The History of St. Matthew's Catholic School

The Sisters of Mercy from the Sacred Heart Convent in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, came to Kalispell to open St. Matthew’s School in 1917. On September 10th of that year, the school was dedicated, with an enrollment of 65 children. The school began as a combination convent and school, with boarders, grades 1-9. Grades 10-12 were added within the first four years.

 

The high school was discontinued in 1941. St. Matthew’s Parish bought the school and property from the Sisters of Mercy in 1956 and built a new building on the site. In 1958 St. Matthew’s School began in the new building, which still houses the school today. In the 1970’s the seventh and eighth grade closed but were added back in 2001 and 2002. Kindergarten was added in 1976, and preschool classes were added in 1982.

 

St. Matthew’s School currently includes preschool through eighth grade.