SAN ANTONIO — At least two San Antonio school districts are considering school closures: SAISD and Edgewood ISD.
The reason? Low enrollment.
This had us wondering about Catholic or parochial schools.
Currently, there are no Catholic Schools within the Archdiocese of San Antonio considering closure right now.
However, recently, one of our community's oldest schools was considering it.
Despite challenges, Mount Sacred Heart's doors remain open. Now, a new addition is setting them up for, hopefully, the next hundred years.
"It was founded in 1929," said Felicia Villarreal, Communication & Development Director at Mount Sacred Heart. "It initially started as an all boys school. They had a military program. In 1973, we became co-ed and have been thriving ever since."
With 150 students in Montessori through 8th grade, Mount Sacred Heart continues to build on its rich history and legacy.
"We are celebrating our 50th year for our Montessori program," Villarreal said with a smile.
Over the last century, the school has only temporarily closed twice: In the 1940's during the polio epidemic and in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"A few years ago, we were facing a potential school closure," Villarreal explained. "They were so worried and heartbroken at potentially closing down the school."
In 2019, there were fears Mount Sacred Heart's historic doors would close for good.
"The Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, because there was a decline of them, they were gonna sell the school," said Villarreal.
The Archdiocese of San Antonio says declining enrollment also presented challenges for the future of Mount Sacred Heart.
Thanks to the generosity of alumni, Renee Benson, Mount Sacred Heart's legacy in Catholic education could continue. She purchased the property, which soon joined the Archdiocese of San Antonio family. Other individual donors, including many former and current Mount Sacred Heart families, pitched in to start the school's next chapter.
The Archdiocese of San Antonio says Catholic school enrollment is growing.
Following two years of notable growth, last year, enrollment nationwide grew 0.3%. That's according to data released earlier in 2023 by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA).
At last count, there are 1,693,493 students in 5,920 Catholic schools across the United States.
After Mount Sacred Heart was purchased, the school welcomed the addition of the Mother Cabrini Center. It's a pioneer program that nuns from other countries how to teach in America.
It's the only program of its kind in the U.S.
If you'd like more information about Mount Sacred Heart, or if you know a child looking to attend, scan the QR code below. School leadership says another way to help boost enrollment is to sponsor a student.
