with Jesus Christ while fostering service, reflection, and joy.
Our commitment to community is also reflected in the relationships we build across grade levels and beyond our school walls. Through our prayer partners program, older and younger students come together for prayer and shared activities, fostering mentorship and connection. Initiatives like Caring Friends letters extend that sense of community to parishioners, seminarians, and those in need of prayer and encouragement.
Together, these experiences form more than a school. They form a community rooted in faith, committed to excellence, and dedicated to helping each child grow in knowledge, virtue, and love.