St. Bede Academy

Saint Bede Academy is a private, four-year, Catholic college-preparatory high school located in Peru, Illinois. The campus buildings and monastery are situated on 200acre of wooded land. The monastery is home to 32 Benedictine monks who have taken a vow of stability, meaning that they remain at Saint Bede Abbey for their lifetimes. The monks take an active role in the affairs and administration of the academy.The school is accredited by the State of Illinois, the North Central Association, and the Office of Catholic Education of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria.HistorySt. Bede Abbey and Academy were founded in 1890 by six monks tasked with establishing a Benedictine teaching institution where young men could receive a Catholic education. The school was dedicated on October 12, 1891 as an all-boys boarding school, remaining as such until 1973, at which time it became a coeducational institution.In 1981, the boarding program ceased, and the former dormitory rooms were converted into additional class and office space. Prior to the boarding program's ending, it was not uncommon for parents to send their boys hundreds of miles to attend and live at St. Bede. Afterward, the Academy still drew a consistent number of students from the local area, though never enough to challenge the local public schools.