OUR HISTORY
In 1974, Sister Mary Bonaventure and Sister Mary Fulbright, both educators, set out to establish a school for students of high school age and older, who had not yet completed their secondary education. They envisioned a school that welcomed anyone willing to learn, regardless of their background or financial circumstances. The school officially opened in 1975 and was named in honor of Bishop John J. Cassata, the first Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Worth.
Cassata Catholic High School’s building at 1400 Hemphill Street is also steeped in Fort Worth’s educational history. Constructed in 1921 as Laneri College, it became the Laneri School for Boys—Fort Worth’s first Catholic high school. Laneri closed in 1962 and merged with other area schools to become Nolan Catholic High School; the use of the building was granted to Cassata a decade later.
About Cassata
Cassata Catholic High School is a private, nonprofit school in the Southside of Fort Worth that takes a unique approach to helping students overcome obstacles to completing high school and pursuing post-secondary education or training. Most students who enroll at Cassata have had difficulty in traditional schools and face serious challenges to progressing through or graduating from high school. These challenges include poverty; mental/emotional health; neuro-divergent learning differences, academic, behavioral, or physical health issues; bullying; family circumstances, including teenage pregnancy, abuse, or death of a family member. These challenges are high risk factors for a student dropping out of high school. Cassata is often the last chance for these students to graduate or earn their GED.
As an outreach ministry of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, Cassata provides a high-quality education to students of all faiths, ethnicities and socioeconomic levels. We are a school for everyone.