By Josh Graves
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Even after multiple school closings over the past decade, the Archdiocese of Baltimore has begun construction on a new elementary school that will be built by the fall of 2020.
“The response has been very favorable to the news of plans for a new Catholic school in Baltimore City,” said Sean Caine, a spokesperson for the archdiocese. “From the mayor and other elected officials, to community leaders and families, people are excited about the energy. This will bring to the community and the opportunities it will present to the children of Baltimore.”
The Cardinal Keeler School is named after Cardinal Keeler, who was the archbishop of Baltimore from 1987- 2006. The school is being built at the location of the old Lexington Terrace public housing complex, which was torn down in 1996.
The Archdiocese wants to pump faith in the youth of Baltimore City so they can grow and expand catholic high schools across the state, Caine said.
Caine said the construction costs for the school will be $18.5 million.
Father Donald Grzymski, the president of the Archbishop Curley, said he would like to see a new school in the area because he thinks it would benefit his archdiocese.
Archbishop Curley High School would be a beneficiary of more Catholic schools in Baltimore because it is one of few Baltimore City Catholic high schools, church officials said. They saidit could also benefit Catholic schools in the area because it will be co-ed. The school is looking to have around 500 students.
“Typically, the students we serve at our Catholic schools in Baltimore will matriculate to a nearby Catholic high school, while some choose to attend another nonpublic or public school,” Caine said. “The goal of our schools is to prepare the students for their next level of education as best as possible, wherever that maybe.”
According to the Baltimore Sun, 16 Catholic schools have closed in Baltimore County and City since 2010. They range from elementary schools to high schools with recent closings occurring in 2016.
Even with the optimism coming from the community after the school was announced, Grzymski said he thinks it might be too difficult to build more schools because of the cost that comes along with it.
“I don’t foresee a great number of new Catholic schools being built because of the huge cost to both build and operate,” he said. “The Archbishop has been a very diligent fund-raiser to make this school possible.”
He said he also thinks that the with building of this elementary school, it could help some non-believers become believers.
“I believe the Archbishop and the Archdiocese are striving to assure a Catholic presence in every part of the city, and Catholic schools have been embraced by people of many faiths (or none) as a help with their education,” Grzysmki said.
Grzysmki said he thinks even with the problems that have occurred in the past to keep Catholic schools afloat, this might be the time to turn this all around.
“Continuing many of the schools of the past has been a challenge with the migration of so many Catholics from the city, as well as the age of many churches and schools in the city,” Grzysmki said. “Hopefully this will help the community know the Catholic Church cares about what happens in the city and wants to do its part to assure a healthier future.”