St. Wendelin Catholic High School to close in June

Decision spurred by financial concerns, dwindling enrollment

4/21/2017
BY VANESSA McCRAY
BLADE STAFF WRITER
  • CTY-StWendelin13p-4-21

    The Rev. Eric Schild teaches a religion class at St. Wendelin High School in Fostoria in 2008. Facing declining enrollment and with close to a third of its 96 students as seniors, St. Wendelin High School will close at the end of this academic year, more than a century after its first student graduated.

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    • FOSTORIA — St. Wendelin Catholic School will close its high school in June, a decision spurred by financial concerns and dwindling enrollment.

    The St. Wendelin Parish will continue to operate a kindergarten through eighth grade school.

    "We deeply regret having to make this decision, however, we are convinced that it is the right decision, given the present circumstances and future projections,” the school said, in a statement issued today.

    Officials said high-school enrollment has dropped from 133 students during the 2010-2011 school year to the current 96 high schoolers now enrolled, about a third of whom are seniors.

    It projected a high-school enrollment of just 70 students for next school year.

    The decision to close the school came after consideration from the St. Wendelin Parish Finance Council, the St. Wendelin Catholic Schools Education Foundation Board, parish and school administrators, and the Diocese of Toledo.

    Bishop Daniel E. Thomas accepted the recommendation to close the high school, which if maintained would deplete the parish’s financial reserves, the school said.

    Officials will assist students and families who wish to continue their Catholic educations at Calvert Catholic Schools in Tiffin or St. Joseph Central Catholic School in Fremont.

    The downsized K-8 school will operate at the Countyline Street building during next school year, after which students will move to a Wood Street facility for the 2018-2019 school year.

    The school was established in 1873, and the high school’s history dates to 1910 when its first student graduated after completing a two-year commercial course.

    Contact Vanessa McCray at: vmccray@theblade.com or 419-724-6065, or on Twitter @vanmccray.