The Archdiocese of St. Louis has announced that All Saints Academy in Florissant will transition to a two-campus model for the 2023-24 school year.
Citing a decline in enrollment and staffing shortages, the campus at St. Rose Philippine Duchesne in Florissant will be closed, with campuses remaining at St. Norbert and St. Ferdinand, also in Florissant. Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski accepted the recommendation made by All Saints Academy’s board of directors.
“This decision will allow All Saints Academy to continue providing quality Catholic education to children in our community, despite the present enrollment decline and staffing shortage,” Archbishop Rozanski wrote in a letter announcing the reconfiguration.
Over the past two years, pastors, school leaders, the academy’s board of directors and the archdiocesan Office of Catholic Education and Formation have explored the possibility of transitioning the school from three campuses to two.
The campus at St. Rose Philippine Duchesne has experienced the largest decrease in enrollment since the academy opened in 2018, from 238 students in K-8 to 131 registered for this fall. St. Rose Philippine Duchesne also has the most faculty and staff vacancies, with 12 open positions, nine of which are critical to support a K-8 program.
A recent facility assessment also estimated the cost of necessary repairs at the St. Rose Philippine Duchesne campus to include $878,000 in deferred maintenance. It would require an additional $1-2 million to bring the campus up to current facility standards.
As part of the reconfiguration, faculty and staff employed at St. Rose Philippine Duchesne campus for the 2023-24 school year will be offered comparable positions at either the St. Ferdinand or St. Norbert campuses. Students who are fully enrolled for the upcoming school year will have the opportunity to transfer to either campus. A PreK program will continue to be offered at the two campuses.
“I am confident that All Saints Academy staff and families at the St. Ferdinand and St. Norbert campuses will warmly welcome those joining them from the St. Rose Philippine Duchesne campus,” Archbishop Rozanski said. “I encourage all people of faith to join me in praying for a safe and fruitful school year, for All Saints Academy and all school communities.”
All Saints Academy opened in 2018, bringing together three north St. Louis County Catholic schools as part of a new partnership model of governance. Under the model, the campuses are operated by the sponsoring parishes and the archdiocese. The move also ensures that educational and religious programming is of similar quality at each campus. While the school operates at multiple sites, the entire entity is governed by the pastors and a board of directors.
The campus reconfiguration at All Saints Academy is not related to parish or school restructuring of the All Things New pastoral planning process. The archdiocese announced in November 2022 that elementary school changes under All Things New were postponed until the 2024-25 school year.