FALL RIVER — The Diocese of Fall River announced today that St. Stanislaus School in Fall River will cease operations at the end of the 2024-25 academic year.  Over the past many years, the Diocese of Fall River has worked very hard to maintain educational excellence, expand enrollment and recruitment activities, and bolster financial aid opportunities at St. Stanislaus School.  Despite these efforts, St. Stanislaus continues to experience difficulties in collecting tuition coupled with substantial debt and a significant decline in enrollment to 68 Pre-K to grade 8 students; as a result, the Diocese no longer has the resources to keep St. Stanislaus operational. 

“While closing a school is hard, our ultimate goal is to strengthen Catholic education in the city of Fall River for the future,” said Daniel S. Roy, Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Fall River.  “We are committed to helping families transition to one of the other four Catholic elementary schools in the city and to make the process as seamless as possible. We are confident that our Catholic school leadership will provide both pastoral support and educational guidance to all affected families, so that their children can transition and be welcomed into a new Catholic school family.”

“The Diocese has contributed a considerable amount of resources to St. Stanislaus School in order to keep the school functioning,” stated Bishop Edgar da Cunha, S.D.V., of the Diocese of Fall River. “By consolidating resources and bringing students together into the four remaining Fall River Catholic schools, the Diocese of Fall River can continue to provide high quality Christ-centered education for all of our students in the city of Fall River.”

Parent meetings with the school leadership have been scheduled to address the following:

  • Admissions to other Catholic elementary schools
  • Tuition and financial aid
  • Additional family questions 

The faculty and staff will be given priority consideration for open positions in other Catholic schools across the Diocese.

For over a century, Catholic schools have educated thousands of children in the Diocese of Fall River.  Today, there are over 5,000 students from six weeks old through 12th grade in 18 Catholic schools from Attleboro to Cape Cod.  Catholic education continues to be recognized for its moral and faith formation according to the teachings of Jesus Christ as well as rigorous academic education.

For more information about the Catholic Schools Alliance, please go to www.catholicschoolsalliance.org.

About the Catholic Schools Alliance

The Catholic Schools Alliance comprises administrators, teachers, staff, parents and clergy joined in partnership to educate the children of the Diocese of Fall River in Catholic faith and values. Our schools have a demanding educational culture that helps students from across the academic spectrum reach their God-given potential. With an emphasis on service and respect for the dignity of every person, we prepare students to meet the challenges of today’s diverse world and become meaningful contributors to society.

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