THE STORY OF

Since our founding 40 years ago, St. Paul VI Catholic High School has been dedicated to fostering spiritual growth, academic excellence, and compassionate service within a nurturing Catholic community.

When Paul VI opened its doors in Fairfax in 1983, it was a new school in an old building. Now, 40 years later, we continue our legacy in state-of-the-art facilities in Chantilly to ensure we continue to offer an excellent Catholic education for generations to come.

Here are just a few of the highlights in the PVI story:

1982-1983 Paul VI High School

(nickname PVI) was established by former Arlington Bishop Thomas J. Welsh. The Diocese purchased a building being used by George Mason University that dated to 1935, which had been the site of Fairfax High School until 1971. continued on next page

The Oblates of St. Francis de Sales were asked to administer and staff the school. Rev. Donald J. Heet, OSFS, was appointed founding principal and the Oblates administered and staffed PVI until 2000.

In its first year, Paul VI opened with 350 freshmen and sophomores and 21 employees. Students choose the Panther as the mascot at an assembly.

1992 3,000 cans were collected in Paul VI’s first Canned Food Drive.

1997 The first Rally in the Alley took place, with students gathering for food, music and fun before home football games. Today, the tradition continues with a new name: Rally in the Valley!

1998 Six students entered in the first Options class. The Options program provides a Catholic education to students with intellectual disabilities. At the time, PVI was only the second Catholic high school in the U.S. to offer such a program. The word “Catholic” is added to the name of Paul VI High School.

2000 The Oblates end their 17 year administration of Paul VI and Philip Robey begins his role as PVI’s first lay principal.

2004 The VI Man cheering section was established. In 2006, DCSportsFan named the VI Man its top student section.

2009 The Class of 2009 was instrumental in securing a 6.6 ton spirit rock from a local quarry. The iconic rock was transported from Fairfax to Chantilly on July 30, 2020. Scan the QR code in the timeline on page 19 to see the journey!

2011 PVI begins its Dual Enrollment partnership with Northern Virginia Community College. DE classes offer students a pathway to earn dual course credit at both PVI and NOVA.

2012 Paul VI was named among the Top 50 Catholic High Schools in the United States by the Cardinal Newman Society.

2013 PVI launched a one-to-one laptop program for incoming freshmen and rising sophomores.

2015 The Diocese of Arlington announced that Paul VI would relocate from its original 16-acre campus in Fairfax to a 68-acre campus in Chantilly.

2018 The groundbreaking ceremony for the new campus took place on February 16, 2018. Bishop Michael F. Burbidge opened the ceremony with a prayer and sprinkled holy water on the site.

Later that year, our school’s namesake, Pope Paul VI, was canonized on October 14, 2018 and a group from PVI attended the canonization at the Vatican. To honor the occasion, “St.” is added to our official school name.

2020 Bishop Burbidge performed the ceremonial ribbon cutting and blessed our new campus on August 27, 2020. Scan the QR code in the timeline on page 19 to hear the speeches from the event.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, PVI opened for the 2020-2021 school year five days a week, utilizing a hybrid model that combined in-person and online learning.

The Story of 40, continued

2022 Ginny Colwell retired after nearly 29 years at Paul VI, including sixteen years in leadership. Laura Swenson began as the new Head of School in July 2022.

2023 PVI celebrated its 40th anniversary. Mass was concelebrated by current chaplain Fr. Stephen Schultz, as well as former principals Fr. Donald Heet, OSFS, and Fr. Robert Mulligan, OSFS to celebrate 40 years of growing in grace and wisdom.

In his final letter to the PVI school community, published in the Panther Press student newspaper in June 1991, Fr. Heet wrote that he hoped students would graduate taking three lessons with them: “The first lesson is that, no matter what your gifts and talents are, develop them to the best of your opportunity. Don’t fall into the trap of judging yourself by the standards of your peers; set your own standards, set them high, and do your best to achieve them. The second lesson is the importance of community. No matter where you find yourself in life, be part of a community that supports you and which you support.

Life is too short and difficult to go alone. The last, and most crucial lesson, is to stay close to Christ and the Church. There are a lot of false values in our world; they are enticing, but they are ultimately empty. Cling to your faith, continue to learn about it, and above all live it in your everyday life.”

Fr. Heet’s words ring true today, more than ever. Thank you to everyone who has made PVI the special place it is today! As we look forward to the next forty years, may we build on the past to create the future… and always continue to grow in grace and wisdom

Want to learn more? Scan the QR code to check out even more PVI milestones on the updated history page of our school website.