A Rome Elementary School Will Close Its Doors at the End of This Year

A longtime educational staple in Rome, New York has reached a point of no return. This school first opened its doors back in 1963 as a high school located at 800 Cypress Street in the city. 61 years later the leadership of the school has announced that it's no longer possible to keep it operating.

Syracuse Diocese Bishop Lucia and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Amy Sansone released a letter to parents and in that letter they announced the difficult decision to close Rome Catholic School. They write,

This decision was not made lightly. Over the past few years, we have been faced with ongoing challenges, primarily stemming from declining enrollment and financial constraints. Despite our best efforts to sustain and strengthen the school community, the combination of these factors has unfortunately led us to this difficult outcome.

There have been several attempts throughout the years for Catholic school supporters and parents to find alternative financing and enrollment options, but unfortunately the time has come. The closure will happen at the end of the 2024 academic year.

In 2013 the final High School class was graduated from Catholic High School and that is when it changed to Rome Catholic School with Kindergarten to 6th grade only. Now, it is all history as over the next few weeks the diocese and staff will assist in the transition. The Syracuse Diocese says there are 21 schools left open in the district.

Bishop Lucia and Dr. Sansone say, "We are profoundly grateful for the unwavering support and dedication you have shown to Rome Catholic throughout the years. Your commitment to Catholic education has been instrumental in shaping the lives of our students and contributing to the spirit of Rome’s Catholic community."