St. Mary’s South Side Catholic High School will remain open after purchasing its property from the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
The St. Mary’s administration closed on the all-boys school for $1.5 million and will partner with SSM Health and Missouri AFL-CIO to teach students trade skills.
“We knew if we were going to stay open, we were going to have to become more than just a high school,” Mike England, president of St. Mary’s, said in a statement. “We’ve come up with a multi-part plan that we think will ensure this special place will continue its mission for future generations.”
St. Mary’s and SSM Health officials said two seniors have already been chosen to complete yearlong internships with the hospital, where they’ll learn HVAC and plumbing skills.
“The relationship we have built with the young men here at St. Mary’s makes sense for their future and the future of our industry,” AFL-CIO President Jake Hummel said in a statement. “We are beyond thrilled with the relationship we have begun to build with St. Mary’s and look forward to watching it grow.”
School administrators said the partnership will give students pre-apprenticeship opportunities to receive college credits.
The school purchased the 23-acre Dutchtown property from the archdiocese in June after leasing it for the past couple of years. The archdiocese announced a plan to consolidate and close a number of schools in 2022, citing declining enrollments. The school had fewer than 300 students that year, while the building had a capacity of about 1,000.
The move concerned families with children at school who noted its large Black population and the number of students on financial aid.
The school announced a plan at the end of that year to keep the campus open for at least three more years and lease the property after it became an independent nonprofit. St. Mary’s and all-girls school Rosati-Kain announced aggressive fundraising campaigns in late 2022 to keep the schools open and independent.
England thanked the archdiocese during a Tuesday press conference for negotiating with the school as it worked to stay open and begin a new chapter.
“We believe in what our neighborhood and city can be,” England said. “The work ahead is imposing, but we will not and cannot become discouraged because we know we’re making a difference one person at a time.”
