St. Mary School may close

Lack of students caused by myriad of issues

St. Mary School in Elyria needs more students and staff members are encouraging families to enroll their children by the end of February.

The K-8 school, located at, 237 4th St. in Elyria, is celebrating a 160th anniversary in 2019 as the third oldest Catholic school still operating in Lorain County.

However, they are looking for more students to continue operating into next year and further on, according to Principal Sharon Urig.

There are currently 104 students and they need to reach 130 by the end of the month.

Urig said they are encouraging families who want their children to have a faith-based education – not requiring them to have a Catholic-based religion – to attend.

What they offer is a small, family-based school providing a great education striving for academic excellence, she said.

The St. Mary community has been pushing to keep the school running through fundraising and parent initiatives because the school is an only option for some families, Urig added.

She said she believes the school is in this situation because faith traditions and priorities are changing, the population of available children

has become smaller and some families may have different needs or plans for their children.

“The thing is, a lot of parents don’t realize they can get financial help,” she said.

Tuition for students annually is $5,150, but with options for financial assistance, most families pay much less, Urig said.

The school encourages an option called EdChoice, which is a scholarship program through the state of Ohio.

Students can qualify for EdChoice Scholarships by attending schools in academic emergency or based on financial need.

A list of schools in academic emergency is on Ohio Department of Educations website.

EdChoice will cover a student’s entire tuition at St. Mary, Urig said.

Students who attend St. Mary’s can also qualify for the program if they attend the only Lorain County Catholic school, Elyria Catholic, she added.

“Very few people pay full tuition,” she said. “Families who don’t qualify for EdChoice, there are other options available through the (Cleveland Catholic School’s) diocese and through the St. Mary’s parish.

Other county Catholic schools, including in Lorain, are growing, so St. Mary’s hopes to reach out to more families, she said.

Because some schools are growing, there are other financial opportunities through St. Mary School.

There are scholarship programs that benefit students in grades 6 and lower and those who reside in Lorain.

Attending a small, family-centered

school, St. Mary students receive a great education and services, Urig said, with more individual attention by the dedicated staff.

“We have a diverse population here with students coming from different backgrounds, nationalities and religions,” she said. “It’s also a misconception that you have to be Catholic to attend St. Mary’s, but you don’t have to be. We accept all religions.”

Having a diverse population is an important asset to have in school so that young students are familiar and educated on other nationalities and traditions, she said.

By next year, additional students could be added to the St. Mary’s family through its 3-year-old preschool it will offer.

EdChoice does not qualify for preschool students, she said.

St. Mary’s also offers courses and service most public schools do, she said.

“Students can get all services here they do at public schools today, with school psychiatrists, speech therapists, intervention specialists, tutors, our computer lab and a number of after school programs,” she said.

Having a diverse population is an important asset to have in school so that young students are familiar and educated on other nationalities and traditions, she said.