Catholic Education in Tiffin, Ohio dates back to the mid-nineteenth century when St. Joseph School began in a one-room log cabin in 1847 with 20 students at the present school location.

 

The first St. Mary School followed soon after in 1851. For a time, St. Mary students attended classes in the original St. Mary Church located where Calvert High School now stands, until a fire forced it to close in 1861.    Over the years, both parishes built newer school buildings to accommodate increased enrollment. 

 

After pleas from both parishes, a group of Ursuline nuns arrived in 1863 from Germany to begin their work of Christian education in Tiffin. In addition to educating students at the elementary schools, they opened the Ursaline Academy for high school girls.  The ornate brick building, part of which also served as the Ursaline Convent, was built on the grassy area next to where Calvert High School is currently located. 

 

 In 1923, Bishop Samuel Alphonsus Stritch wished to offer a Catholic education to young men in the area, and so, at his request, the Ursulines admitted boys into the high school.  The first principal was Reverand  Anthony J. Gallagher.  During the 1925-26 school year, the name Calvert was given to the school in honor of the Cecil Calvert family of Baltimore, Maryland, who was known for promoting religious tolerance for all in its colony, even though it was officially a Catholic colony.  The current Calvert building was erected in the 1950s and the Ursulines dismantled their building in the mid-1970s.  

 

From humble beginnings, Catholic Education has had a long-standing presence in the Tiffin community, educating students in a faith-based atmosphere to become devoted Christians, productive citizens, and community and global leaders of the future.

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Calvert Catholic Schools has 500 students enrolled in Kindergarten through Grade 12 as of June 1, 2024.