NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Families, staff, and community members associated with Christ the King Catholic School in Norfolk learned on Tuesday that the school is closing, permanently.
A letter addressed to parishioners and school families stated that “Christ the King School will cease operations at the end of the current 2024-2025 school year.”
“I feel like since we’ve been there, my son has really found his people, if that makes sense. He’s got friends and like within the first year, he was invited to birthday parties, and they’re just very local neighborhood. It’s an amazing place,” Jason Bishop, a parent of a Christ the King third grader, said.
The school, which enrolls students from preschool through eighth grade, is centrally located in Norfolk, in the 3400 block of Tidewater Dr. It was established 70 years ago, and according to its website, was the first Catholic school in the Norfolk area to provide Special Education Services.
Father Augustine Lukenge said the decision to close the school was a financial one. He said after meeting with Bishop Barry C. Knestout and the Office of the Catholic Schools, they concluded that the mounting financial debt was too great a burden.
“[We’re] just kind of lost, [we’re] not really sure where we’re going to go,” Bishop said. “The school offered so many things for this area.”
This past November, 10 On Your Side was at Christ the King as the principal went to great heights as part of a fundraising campaign. She spent the day on the roof to help raise money for urgent repairs.
Despite generous donations and support from the community, it just wasn’t enough.
Going forward, officials said they will be providing additional communication to the school community to answer questions.
“On behalf of Christ the King Parish, I thank each of you for your support. May God’s blessing be with our families and school community during this time of transition.”
Yours in Christ, Very Rev. Augustine Lukenge