CINCINNATI — Students and staff gathered Sunday for a final farewell barbecue for St. Joseph Catholic School after the Archdiocese of Cincinnati announced its closing.
The archdiocese announced in June that the West End school would close due to safety concerns. In a letter to the church community, officials said most of the school building's mechanical systems were "at the end of their functional life" and repairs would cost more than $2.5 million.
"This is not the outcome anyone wanted. It is both unexpected and heartbreaking," Pastor Rodolpho Coaquira-Hilaje said in the letter. "The decision prioritizes the safety and well-being of students and staff, but I recognize it brings both grieving and the burden of an unknown future for our school children."
Parishioners and alumni protested outside the school, questioning the decision. Additionally, a letter from the City of Cincinnati inspectors from July 11 said "there is no life safety or fire hazard concern," calling the building's structure "sound."
Still, the archdiocese said in a statement the St. Joseph Parish Council voted to close the school for the 2023-24 academic year following an independent engineering firm's assessment. It is unclear what will happen next year.
"It's very heartbreaking," said Darlene Burse, who taught at St. Joseph for more than 20 years. "I can't really put it into words. I don't think it's really sunk in yet. It's just like having a family home that you've been raised in, because St. Joseph has been a family to my entire family for so many years."
Community members said they are still trying to figure out what's next for their students.
WCPO anchor Bret Buganski contributed to this story.
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