Located in the heart of Port Colborne, shaping minds, building character, and creating memories that last a lifetime.
🐊💚 Lakeshore Catholic High School first came into existence on November 2, 1987 at a Bill 30 Liaison Committee after the former Niagara South Board of Education offered the former Lockview Park Secondary School facility to the Welland County Roman Catholic Separate School Board un
der a long-term lease. CRCSSB accepted the recommendation on January 18, 1988. At that time, Pat Hudak was appointed its founding Principal to a new Catholic High School in the southern part of the Niagara peninsula. At the February 1, 1988 Board meeting the name of the new school - Lakeshore Catholic High School - was approved to serve the educational needs of the students in the Greater Town of Fort Erie, Port Colborne and Wainfleet areas. On February 15, 1988, the Board appointed Paul Barchiesi as the school’s Vice-Principal. Staff members were selected in the late spring of 1988. The first staff meeting occurred on Monday, May 30, 1988 to establish goals for the school and teaching assignments The Spring of 1988 brought together a core of future students, teachers and administrators to select the appropriate uniforms for students to purchase from Rossman’s Clothing Store in Port Colborne in our school colours of forest green and black, and, under Mr. Barchiesi’s guidance, to select the school Gator mascot – The Home of the Gators! September, 1988 LCHS welcomed 303 students [166 grade nines and 137 grade tens]. November 4, 1988 marked the Official Opening and Blessing of LCHS by His Excellency, the most Reverend Thomas B. Historical Facts:
>The P.A. system did not work when our school doors first opened in the Fall of 1988, so all students and staff would meet in the Auditorium for the anthem, morning prayer, & important announcements to start the day.
>The school borrowed Ridgeway Secondary School's football equipment to start our team in its first year.
>The first Student Council President was Carrie Kormos.
>The school’s first chaplain was Father Jerry Williams.
>The school’s first secretary and custodian were Gail Ingrao and Enrico Mascio, respectively.
>Mimi Charron was the school’s lead cafeteria server, known for her amazing chocolate chip cookies.
>The first Yearbook – known as the Laker – was edited by staff member Michael Robinson.
>Our first Zone Championship was in Girls Doubles Tennis – Kathleen Henry and Krista Mackechuk.
>Our first OFSAA Championship was in Girls Doubles Badminton – Milagro Gomez and Stefi Markovich.
>In the earliest years, more sports were offered including activities such as skiing, cheerleading, The Laker Newspaper, School Reach, Public Speaking, Drama Company, Junior/Senior Band, and Senior Jazz ensemble.
>Intramurals grew at lunch, the Spring Arts Festival and Fashion Show led by the Arts Department blossomed, as did many successful Christmas and Lenten Food Drives.
>Bill Louch becomes the first student from St. Michael’s Elementary School in Dunnville to attend LCHS, opening the door for an increased number of Dunnville students. By 1991, enrollment swelled to 682 students and included the first complete grades 9 through grades 12 classes. The first graduating class was June 25, 1991; and Sharon Saxon, the school’s first Valedictorian, coined the title of ‘pioneers’ to define the First Grads. The Gator mural in the main gymnasium – named “The Swamp” – was designed by student Ross Beard and teacher Steve Kirouac, and painted by the members of the Senior Visual Arts class. Teacher-Librarian Tony Gambarotto and Steve Kirouac demonstrated the ‘Gator Chomp’ to the student body for the first time. In 1992, The Gator Walk was institutionalized as an annual fundraiser for the Third World countries of Dominica and El Salvador. With a student population of 908, LCHS became a portable city with 26 onsite to house half the student body at any one time.
1993 was a pivotal year in the history of Lakeshore Catholic. While 928 students attended classes for the new school year, they viewed the ongoing construction of a $6.2 million expansion and renovation. Lakeshore Catholic students witnessed and lived through a metamorphosis with the Design 21 addition and renovation. This architectural feat was met with the total elimination of portables, at least for that year. On November 1, 1994, His Excellency, Bishop O’Mara, cut the ribbon to officially open the Design 21 school. The second gymnasium was appropriately named “The Pond”. The new cafeteria was called the “Hud” after Principal Pat Hudak, who retired a few years later, on February 28, 1997. Twenty years later in 2014, Lakeshore Catholic received another renovation - a new two-story area in the front of the school with the creation of an additional 10 classrooms, a Principal’s conference room, a new “crush” space for students and guests to lounge, as well as upgrades to our construction and manufacturing facilities. Bishop Gerard Bergie presided over the official opening and blessing of the renovations and addition. Recently, in 2023, the front offices and the Great Hall have been re-designed, offering a more modern and welcoming vibe to the entrance of the school. Lakeshore Catholic continues to offer excellence in Catholic Education, and our commitment to the spiritual, academic and emotional well-being of our students is unwavering. We continue to celebrate our rich contributions throughout the community and look forward to many years of excellence in Catholic Education. Lakeshore Catholic High School Principals: Pat Hudak (1988-1997); Bill Vernoy (1997-1999); John Crocco (1999-2004); Michael Lostracco (2004-2008); Danny DiLorenzo (2008-2014); Glenn Gifford (2014-2018); Denice Robertson (2018-2023); John Markovich (2023-present).
