File Photo/SHELLEY HANSON ALUMNI WHO kicked off the effort to keep St. John Central High School from closing, from left, include Joe Steele, holding his daughter Olivia, Johnetta Yaegel and Dirk DeCoy. In the background are St. John students. A new St. John Central opens

BELLAIRE — On Feb. 5, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville announced that because of financial issues and declining enrollment it would close St. John High Central School for good after the 2018-19 school year ended.

The school had been in operation for 91 years.

Though the school had struggled for years, the news still was a hard hit for St. John students, faculty and alumni who dearly loved it. A unanimous vote by the school’s governing Board of Pastors in consultation with the diocesan Catholic schools office led to the announcement, the diocese noted at that time.

“I am extremely disappointed, however the enrollment, declining financial resources and support, and the estimated necessary capital expenditures are now beyond our control and leave me with no real choice,” the Most Rev. Jeffrey Monforton, bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville, said at that time.

In 2016, the diocese had moved the grade school into the high school building to help with finances. However, one of the biggest hurdles to overcome, officials noted, was the building’s heating system. They said a long-term fix would cost $500,000.

“Coupled with this new challenge is the reality that the financial assets which were used to help subsidize the high school budget over the last three years are almost expended,” the diocese stated back in February. “In addition, almost 25 percent of the high school budget is subsidized by local Catholic church support. The reality of a local diminishing economy has made it increasingly difficult for these parishes to continue providing the level of support required to maintain a school with such low enrollment.

“It was in view of these factors, at the request of the local Catholic pastors, in consultation with his chancery administration, and with the hopes of strengthening financial viability and enrollment for the remaining Catholic school options in Belmont County, that the decision was made to close St. John Central High School.”

Not long after the closure announcement a grassroots effort to keep the school open was started by a group of alumni — Johnetta Yaegel, Dirk DeCoy, Joseph Steele and Stacey Griffith. They raised the necessary funds — estimated at $750,000 — to get the school restarted, and the diocese gave them the building to use.

Another group of parents tried to keep the grade school, which had operated inside the high school building, open and submitted a plan to the diocese. That plan ultimately was not approved, and the grade school also was closed.

Although it is not affiliated with the diocese, the new school, St. John Central Academy, opened in August with 91 students in attendance. It serves grades K-12. The new school is being operated as a nonprofit corporation and governed by a board of directors. While Catholic theology still is taught at the school, other religions are studied as well.

In May, the final class of St. John Central High School students attended their graduation ceremony inside the school’s gym. There were just six graduates — Nicholas DiLoretta, Matthew Fouty, Brandi Graham, Shaylyn Horvath, Kaylin Nixon and Julie Schlanz.