SCHOOLS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
In the fall of 1954, Our Lady of Confidence School opened its doors to educate children with special needs in a Catholic environment.
As an accredited Catholic, premier special education school of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, our mission is to facilitate the complete development of the students with intellectual disabilities to their fullest potential, spiritually, intellectually, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Our program is committed to guiding students towards seeking God’s purpose for their life and fostering independence to become vital, contributing members of the local community and the greater global society.
St. Katherine School opened in 1953 as the first day school for students with intellectual disabilities in the United States and the first of its kind in Philadelphia. St. Katherine School strives to meet the unique needs of a diverse student population as the only Archdiocesan school that provides a school program for students with multiple impairments, intellectual disabilities, and students with autism disorder. St. Katherine School is a Roman Catholic diocesan school that assists students with special needs in helping the student reach his/her fullest potential in academic, social, vocational, and spiritual domains.
Founded in 1955, St. Lucy School for the Blind is an academic program for children with healthy cognitive ability who are challenged by visual impairments or blindness. We believe that we each have a responsibility to live our life to the fullest, to live with dignity and with grace, and to praise God through that life. St. Lucy School is co-located with Archbishop Ryan School for the Deaf at Holy Innocents School in Philadelphia.