Champagnat Catholic School was founded by Dr. Reinaldo Alonso and his wife Mrs. Maria I. Alonso at a time in the history of Miami when there was a shortage of schools. Champagnat came in to strengthen the religious, the civic and patriotic roots of children coming in from Cuba and Central and South America. Champagnat started under the auspices of the Marist Brothers, headquarters in Guatemala. This was possible due to Dr. Alonso’s previous years as principal of the Champagnat elementary in La Vibora, Cuba and later on the Champagnat high school in Cienfuegos, Cuba.
Champagnat Miami campus opened its classroom doors on September 8, 1968 at the corner of 29th Avenue and 7th Street SW Miami with 123 students. In May of 1969, we had our first First Communion at St. Dominic’s Church and in June our first award ceremony at the Miami High Auditorium. In 1970 we moved our locale to our present address of 2609 NW 7th Street, Miami, Fl and in 1973 we opened the doors to a second campus presently located at 369 East 10 Street, Hialeah, Fl. We now hold First Communions and Confirmations at St. John the Apostle and St Michael the Archangel Churches. Our graduations ceremonies are held at our Hialeah campus for Kindergarten and Eighth grades. Our High School graduation is at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church.
As we celebrate our 40th anniversary in Dade County, we would like to give thanks to the families in our community that have entrusted their children’s education to Champagnat Catholic Schools. Through the years, we have had the pleasure of having thousands course through our classrooms of which have become men and women of society filled with morals, knowledge and faith. We pray that Our Blessed Mother and St Marcellin Champagnat will continue to guide our alumni in all their endeavors.
In Memory of
Maria Isabel Zanetti-Alonso
1944 – 2010