‘Big-Decision!’ Cincinnati School Closes After Serving the Community for 100 Years

CHEVIOT, Ohio — A local school rings the final bell after more than a century of operation.

The last day of classes at Cheviot’s St. Martin of Tours school was Friday.

Since 1912, St. Martin of Tours has been operational.

For many families in the area, attending kindergarten through eighth grade has been a long-standing tradition.

On their last day, instructors, parents, and children exchanged many hugs and tears.

“It’s been difficult, and now that it’s finally happening, it feels unreal,” said Sam Folkert, the mother of one of the school’s students.

Folkert had to bid farewell to a family custom along with her children.

“It’s been the same since I was a first grader here and it’s sad that now we have to go,” Folkert remarked.

Students described their professors and fellow students as family.

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Seventh-grader Gabby Gaskins stated, “It’s just hard to see everybody leave and it feels like I’m never going to see them again.”

Families were informed in December that the school would permanently close due to financial difficulties.

“I feel bamboozled, I feel blindsided, and I feel like nobody cares, especially the priest,” stated Folkert.

It can be hard to hear criticism, according to Father Matthew Robben.

“What I’m trying to do is trying to make sure that this beautiful church remains,” Robben stated.

Father Robben stated that the parish would not have had more than $100,000 in the bank if they had attempted to keep the school running for an additional year.

By December 2024, he claimed, the parish and the school will have been compelled to close.

“It’s a difficult choice that I didn’t want to make. “Unfortunately, I had to make that decision to save this parish. I had hoped we would have a few more years before we had to make any decisions regarding schools,” Robben stated.

According to him, a charter school is considering renting the additional space.

“That brings whole new opportunities for the parish as well both in terms of financial stability but also evangelization to the families of that school,” he stated.

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He said that the payments would enable them to close their present budget shortfall, but he would not reveal the identity of the charter school that expressed interest in leasing.

Father Robben and the families did agree on one thing today, despite their pain.

Folkert declared, “That beautiful church needs to stay open.” “It’s one of the prettiest on the west side of Cincinnati.”

About 150 pupils attend the school, according to Robben, and the majority of them attend one of the other four parish-affiliated schools.

On Saturday, the church will hold a school closure celebration to provide the community with one last at 4:00 p.m., followed by fellowship food and beverages, and school tours.