School History

Our Lady of the Assumption parish began in 1921 as a mission from St. Thomas Aquinas parish in downtown Fairfield. Rev. William J. Blake of St. Thomas Aquinas initiated the mission to the Stratfield section of Fairfield and was the first to celebrate Mass there in August of 1921. On January 31, 1922 the mission was formally organized and in 1923 Rev. John A. Sullivan became the first resident pastor. The parish and facilities continued to grow and the beautiful Norman Gothic style church that is the center of worship today was dedicated on February 4, 1940.

Bridgeport and Fairfield were thriving communities during Word War II as the region earned the nickname the “Arsenal of Democracy”. After the war, the Order of Saint Dominic sent three nuns lead the religious education of the children of Assumption in 1948. Fairfield continued to grow as a bedroom community and a booming suburb of New York City into the 1950’s. The parish hall was completed in 1951 to host events and serve as the first schoolhouse for the original 80 students of Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School. The hall was later refurbished and continues to host parish events as well as school performances and physical education classes.

In September of 1955 the school building was opened. The 16 room school welcomed 250 students in grades 1-3. In 1956 the lower level of Assumption became the home Notre Dame High School while they awaited the completion of their school building at the current site of Sacred Heart University. The class of 1961 were the first graduates of Our Lady of the Assumption School. The Dominican sisters of Newburgh continued to supply the teachers and principals that served the students of Assumption. Sister Helen Michael was the first principal of the school. Sister Mary Rita served as principal for a short time in 1969 and returned to the helm in 1979 and served as principal for 17 years. Current president of Notre Dame High School in Fairfield, Father Bill Sangiovani was the first male teacher at Assumption when he taught social studies from 1963 to 1965.

In 2010, Assumption was merged with Holy Family School and became known as Our Lady of the Assumption/Holy Family Catholic School and the Bulldogs became the Eagles.

In 2015, Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School became, Assumption Catholic School. The name change pays respect to our roots as a parish school dating back to the 1940’s as it looks to the future as a beacon of faith filled academic excellence that draws students from all of the surrounding towns and cities.