CLEVELAND — One of Northeast Ohio's oldest Catholic schools is about to be no more.
The Diocese of Cleveland on Friday confirmed St. Thomas Aquinas School on Superior Avenue will close at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. In a letter obtained by 3News written to parents of the institution's students, Diocese Superintendent Frank W. O’Linn, Ed.D., cited declining enrollment and limited resources as the main reasons for the decision.
"This decision is not a criticism of the quality of the school," Dr. O'Linn wrote. "However, Catholic schools are not immune to the population shifts and financial challenges that have affected other area schools."
Named after the Dominican friar and priest who is still considered one of the Catholic Church's greatest philosophers, St. Thomas Aquinas School was founded in 1899 by the Sisters of St. Joseph one year after the parish of the same name first began holding mass. At its peak in 1945, it housed 1,050 students from kindergarten through eighth grade, and continued to operate even after the church shut its doors in 1993. According to Private School Review, enrollment is now down to just 218.
O'Linn says a meeting will be held Monday after class at 3 p.m. to discuss any further questions as well as provide guidance as to where students might go in 2020-21. The diocese stresses 16 Catholic elementary schools will remain open in Cleveland alone, including nearby St. Francis, St. Agatha-St. Aloysius, and St. Adalbert School.
"We remain committed to supporting the students and staff of St. Thomas Aquinas through the year and honoring its great history," O'Linn said.
St. Thomas Aquinas is one of 108 Catholic schools within the eight-county Diocese of Cleveland, although some are run by orders within the Church (such as the Jesuits) and not by the diocese itself. Notable recent closures include Lorain Catholic High School in 2004 and St. Peter Chanel High School in 2013.
