NEW ORLEANS — St. Joan of Arc Catholic School in New Orleans will not reopen next year, parish and school leaders announced on Friday.
In a letter sent to families, Rev. Charles Andrus and Sean Goodwin, the principal of the school, cited downward enrollment trends as the reason to shutter the school at the end of the year.
"With each passing year, fulfilling our mission has become more difficult," the letter said. "Our society is becoming more secularized, families are moving out of the area, and economics of operating a school are not aligned with keeping Catholic education accessible and affordable to our families."
The school leaders added that it was in the best interest of the parish to close and allow families to choose other schools with more resources to fulfill our shared goal of spiritual, social, academic, and physical development of each child."
They added that the Department of Catholic Education and Faith Formation would be available to help families plan for a new school for students. Students who received a state scholarship or is a TDC student would receive necessary accommodations to maintain that funding.
"It is our hope that students will remain in a Catholic school of their choice," the letter adds.
The school was founded in 1893 by the Sisters of Holy Family to educate children of color.
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