ST. LOUIS — Alumnae and students at an all-girls Catholic high school continue to fight to keep the school open.
This is after the Archdiocese announced it would close Rosati-Kain and St. Mary's at the end of the school year, as part of a consolidation plan.
However, while both schools negotiate to see what's next, Rosati-Kain's process looks a bit different.
That's because of its building.
The building
In the 1920s, Rosati-Kain High School was built on the corner of Lindell Boulevard and Newstead Avenue.
Rosati-Kain also became the first high school in the St. Louis area to integrate in 1947.
The Chair of RK Forever, Cynthia Forcelledo Goudy says, "We've been a staple in the community. The St. Louis Preservation Board is moving forward with the application process to create this as a City Landmark."
On Monday, the Preservation Board voted to move the nomination along for Rosati-Kain to be a City Landmark.
The Cultural Resources Office Director tells 5 On Your Side, "I believe the motion was to forward the nomination to the Planning Commission and the Board of Public Service, which is the path specified in the ordinance."
The Preservation Board says the high school stands out for several reasons:
- Rosati-Kain High School is significant for its contribution to the history of education in St. Louis
- The school building is a High Merit structure that remains in nearly unaltered condition, with the exception of later rear additions that have not affected its historic character
- The school is an exemplary illustration of the Classic Revival architectural style in St. Louis
Forcelledo Goudy adds, "Alums put $6 million in this building five years ago to build a huge addition. We just built and doubled our footprint, so everything in this building is state of the art."
Because of this, the historic building is pricey.
"Our property is very valuable. That complicates things in terms of negotiations with the Archdiocese. We would rent our space from them," she shared.
What's next
Forcelledo Goudy said they've done all the leg work to get ahead.
RK Forever, the alumni-led group, has already raised one million dollars in endowed and pledge funds.
The goal is to raise $5 million over three years.
"Our goal is to establish this new school at this location," she added.
Beyond that, Forcelledo Goudy explains they have secured sponsors, received the Archbishop's blessing, and they plan to expand enrollment.
She also explained, girls are already asking to attend the independent school, Rosati-Kain Academy.
"We're fighting for those girls and students that want to come here," she noted.
Forcelledo Goudy believes while the fight is tough, it's a battle they can win.
"It's going to open July 1. We're hoping we can come together and seal a deal. We're hopeful the Archdiocese will come to the table and Archbishop Rozanski will meet with us face-to-face. That's something that hasn't happened yet," Forcelledo Goudy said.
Forcelledo Goudy hopes the community can help by making a pledge.
To learn more about RK Forever, click here.
Todd Sweda, Ed. D., Archdiocese of St. Louis Superintendent for Secondary Education and Senior Director, Office of Catholic Education and Formation shared this statement:
Archdiocesan representatives met with committee members from Rosati-Kain and St. Mary’s to provide direction for becoming independent Catholic schools. Since these initial meetings, communications with both groups have been ongoing. To support their efforts, we have presented property lease offers to both schools which would enable them to operate on their current campuses, and we have offered to engage the sponsoring religious orders under consideration. We are currently awaiting their final decisions.
As far as what's next for the building becoming a City Landmark, it still needs to go through several hoops before the matter goes to the full Board of Alderman for a final vote.