St. Paul Catholic School in San Antonio’s Jefferson neighborhood will close at the academic year’s end due to financial troubles, leaving families heartbroken.
SAN ANTONIO — A heart-wrenching scene unfolded at a town hall meeting Wednesday night.
Children ran out of the room at St. Paul Community Center after learning their beloved school is closing its doors.
Leaders of the St. Paul Catholic Church and School community, a cornerstone of San Antonio’s Jefferson neighborhood, announced they will close the school at the end of this academic year.
It’s an announcement St. Paul Catholic School alums were trying to prevent.
“Last night just burst our bubble and now we’re left in shambles emotionally and spiritually. It really hurts,” said Jason Vasquez, who graduated from St. Paul Catholic School in 1995.
For over seven decades, the school wasn’t just about academics — it was about care, compassion and creating a sense of belonging.
Vasquez, his brothers and his father experienced this nurturing, family atmosphere firsthand.
In 6th grade, Vasquez was diagnosed with Leukemia. He says leaders of St. Paul School made sure, through his treatment, that he never missed a beat in his education.
“They ended up finding a [St. Paul School] teacher who was willing to homeschool me,” he explained. “She’d come over when I wasn’t having chemo and she’d tutor me so I could keep up with my class. Luckily I was able to come back with my class in 7th grade.”
It’s that same dedication by faculty and staff Vasquez hoped would never go away.
Three months ago, he says St. Paul School alumni were told their alma mater was in major financial trouble.
“All of a sudden it’s a red alert. Why is it all of a sudden?” Vasquez wondered. “People were willing to pitch in, I just don’t think we had enough time to be able to pitch in. Then all of a sudden we just get shut down.”
Alums scrambled to raise money, gathering nearly $150,000 in donations.
But it wasn’t enough.
“The governor’s bill that may or may not pass, that would benefit St. Paul to stay open. At least wait a year to see if that helps the school,” said Vasquez. “It’s sad to see this poor school is being shuttered because of bad decision-making and execution. That’s what it comes down to.”
In a press release, the Archdiocese of San Antonio said they believe vouchers won’t address the immediate needs.
“Currently in the State of Texas, school choice legislation has a particularly good prospect of becoming law, however, for St. Paul School, that would not provide the type of immediate assistance needed for operations,” they wrote.
To stay open, the Archdiocese says St. Paul School needed $250,000 annually and more than $1 million in deferred maintenance.
Declining enrollment played a significant role, too. Currently, roughly 100 students in grades Pre-K thru eight attend St. Paul Catholic School.
“Unfortunately that’s been the shadow, the cloud over our head all year. So we were really trying to make the most of it just in case, but still when you finally hear that the ax is being dropped. My heart breaks for them,” said Melanie Romero, whose three children attend St. Paul School. “The kids are resilient and we know this, but last night we could see their hearts breaking. As soon as it was announced there was a mass exodus.”
Romero, who serves as president of the Parent Teacher Advisory Council (PTAC), is disappointed in how the announcement was delivered to the school community. She explained how the meeting wasn’t just parents, students, faculty and staff — it included members of the parish community, too.
“Telling the teachers a few hours before the town hall and then dropping the bomb on us, in a community center with the whole parish, I feel like maybe that’s something they could have told the parents separately so we could have time to acclimate to the news,” said Romero. “I feel like it lacked a lot of empathy and it lacked a lot of compassion.”
St. Paul Catholic School was established in 1953. In the few years after opening, the school had more than 500 students enrolled.
Eric Casiano, who graduated in 2020, will miss seeing the hustle and bustle at the school every time he walks out the door.
“It’s weird to think about. It hasn’t set in, but I know I’m going to be really sad,” said Casiano. “I feel like if I went to any other school I wouldn’t have turned out the same.”
What gives him comfort is knowing the relationships he cultivated inside the hallways at St. Paul Catholic School will never be forgotten.
While the spirit of St. Paul’s could never be replaced, there are talks of a “great migration”.
“Our 5th grade class has talked about let’s as a group just get up and all move to the school together because that’s how close we are. We’re family,” said Romero, smiling. “We have to make sure that our kids know that wherever we go the spirit continues.”
The Archdiocese says students who transfer to another school within the archdiocese will receive $500 from Hope for the Future for enrollment, uniforms and fees. Faculty and staff will be given priority for open positions within the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
As for the future of the building, the answer was not immediately revealed. When alumni inquired about the future of the campus in Wednesday’s town hall, they were told it could be used for religious education associated with St. Paul Catholic Church.
“We pray for the wisdom of the Lord to guide us through this challenging season. While the path ahead may be uncertain, we take comfort in knowing that God’s grace and presence will be with us through every step, said Parish Administrator, Father Mark Dreves. “Though this chapter is coming to a close, the spirit of St. Paul will live on in the hearts and lives of all those who have been touched by this community.”