Ave Maria Academy at St. Peter St. Joan of Arc

We’re excited to share that NBC4 featured Ave Maria Academy, the newest Catholic school opening in northwest Columbus! 🎉

Opening August 2026, our mission is to form children in faith, virtue, and academic excellence from the very beginning. We’re grateful for the growing excitement and support from families across our community. Connect with us at avemariaspsjoa.org!

A group children will make history as the first students to attend a new Catholic elementary school opened by the Diocese of Columbus in 30 years. https://nbc4i.co/3Nli0GI?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_NBC4

Looking for a joyful, faith-filled start to your child’s education? Ave Maria Academy is opening in August 2026 and welcoming preschool and kindergarten students to a warm, nurturing environment where young learners can grow in faith, curiosity, and confidence. Rooted in a Catholic classical model, our program combines joyful discovery, rich stories, music, prayer, and hands-on learning to help children develop a love for God and for learning from the very beginning. With beautiful learning spaces, dedicated teachers, including the Little Servant Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, and a strong Catholic culture, Ave Maria Academy is a place where little hearts and minds will flourish.

The Annunciation marks the beautiful moment when Mary’s “yes” opened the way for Christ to enter the world. On this special feast, we entrust Ave Maria Academy, our students, and our families to her loving care and guidance.

All are warmly invited to celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation with the Ave Maria Academy community on Wednesday, March 25 at 5:30 PM. Together we will gather for Holy Mass and a joyful reception as we formally consecrate our school to the Blessed Mother.

We hope you will join us for this meaningful evening of prayer, gratitude, and community as we place our school under the mantle of Our Lady.

We are thrilled to introduce the Little Servant Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, whose joyful spirit and love for young children will be a tremendous gift to our community at Ave Maria Academy.

The sisters currently serve families at John Paul II preschool in Columbus, Ohio and Blessed Edmund Preschool in Cherry Hill, NJ where they cultivate a nurturing, faith-filled environment for their youngest students. Their beautiful charism shines through in the way they accompany children with joy, patience, and deep faith—helping them discover the goodness of God’s world through prayer, play, and learning.

Today we are excited to share a virtual tour of their preschool in New Jersey, offering a glimpse into the warm and welcoming atmosphere they create for children and families. This same spirit of joyful service, love for Christ, and dedication to early childhood formation is what they will bring to Ave Maria Academy here in Columbus.

We are so grateful for the presence of the Little Servant Sisters and cannot wait for our community to experience the beauty of their ministry.

https://youtu.be/wfShwVXlwm8

Our parish family is blessed to welcome the exposition of the relics of St. Padre Pio for veneration at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church on Monday, March 2. This is a rare and grace-filled opportunity for our families to pray together in the presence of a saint known for his deep love of the Eucharist, compassion for the suffering, and powerful witness to faith. We invite our community—especially our children—to encounter the living history of the Church and to draw closer to Christ through this special moment of prayer and reverence.

Congratulations to the St. Peter St. Joan of Arc community on the creation of their new school! Ave Maria Academy will open it's doors in August 2026. Visit us at avemariaspsjoa.org to enroll now!

For the first time in 30 years, the diocese will open a new Catholic school, Ave Maria Academy. The school is set to open this fall at Columbus-Powell St. Peter St. Joan of Arc parish. Read more in this Catholic Times article, written by Hannah Heil.



https://catholictimescolumbus.org/local/new-catholic-school-set-to-open-this-fall/

Welcome to the Ave Maria Academy page! We are the newest Catholic school in the Diocese of Columbus opening in August 2026. Ave Maria Academy will be a faith-filled, classical Catholic school within St. Peter St. Joan of Arc Parish, dedicated to forming disciples of Christ in partnership with families.

Ave Maria Academy will be located at the McEwan Center on the St. Peter Campus, offering a play-based preschool and a classical K–8 education rooted in our Catholic faith and centered on the Eucharist. We look forward to growing together as a parish and welcoming families to this exciting new chapter in Catholic education. Please stay tuned for more information as we prepare to open our doors!

Exciting News for Our Parish and Community!

We joyfully announce the creation of Ave Maria Academy, the newest Catholic school in the Diocese of Columbus! Opening in August 2026, Ave Maria Academy will be a faith-filled, classical Catholic school within St. Peter St. Joan of Arc Parish, dedicated to forming disciples of Christ in partnership with families.

Ave Maria Academy will be located at the McEwan Center on the St. Peter Campus, offering a play-based preschool and a classical K–8 education rooted in our Catholic faith and centered on the Eucharist. We look forward to growing together as a parish and welcoming families to this exciting new chapter in Catholic education. Please stay tuned for more information as we prepare to open our doors!