A small Catholic school that has educated students in Brooklyn Center and surrounding communities for the past 65 years will close after the last bell rings on May 31.
St. Alphonsus opened in 1959, but in recent years the school on Halifax Avenue has struggled to attract pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade students and hire and retain enough teachers to continue, said the Rev. John Schmidt.
"It is my firm belief that a parish school should provide a robust education and serve as a growing resource for the community," he said in a statement. "Regrettably, St. Alphonsus School is presently unable to fulfill these objectives."
The adjoining church with the same name as the school will remain open.
Enrollment has fallen from 175 students a decade ago to fewer than 100 this year. The sharp decline means the school has brought in fewer tuition dollars and forced the church to make up the difference.
"This made it increasingly difficult to continue the operation of the school," Schmidt said.
The school has also seen high teacher turnover. More than 30 teachers have left the school since 2017 and several full-time positions are currently unfilled.
Projections for next year show another drop in enrollment, the ongoing teacher shortage would continue and the school would require a significant increase in parish funding to stay open.
Schmidt consulted with the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis' Office for the Mission of Catholic Education, administrators and trustees before making the "difficult choice" to close.
"This decision weighs heavily on me, particularly as someone who received his education through parish schools," Schmidt said. "I deeply value the role these institutions play within our communities."
Schmidt said St. Alphonsus will honor all contracts with its full-time teachers and set up opportunities for parents to check out neighboring Catholic schools.
"Please keep our teachers, staff, parents and students in your prayers," Schmidt said.
