Butler Catholic School is celebrating its 50th year of existence in 2019.

Don't reach for your party hats yet. School staff and community members aren't planning many celebrations and events until the 2019-20 school year begins.

Butler Catholic School is the oldest consolidated school in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, according to Sister John Ann Mulhern, principal.

Butler Catholic is the result of merging St. Paul, St. Michael and St. Peter schools in 1969.

“We are looking forward to it, but we're still in the preparation stages for the celebration,” Mulhern said. “We're looking at really celebrating it next school year.”

Several events throughout the year are without dates, she said, but they have nailed down the big celebration days. Friday, Oct. 11, through Sunday, Oct. 13, will be a weekend dedicated to recognizing the schools.

Today, the school has about 325 students in preschool through eighth grade.

At its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s, Mulhern said, they had about 1,200 students.

Changes in local family sizes and local populations have decreased the numbers, but the school is still going strong.

There are 19 full-time teachers and five part-time.

Several of those teachers are veterans of the school. Mulhern said Carol Dorcy has the longest tenure with about 26 years. Dorcy teaches math.

“We have quite a few teachers who actually went to school here and are still teaching,” Mulhern said.

Another, Amanda Rensel, went to the school and teaches there now. Her mother also taught there.

“We're looking forward to exciting events being planned,” Mulhern said.

The community should expect more details about the coming celebrations in about two months, she said.