Partners in Education:

OLQH Principals:   Rev. Adrian Van Hal   Msgr. Irving A. DeBlanc   Sr. Elaine Schaeffler   Sr. Paulette Strakos   Sr. Gloria Cain   Elizabeth Niekamp   Keith Bartlett   Mary Ann Moses   Mary Anne Hipp FOUNDED 1958   1958 - Kindergarten   1959 - First Grade   1960 - Second Grade   1961 - Third Grade   1962 - Fourth & Fifth Grades, Music Room & Cafeteria   1963 - Sixth & Seventh Grades & Early Childhood Center   1964 - Eighth Grade, Library & Administration Bldg   1969 - Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges & Schools   1971 - School Gymnasium   1980 - Reading Lab   1982 - Second Kindergarten   1987 - Third Kindergarten   1984-88 - Computer Lab & ten additional classrooms   1990 - Special Education   1991 - New Early Childhood Center   1992 - Science Bldg   1997 - Eight classrooms for 1st - 3rd grades   1998 -  East campus bathroom building   2001 - Cafeteria, Fine Arts  Bldg.

Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic School was established and opened on October 13, 1958, under the direction of Reverend Adrian Van Hal, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish.  The school began with twenty-four students in kindergarten, the class being held in the Knights of Columbus building.

On September 1, 1959, school opened with forty students in kindergarten and twenty-seven students in first grade.  The school building, consisting of the pavilion areas, was opened in September, 1960, and the second grade was opened.  The third grade classes were added in 1961, and the fourth and fifth grades were opened in 1962.  At this time an addition to the church was built to house needed classrooms, a cafeteria, and a music room.  A temporary building was also converted into four classrooms as the enrollment increased to three hundred students.

The School Sisters of Notre Dame accepted the administration of the school in August, 1963, and Sister Elaine Schaeffler, SSND, became principal.  Two more School Sisters of Notre Dame taught in the school along with other lay teachers.  During this year the sixth and seventh grades were added to the school.

The OLQH Early Childhood Center, located at 3901 Kingston Street, was opened at the beginning of the 1963 school term primarily to take care of the children of the lay teachers working in Our Lady Queen of Heaven School.

A new building housing ten classrooms, a large library, and an administrative section was completed for the beginning of the 1964 school term.  At this time the eighth grade was opened.

During the next five years Our Lady Queen of Heaven School grew to an enrollment of approximately five hundred students in kindergarten through eighth grade.  The day care, licensed by the State of Louisiana and Calcasieu Parish, grew to a capacity enrollment of approximately fifty children from ages eighteen months to five years of age.

Through the efforts of Sister Elaine Schaffler, a faculty of dedicated professionals and a program of high academic excellence, the school completed a comprehensive self-study and was accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in May, 1969.  At this time the school became the only Catholic elementary school in the State of Louisiana to have such accreditation.

Sister Elaine Schaeffler became coordinator of the OLQH Religion Program for students attending public schools in August, 1969.  At this time, Sister Paulette Strakos, SSND, became the principal of Our Lady Queen of Heaven School.

In May, 1971, after the opening of the new church, the old church was converted to a gym-auditorium, thus providing space for the development of a complete physical education program.

Sister Gloria Cain, SSND, was appointed principal of the school in August, 1973, replacing Sister Paulette.  Elizabeth Niekamp became the first lay principal, beginning in the fall of 1983.  A part time assistant principal was added in 1990, and in 1993 Jennifer Bellon became a full-time assistant principal.  In the fall of 1990, Keith Bartlett was appointed principal of the school and in August of 1993, Mary Ann Moses became principal.  In August of 1998, Mary Anne Hipp was appointed principal.

The kindergarten building was expanded in June, 1982, to provide a second kindergarten classroom.  In 1987 a third kindergarten classroom was added.

Ten additional classrooms and the computer room were added between 1984-88.  In the summer of 1987 the Early Childhood Center was enlarged and remodeled.  In the fall of 1989 the center was enlarged again to accommodate infant care.  In the fall of 1991, the Early childhood Center found a new home at 3903 Creole Street, formerly the nun's convent, as OLQH Parish made room for the retirement center, Villa Maria.  In the fall of 1989, the gymnasium was expanded to enlarge the boys' and girls' dressing rooms.  In 1992, a state- of-the-art science center was constructed to further challenge students to explore the sciences.  Two additional classrooms reside in this building along with two science laboratories.  In 1997, a new building was constructed to house eight classrooms for students in grades first through eighth.  Additionally, in  the fall of 1998, a new restroom facility was added, as well as, a third pre-k classroom. Further, in response to the growing enrollment, a new cafeteria was built to accommodate more students. Still further, a fine arts building was constructed to include a PC laboratory, an art suite, two resource rooms, a band room, a chorus room, two guidance offices and a faculty lounge.

At the present, Our Lady Queen of Heaven School has approximately 714 students.  The school houses three sections of grades pre k through eighth including one self-contained special education class..  The Early Childhood Center has an enrollment of 42 from six weeks -four years of age.  The faculty consists of thirty classroom teachers, a full time assistant principal, two guidance counselors, a director of religious education, a curriculum coordinator, a director of technology, a part time development director, technology assistant, technology coach, a librarian, two physical education teachers, one vocal/instrumental music teacher, one part time vocal music teacher, two resource teachers, one Spanish teacher, one art teacher, a speech therapist, a kindergarten aide, a pre kindergarten aide, a special education aide, a part time librarian aide, a physical education aide, two full time and twelve part time staff members at the Early Childhood Center.