HISTORY

A BRIEF HISTORY OF IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SCHOOL

Immaculate Conception School is a Roman Catholic elementary school in Spotswood, New Jersey with a long standing history of providing its students with a quality, holistic education.  Within a Christian value-oriented environment, a caring and supportive staff enables the students to develop their potentialities so that they will learn as responsible and productive citizens.

The history of Immaculate Conception School is integrally linked to the founding of Immaculate Conception Church because the school was established for the principal purpose or promulgating the teachings of the Roman Catholic religion.  In May 1946, Immaculate Conception Church began as a mission to St. Thomas the Apostle Church located in Old Bridge, New Jersey.  The Rev. Edward C. Henry was the mission pastor.  Between the years 1946 and 1947, several Spotswood properties on Main Street were purchased by Immaculate Conception Church for parish use.

In March 1948, the Most Reverend William A. Griffin, Bishop of Trenton, formally incorporated Immaculate Conception Church into the Diocese of Trenton.  A small church building located on Main Street in Spotswood served 120 families.  Until 1959, Rev. Charles B. Poltorak, the first pastor, and several associates resided in what is presently Spotswood Funeral Home.  An additional Main Street house was used as the parish center where bingo and social events were held.

Due to the expanding parish, in 1955 and 1956 fourteen acres of land abutting an eighteen acre lake were purchased for $100,000 from the Hazelhurst and Schwergert families on Manalapan Road.  Two existing homes on the property were rebuilt as a parish rectory and a convent.  Construction began on a new church, auditorium, and school.  The church was designed to accommodate 1,000 people.  The school consisted of 12 classrooms.  The total cost of the new parish facility was 1.5 million dollars.  In November 1960, the complex was dedicated.

In September 1960, Immaculate Conception School opened with grades one, two, and three.  The initial enrollment was 198 students.  Sister Mary Scholastica Odachowski, C.S.S.F. served as the first principal.  The faculty consisted of two Felician Sisters and two lay teachers.  In September 1961, the school expanded to full capacity with an enrollment of 539 students in kindergarten through grade 8.

In 1965, a two-story annex was added to the existing school to house twelve additional classrooms.  In 1984, a new rectory with several meeting rooms was built and the old one razed.  In 1985, a Parish Youth Center was constructed.

With the increase of the Roman Catholic population in the central New Jersey area, Immaculate Conception Church became part of the Diocese of Metuchen, which was established in 1981.  The parish has grown to approximately 3,000 families.  Rev. Harold L. Hirsch administered the parish from 1971 until his death in 2005.  Monsignor Joseph M. Curry is the current pastor.

In 1994, a Pre-Kindergarten Program was established for three and four year old children.  In 1995, it was expanded to include two year olds.  The program has expanded over the years and now serves over 300 students.

Mrs. Mary Hamm currently serves as the school principal.  She has held this position since September 2001.  The present staff includes 33 lay teachers and three Felician Sisters.  The 2006-2007 school enrollment numbers approximately 350 students in Kindergarten through grade 8 and over 300 Pre-Kindergarten students.