Catholic education has a rich tradition in Middletown. For over 100 years, parish Catholic Schools of St Mary, St. John, and St. Sebastian Churches provided education to students Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade.

To ensure the preservation of Catholic elementary education well into the future, the Diocese School Office recommended a plan to Bishop Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, to join the parish schools, St. Mary School and St. John School, into one regional Catholic elementary school for the Middletown region. The plan to extend Catholic education is predicated on the support, not just of the local parishes whose schools are joining, but of all the parishes of the Middletown Deanery. The regional school would be the school of all the Middletown deanery parishes.

The plan was approved, and Saint John Paul II School became the first regional elementary school in the diocese. Housed on the former St. Mary School campus, Saint John Paul II School opened its doors to students in the fall of 2013.

Building a vibrant Catholic identity is central to our vision. Our patron, Saint John Paul II, provides these words to guide us:

"Catholic school is a place where students live a shared experience of faith and God, and where they learn the riches of Catholic culture...Catholic schools must help students to deepen their relationship with God and to discover that all things, human, have their deepest meaning in the person and teaching of Jesus Christ."

As the Catholic elementary-middle school in Middletown, Saint John Paul II Regional School now draws from the rich heritage of St. Mary, St. John, and St. Sebastian Schools and moves forward with new vitality and vision for the future of our young people. We work closely with Mercy and Xavier High Schools, to ensure our students are rigorously prepared for high school and afforded the opportunity for a complete Catholic education PreK-12th grade, should he or she choose. Our desire is to instill the habits of heart and mind that will last a lifetime.