St. Michael-St. Clement School will close at end of academic year

School leadership announced April 13 that St. Michael-St. Clement School in Overlea, which serves preschool through eighth grade, will not reopen in the fall for the 2026-27 academic year.

The closing was announced to staff in the afternoon and then in a letter sent to parents in the evening. 

“We recognize how distressing this news is for our students, families, staff, and alumni,” said the letter, signed by St. Michael-St. Clement Principal Patricia Angelini; Gregory Farno, chancellor of education for the Archdiocese of Baltimore; and School Sister of Notre Dame Patricia McCarron, archdiocesan superintendent of Catholic Education. “This decision was not made lightly; it came after extensive discussions, deep reflection, and careful evaluations regarding the sustainability of our school.”

The school, which can accommodate 340 students, has 248 students this school year, but was expected to have only 150 students in the fall of 2026. The school had 315 students in 2023-24, so the 2026-27 enrollment would be a decrease of 52 percent from just four years earlier.

The school has a budget deficit of $500,000 in the current school year, which was expected to grow to $700,000 next school year. The archdiocese has provided St. Michael-St. Clement School more than $2.5 million in financial support over the past five years, according to information provided to the parents. 

Projected facility maintenance costs add to the financial concerns, with key systems in need of renovation or replacement. Near-term improvements would cost $500,000, with scheduled maintenance over the next 10 years estimated at $4.5 million.

Farno said the decision to close a school is never based on just one thing. “Sometimes you can fix one problem. It’s when it’s a confluence of problems that it’s harder.”

He said he only would recommend to close a school when there is no feasible way to keep it open. He and other school leaders met with faculty and staff April 13 and Farno said they assured the team that “closing is not somebody’s fault. I said, ‘You are all great. It’s just a combination of factors.”

The letter from school leaders noted that they would work with parents to help them find placements in other Catholic schools. “We are working with the leadership at our neighboring Catholic schools directly, and we will provide resources and contact information to help you explore your student’s options for the 2026-27 academic year and beyond,” the letter to parents said.

The school will host an in-person group meeting April 14 to discuss the closing and available resources. “At this meeting, representatives from neighboring Catholic schools will be present to discuss possible enrollment for the 2026-27 school year,” the letter said. It also noted that a list of frequently asked questions and other resources are available on the school’s website at stmstc.org.

Farno also said counseling would be offered to students and staff if they need it. 

The handout for the parents noted that seven other Catholic schools are within three to seven miles of the Overlea campus. 

“St. Michael-St. Clement families will apply to the school(s) of their choice, but they will be given priority for admissions,” the information said. “Our Catholic schools are committed to making the process as streamlined and simplified as possible for our St. Michael-St. Clement families. Application fees will also be waived for St. Michael-St. Clement families.”

Even if a receiving school has higher tuition that St. Michael-St. Clement, the current tuition rate of $7,875 per child will be honored at all archdiocesan schools for the first year of enrollment in the new school. The archdiocese will also provide a $100 allowance to each student for the purchase of new school uniforms.

The handout said that the archdiocesan human resources department will work closely with all faculty and staff on possible employment at another Catholic school within the archdiocese. 

“We would like to take this moment to express our heartfelt appreciation for the dedicated staff at St. Michael-St. Clement Catholic School,” the letter to parents said. “Their unwavering commitment to our students and the community will always be cherished and valued. We will be working diligently to retain these talented professionals at the archdiocesan schools where the need and their career goals fit.”

Farno told the Catholic Review that, while there are no guarantees, based on success placing faculty from St. Agnes School when it closed in 2025, he is “bullish” that any faculty or staff member will be able to find a position at another Catholic school if they want that. “We’re in the midst of hiring season for next year. Our hope is that all who want to stay in Catholic education will have the chance to do that,” Farno said. 

St. Michael-St. Clement School was formed by the merger in 2017 of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Clement Mary Hofbauer schools. According to a handout, the current school building is part of St. Michael the Archangel Church and is owned by the parish. The archdiocese will work with the pastor to help determine future use.

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