• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Officials at Woodmont Academy, a once-bustling independent Catholic institution in Western Howard County, have decided to close the school later this spring due to declining enrollment.

Woodmont Academy to close due to enrollment issues

April 14, 2011
By Catholic Review Staff
Catholic Review
Filed Under: Local News, News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Officials at Woodmont Academy, a once-bustling independent Catholic institution in Western Howard County, have decided to close the school later this spring due to declining enrollment.

The school, which operates under the spiritual guidance of the Legionaries of Christ, boasted 301 students as recently as two years ago. Woodmont had less than 160 students re-enrolled for next year, a number that families were told had to be met by April 5 to remain open in 2011-12.

Woodmont was once one of the fastest-growing schools in the archdiocese, so successful it moved its campus from Baltimore County in 2003 to Cooksville, where new buildings were erected.

Currently, there are 185 students in the school, including 19 graduating eighth-graders. Stephanie Blake, the school’s director of admissions and communications, told The Catholic Review that families were “emotional” about the closing.

“It was a tough experience,” Blake said. “They were very concerned about their children’s future.”

Blake said several factors led to enrollment decline, including the economy. Similar challenges have hampered enrollment in Catholic schools during the last decade. Including Woodmont, 33 schools in the archdiocese recognized as Catholic have closed since 2002, according to the Maryland Catholic Conference.

Many current families chose Woodmont because of its proximity to Mount Airy, Eldersburg and Sykesville, Blake said.

“We had a regional presence in a part of the archdiocese that was underserved,” she said.

Blake said parents are committed to sending their children to Catholic schools in Howard County, Frederick County and St. John School in Westminster.

“We’re appreciative of the archdiocese schools’ generosity through prayer, attention and the efforts they’ve made to reach out to our families,” Blake said.

The Legionaries of Christ have been a source of controversy in recent years, as revelations came to light about the personal misconduct of the worldwide order’s founder, Father Marcial Maciel.

Woodmont operated under the spiritual guidance of the Legionaries since it opened in 1995 on its original Woodstock campus. It used the Integral Formation method of education developed by the Legion.

“Speaking very honestly, the situation that has involved the Legion of Christ over the last few years has had an impact,” Blake said.

Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien, archbishop of Baltimore, gained international attention when he issued statements critical of the order’s finances and its formation of followers.

Prior to the announcement of the closure, Blake said the school had been working to “redefine our relationship with the Legion,” shifting to jurisdiction by an independent board of trustees. Woodmont still planned on subscribing to the order’s method of education when the leadership transition was to happen in July.

The Legion, which owns the Cooksville campus, supported the move, according to Blake. Woodmont would have become a tenant. According that plan, a full-time Legion chaplain would have remained on the campus.

“We were prepared to assume complete lay governorship of the school had we been able to sustain our enrollment and put ourselves in that position,” Blake said.

Blake said she didn’t know what plans the Legionaries of Christ had for the campus buildings.

Blake said the school’s defining legacy would be the “total commitment of on the part of the teachers and staff to formation of every child in the likeness and image of Christ.”

Copyright © 2011 Catholic Review Media

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Catholic Review Staff

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • The ‘both/and’ pope

  • Patrick Brice sentenced to home detention for attacks on elderly pro-life supporters

  • Mount St. Mary’s launches new physician assistant program

  • The three questions young people asked Pope Leo XIV — and his answers

  • West Virginia bishop warns on immigration: ‘The final judge of our actions is God’

| Latest Local News |

Patrick Brice sentenced to home detention for attacks on elderly pro-life supporters

Notre Dame of Maryland University joins with Milwaukee college to address teacher shortage

Sister Agnese Neumann dies at 95

Maryland Catholic Conference pleads for peace on 80th Anniversary of atomic bombings

Father Donio receives Knights’ highest award for work as chaplain

| Latest World News |

Catholic MBA programs see business as force for good, blending doctrine, commerce

Amid ‘reverse migration,’ sisters in Mexico accompany migrants trapped by US policies

When nuns perished during adoration in wartime Warsaw, white doves rose into sky

Nagasaki Franciscan monastery that survived atomic blast still stands as messenger of peace

Newark Archdiocese settles abuse claims against retired bishop who denies allegations

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Catholic MBA programs see business as force for good, blending doctrine, commerce
  • Patrick Brice sentenced to home detention for attacks on elderly pro-life supporters
  • Amid ‘reverse migration,’ sisters in Mexico accompany migrants trapped by US policies
  • Movie Review: ‘The Naked Gun’
  • When nuns perished during adoration in wartime Warsaw, white doves rose into sky
  • Nagasaki Franciscan monastery that survived atomic blast still stands as messenger of peace
  • Notre Dame of Maryland University joins with Milwaukee college to address teacher shortage
  • Newark Archdiocese settles abuse claims against retired bishop who denies allegations
  • Catholic family experts tie marriage to dropping U.S. fertility rate

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en