Merged schools in South Hills newly named Ave Maria Academy
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh on Monday said it has a name for the elementary school created by the merger of four South Hills schools.
The new school, called Ave Maria Academy, will serve students who previously attended St. Anne in Castle Shannon, St. Bernard in Mt. Lebanon, Our Lady of Grace in Scott and St. Thomas More in Bethel Park.
The new name becomes official on July 1.
Potential names for the new elementary school were chosen by students before Bishop David Zubik made the final decision after receiving suggestions from an implementation committee made up of parents from each school.
“The students did research projects on the names of different saints or Catholic teachings. As part of that project, fifth through eighth grade students from all four schools suggested a variety of names,” said Sharon Loughran Brown, a regional administrator for the schools and former principal at Our Lady of Grace. “The school has received a number of messages indicating satisfaction and excitement over the chosen name.”
The new school is a part of the diocese’s ongoing regionalization of its schools. Ave Maria Academy
will have two preschool through eighth grade locations, at St. Thomas More and St. Bernard.
Additionally, St. Maria Goretti in Bloomfield and East Catholic School in Forest Hills are scheduled to close at the end of the academic year.
In January, the diocese announced the regionalization in what it called an effort to “strengthen” the Catholic schools for the long term.