The Campaign for Eastside Catholic
Since our doors first opened at Eastside Catholic in 1980, the story of the school’s development has been guided by courage and passion. Twenty-nine years ago a group of founding parents recognized the need to step forward and create an independent Catholic co-educational high school on the Eastside. They left a rich legacy – their commitment for nearly three decades serves students they would never even know – the young people at Eastside Catholic today.
The Campaign for Eastside Catholic was launched after much thought, research, and planning. In 1999, the Eastside Catholic School Board of Trustees conducted a five-year strategic plan and a top priority became the search for a permanent home for Eastside Catholic. Following the approval of that plan, the Board of Trustees voted to create an ad-hoc committee called the Permanence Committee. For the next two years, this committee examined more than 30 parcels of land before deciding in September 2001 to purchase a 50-acre horse farm in Sammamish. The permitting process began and the final discretionary approvals were completed in July 2005. In June 2006, after raising more than $28 million dollars, construction began on our future campus. The first set beam was signed in June 2007 and work was done on the campus six days a week in record heat and rain.
On September 2, 2008, students began their first day of school at our permanent home in Sammamish and The Campaign for Eastside Catholic reached an astounding $39 million dollars. At the grand opening ceremonies, Campaign Chairman John Luger announced the Board of Trustees had voted to raise the Campaign goal from $40 million dollars to $42 million. The Campaign ended on December 31, 2009 raising nearly $41 million to date.
The newly built campus for Eastside Catholic School is a bold $85 million dollar project funded in part with tax-exempt bond financing and private fundraising. Funds were utilized to purchase the property, conduct site development, permitting and environmental studies, as well as design and construct a campus that will serve the needs of students today and long into the future.
Today, the school is home to 600 high school students, 250 middle school students, and 100 faculty and staff members. Through hard work, diligence and faith, our Board of Trustees, parents, faculty, staff, students and alumni of Eastside Catholic made our once bold dream a bright reality.