St. Thomas More Catholic School began as St. Pius X Annex in 1962. Monsignor Roy Rihn, pastor of St. Pius X Church, requested that the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary staff the much-needed addition to St. Pius X School in the rapidly growing northeast San Antonio area. Sister Stanislaus Tobin was named the first principal. The school opened with just three grades, but each year a new grade was added and temporary classrooms provided until the school was complete, Kindergarten through Eighth grade, in 1967. Children transported from St. Pius to the Annex on a school bus driven by the associate pastor, Fr. Tom Collins.
In 1964, Archbishop Lucey erected, by decree, St. Thomas More Parish, incorporating the Annex and changing the name to St. Thomas More School. Father Erwin Juraschek was appointed its first pastor. The large meeting room was converted into a temporary church where Mass was celebrated for the parish. Many of our pupils were baptized and a teacher married in the temporary church.
Groundbreaking for the present church was held in July 1966 and St. Thomas More Church was dedicated in 1967. As the parish grew, the school continued to grow adding temporary classrooms and a cafeteria to meet demands. In 1987 a major renovation and building program were undertaken by the parish and school. The cafeteria and offices in the school building, along with the library, were divided into classrooms and labs. A library, kindergarten classroom, teacher workroom, religious education office, audio-visual storage room as well as new administration offices and a multi-purpose hall were added and in use by September 1988. Once the facility was in full operation, our efforts concentrated on budgeting for staff and equipment to fully utilize the resources available.
St. Thomas More School has grown tremendously since 1968 when we graduated our first Eighth grade class of 16. Through the years we have been proud of our students and our graduates. Many have distinguished themselves academically in high school and in college. Some have returned as teachers and catechists.
St. Thomas More School is justly proud of its continued commitment to teach knowledge and critical skills so that our students can function well within a changing technological and multi-cultural society. However, it is the Christian values stressed at St. Thomas More that will serve our students as productive citizens in this world and ultimately in God’s Kingdom.