CV NEWS FEED // A historic Catholic school in Tennessee will close at the end of the academic year due to low enrollment and “ongoing lack of financial stability.”
The Sisters of Mercy started the school, Immaculate Conception Cathedral School, in Memphis in 1922. The school is adjacent to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
“This is a very heartbreaking decision given the rich history of our school,” stated the pastor of the Cathedral, Fr. Robert Szczechura in an April 2 news release.
“We prayed often, and our school board, parents, and parish leaders met many times to collaborate on all possibilities from several angles to keep the school open,” he continued. “Unfortunately, the ongoing lack of financial stability and our constant struggle with enrollment made it impossible for the parish to continue operating the school.”
The school currently teaches preschool through eighth grade. Its high school closed in 2020. Depending on the grade level, students use a classical learning curriculum focused on areas such as Grammar, Logic, or Religion.
The tuition for the 2023-2024 school year for 6th to 8th Grade students was $9,575, not including scholarships or additional fees. For preschool students through 5th grade, the tuition was $8,995.
The school’s principal, Kadesha Gordon, said that the school tried to increase enrollment through recruitment, collaboration, and promotion. She also said that they hoped the state’s school choice voucher program could help provide prospective students with financial support.
“However, it became increasingly clear that our hopes were not sustainable,” Gordon stated. “And, despite everyone’s hard work, the expense of maintaining a school is far beyond what the parish and community were able to support.”
Fr. Szczechura said that in the remaining months of operation, the school aims to support its current students and parents with information about other local Catholic schools.
“We want to make this transition as smooth as possible for our students and parents,” Szczechura said. “Meetings will be offered to discuss each child’s future education, and the same will be done for all our faculty members. We pray that God will bless each family during this transition and always.”
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