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When the doors to Pope John Paul II High School first opened in 1980, the Boca Raton area was part of the Archdiocese of Miami. Archbishop Edward McCarthy of Miami invited the Carmelites of the New York Province to staff and administer the high school. Funding for this new school came primarily from the combined efforts of fourteen parishes located in north Broward and south Palm Beach counties.

Sisters from the Adrian Dominican community began their lengthy affiliation with Pope in 1982. They helped educate the school's first graduates, members of the Class of 1983. Since that time, more than 5,600 young men and women have graduated from Pope. Most have continued their studies at the collegiate level and beyond. Today, Pope alumni are recognized as leaders in their parishes, communities, families and chosen careers.

Situated in an ideal location for study, learning and reflection, Pope John Paul II High School sits on thirty acres, with beautiful green spaces and mature trees.  The seven buildings offer students a total of 123,381 square feet of learning facilities, connected by covered walkways.  Visitors often comment that the campus feels like a small college.

Throughout its forty year history, Pope John Paul II High School has grown steadily.  In addition to the original two classroom wings, a Gymnasium with weight rooms and locker rooms, a Media Center with a Television Studio, a Dining Hall/Auditorium with seating for eight hundred and a fully equipped stage, an Administration Building, a Foreign Language and Drama wing and a state of the art Science wing which includes classrooms with labs and prep rooms have all been added to enhance the learning experience for students.

The Carmelites departed Pope John Paul II High School in 2007 and the last serving Adrian Dominican sister left the School in 2013. The School's history has indeed been blessed with the traditions and teachings of both the Carmelite and Dominican communities.

In the fall of 2012 and after the departure of the Carmelites, Pope John Paul II High School committed to following the Lasallian tradition of education, a strong religious charism grounded in the ministry of education.  Saint John Baptist De La Salle is the founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, known to many in the United States as the Christian Brothers.  In keeping with this tradition, Brother Daniel Aubin FSC was named the President of Pope John Paul II High School by Bishop Gerald Barbarito.

In August 2015 a new chapter began when the School changed its name to better reflect both the status of its namesake and its changing role in the community.  On 31 August 2015 Bishop Barbarito rededicated the institution as Saint John Paul II Academy.  At the same time the School’s colors were changed to reflect three of the passions of Saint John Paul II – black for his time as a priest, gold for his time as Pope, and blue for his prayerful devotion to the Blessed Mother.

Throughout all of our efforts, the excellence of spirit, intellect, and zeal demonstrated by John Baptist De La Salle is that to which we aspire.  Live Jesus in our hearts forever!

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