The Diocese of Monterey has made a difficult decision to close Notre Dame High School for girls at the end of the current school year. Bishop Ramón Bejarano announced this in a letter, citing years of review and ongoing enrollment struggles. The diocese and school leaders have been working tirelessly for the past two years to maintain enrollment at this all-girls Catholic school, investing approximately $1.5 million from the school's reserves to introduce new initiatives. These initiatives aimed to stabilize the school by offering dual-enrollment opportunities, expanding electives and internships, fostering international connections, enhancing retreat programs, promoting athletics, supporting drama productions, and implementing improved development initiatives. However, despite these efforts, the enrollment numbers remain low, with only 53 students last year, 60 this year, and a mere six completed applications for the upcoming school year. Bishop Bejarano expressed the sincere hope that interest would grow and the school's long-term stability would be restored. Yet, the necessary enrollment to ensure a sustainable future has not materialized. In a challenging decision, the diocese must now prioritize the broader needs of its diocesan community, taking this difficult step to close the school.
