ST. LOUIS — After months of looking for funding to stay open, St. Mary's High School has accepted the terms of a three-year lease from the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
This means the 91-year-old school will remain open for the foreseeable future.
During a press conference on Thursday, the school announced its new name for the 2023-24 school year will be St. Mary's Southside Catholic High School. It will become a Marianist sponsored school.
"Thousands of people have rallied around this great institution to ensure that God's work continues here in the Dutchtown neighborhood," St. Mary’s President Mike England said at the press conference.
As of July 1, 2023, St. Mary’s will become a Marianist-sponsored school, independent of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, similar to Chaminade and Vianney high schools.
England also announced the school's $10 million fundraising campaign called “The Work is Ours.” So far, the school has raised $3.3 million which, England said, demonstrates strong community support for the school.
The $10 million will support the school’s five-year financial plan. England said once the school reaches that goal, it will begin working on its next plan for the future.
School leaders said this school is crucial for the Dutchtown neighborhood.
"This is critical to the life of the neighborhood as you heard in the press conference," Fr. Mitch Doyen said. "It's also critical for the life of the church. The gospel needs to be heard in every corner of the city. This anchor right here becomes a light, not just of prosperity but of faith for the community."
St. Mary's families are happy school leaders are passionate about keeping the school open.
"It's a wonderful feeling knowing that their intent is to give a future to not only my son but other kids," Michelle Neals said. "My son has other kids looking to him, to come to St. Mary's because he is here."
"It's a brotherhood," Marvin Neals said. "Family. All of these people are brothers to me. They taught me to be a better man in here and out there."
In September, the archdiocese announced 2022 would be the last year it would support the all-boys St. Mary’s High and the all-girls Rosati-Kain High. Dwindling enrollment and rising costs were a few reasons behind the decision to pull support of the historic high schools.
$1.3 million has been raised to keep Rosati-Kain open, according to the alumni group charged with securing the future of the 111-year-old high school.
"St. Mary's and us, were under extraordinary time constraints,” Cynthia Forcelledo Goudy, Chair of RK Forever said. “I am happy with the way things have progressed. We are so happy for St. Mary's. When we heard the news in the end of September, we were both shocked. We are thrilled for them, happy for them, we support them."
RK Forever said they are planning an announcement of their own next week.
Statement from Todd Sweda, Office of Catholic Education and Formation and Superintendent for Secondary Education:
"We are pleased that conversations between St. Mary’s, the Archdiocese, and the Marianists have resulted in this new canonical sponsorship for St. Mary’s as they move forward as an independent Catholic school."
Watch the full announcement in the video below: