SPARTANBURG—A second school within the Diocese of Charleston has announced a reorganization of its structure.
Starting this fall, St. Paul the Apostle School will alter its format to focus on elementary students, serving K-4 through fifth grade, according to a statement released March 11 from the diocese. Students in grades 6-8 will be able to attend other Catholic schools in the Piedmont area, including St. Mary in Greenville, Prince of Peace in Taylors, and St. Joseph in Anderson, all of which serve students through eighth grade. Students may also choose Our Lady of the Rosary in Greenville, which will serve students through 11th grade beginning in the fall, and St. Joseph’s Catholic in Greenville with grades 6-12.
Patti Lanthier, principal of St. Paul the Apostle, will retire at the end of the current academic year. The diocese has begun the process to hire an interim principal to lead the restructuring.
When St. Paul the Apostle opens its doors in August, it will augment its existing 4K classes by adding a First Steps program for eligible families and students, according to the statement. Also, multi-age classrooms will be utilized in grades 5K through fifth, which will allow teachers to more effectively identify student strengths and needs and deliver personalized and differentiated instruction.
Starting in the fall, students in grades 6-8 will be able to transfer to another Catholic school in the area (see school list above). Diocesan officials said this will allow middle school students to learn in a challenging, Catholic environment while having the opportunity to participate in dozens of advanced academic classes, the arts, and extra-curricular activities that St. Paul the Apostle School cannot offer due to its small size.
The reorganization will result in the elimination of certain positions within the school. These faculty and staff members will have the opportunity to apply for teaching positions in other Catholic schools.
