In the year 1899, the then Bishop of Coimbatore, Msgr. Louis Bardou and the Parish Priest of Coonoor, Fr. Dennis Peyramale approached Mother Marie Flavie in Bangalore to resolve a major problem faced by the European Planters in Coonoor, with regard to the education of their children. They requested the Congregation to open a Convent and an English Medium School. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Mother Marie Flavie graciously accepted the offer.
Riding through the narrow, hilly mountain roads in a jutka, she arrived in Coonoor , accompanied by Sr. Margaret Mary. On the 9th of February 1900, the sisters took possession of Dublin Castle donated by Sir Lawrence O’Reilley to the Coimbatore Mission.
On 15th February 1900, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Tarbes started the St. Joseph’s Convent Girls’ English School to provide a sound Christian Education to the children of the European Planters. Mother Anna Marie was appointed as the First Mother Superior of the Convent at Coonoor. SJC made a humble beginning with just 15 students. The numbers grew quickly and by the end of the year, saw a hundred girls on the roll. Today, our school has a strength of about 1600 students from L.K.G. to Std. XII.