Cluny School Closing

Cluny School Closing

  

The Cluny Sisters announced Wednesday that their sponsored ministry of Cluny School in Newport, RI, will be closing in June at the end of this academic school year.

“It is with a deep sadness that we announce the closure of Cluny School,” said Sister Luke, President of the Cluny School Corporation and Provincial of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, an international missionary and religious congregation. The congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Cluny has approximately 2600 sisters in 57 countries with communities and missions across 5 continents, working in education, health, evangelization and social action.

The St. Joseph of Cluny Sisters’ School  first opened as a small kindergarten in September, 1957 in response to a request made to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny from military families stationed at Fort Adams. A grade was added each year thereafter until the first Cluny eighth grade graduation in 1965. The school operates on a portion of land donated to the Diocese of Providence by the estate of the late Arthur Curtiss James, which was deeded to the Diocese of Providence in 1941.

“Despite the best efforts of so many over the past few years to reverse the trend in declining enrollment, the school’s leadership reached the conclusion that we did not have sufficient resources to continue our mission of educating and empowering our students to live lives of integrity based on Gospel values,” said Sister Luke.

Richard Smith, Chairman of the Cluny School’s Board of Directors said in yesterday’s announcement that, “Cluny School would not be the exceptional educational and faith community it is today without the support of so many who generously donated their time, talent and treasure to its advancement since the school’s founding. This tradition of generosity began with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny who, without remuneration, staffed the School through much of its history and have not only inspired its mission, but provided significant financial support, including increased assistance in recent years as the declining enrollment placed added financial pressure on the school.”

Sister Luke added that the closure of Cluny School will not overshadow its rich history nor the important contributions our graduates have made, and will continue to make, in this world. No matter where you are, ‘Once a Cluny, ALWAYS a Cluny!’.  We are doing all we can to assist our families, faculty and staff to stay strong, finish together and celebrate the gift of Cluny School has been to the local church and civic community and the many students, families, faculty and staff over these 59 years of Catholic education in the spirit of Anne Marie Javouhey, Founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny.