ST. JOHN Catholic Church in Bellaire is shown in the background. This statue sits in front of St. John Central High School. T-L Photo/SHELLEY HANSON

BELLAIRE — A plan to keep St. John Grade School open is close to being submitted to Bishop Jeffrey Monforton of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville.

St. John Central Grade School Strategic Planning Committee members previously said their deadline to submit the plan was mid-April. Diocese spokesman Dino Orsatti said Wednesday, though, that the diocese expects to receive the plan any day now.

“The bishop has not received the plan. If the plan is not approved, the school will not reopen,” Orsatti said Wednesday. “It was noted when the high school closing was announced, the grade school would not reopen in the fall unless there was a viable plan. It’s our understanding that the committee is close to submitting a plan to the bishop.”

Principal Jarrett Kuhns said Wednesday the committee expects to submit the plan by the end of this month. He said the grade school committee is working to get some final project bids related to improvements at the grade school building to enter into the plan.

“We are confident that our efforts have been fruitful and we really are looking forward to presenting the plan for approval,” he said.

Kuhns said if the bishop does not approve the plan, the school will not reopen. However, students already are enrolling for the next school year. Kuhns said if the plan is not approved, the students would have to re-enroll at another school. He said tuition traditionally is not collected until late summer/early fall.

“If he does not approve the plan, the school will not re-open,” Kuhns said, noting he was not sure what kind of efforts would occur to try and re-open the school in the future.

“That would be up to the parish community and pastor,” he added.

The committee previously estimated 90-100 students would be enrolled next fall in kindergarten through eighth grade.

“We’re proud of the plan we have. It’s definitely a labor-intensive approach to reopening, but I think it’s worth it to sustain Catholic education in the Ohio Valley,” Kuhns said.

The plan includes renovating and reopening the former grade school building. The grade school has been operating out of the high school building. Another group of alumni is trying to raise money to keep the high school open following a Feb. 4 announcement that the Steubenville Diocese plans to shut it down after this school year ends.

The diocese already has said it would give the alumni group the high school building. The group members plan to rename the high school St. John Academy.

Committee member Annie Dimmick said she hopes the plan will be approved. She has enrolled her two children in the grade school. She said the diocese has been very supportive of the committee’s efforts.

“As a committee member, I’m very encouraged by and thankful for the support we have received from diocesan officials. Bishop Monforton has always been publicly supportive of our diocesan schools,” she said.