School History

Our campus in the building stage. — Our campus in the beginning stages.

Blessing our school building. — The blessing of our school building.

The original staff of St. Bede Catholic School in 1964.

Our students learning in the classrooms.

The Oakland Diocesan C.Y.O Champions. — The Oakland Diocesan C.Y.O Champions

Saint Bede Catholic School (SBCS) officially opened in the fall of 1964 with Sister Gemma Fisher, SNJM, as principal. At that time, the school consisted of grades 1-4, with the first class graduating in 1969.

Since the school’s opening in 1964, with the direction of Sister Gemma Fisher, SNJM, the charism of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary has been imperative to the philosophy and mission of SBCS. The core values of the Holy Names Sisters – Full Development of the Human Person, Education in the Faith, Hospitality, Dedication to Women and Children, Dedication to Justice, Service to People who are Poor and Marginalized, Commitment to Liberating Action, and Love for the Names of Jesus and Mary – have been ingrained in every aspect of the school. Blessed Marie Rose Durocher founded the Order of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary in 1843 with the purpose of providing quality Catholic educational opportunities for students of diverse ethnic, economic, and religious backgrounds.

From 1990 to the present, administrators, teachers, and support staff from the lay community have continued this legacy with their dedication to the Holy Names Sisters’ charism by instilling a quality Catholic education and fostering each student’s development as a disciple of Jesus.

Students enjoying their strawberries and cream.

One of our school traditions is to serve our students strawberries and cream every year. This dates back to May 10, 1868 when the SNJMs were greeted by the Sisters of Mercy who gave them with strawberries and cream after a long journey from Quebec to San Francisco.