The Diocese of Portland says it will no longer operate St. Dominic Academy after a proposed framework from an independent board fell short.
AUBURN, Maine — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland announced Friday that it will cease operations of the high school at St. Dominic Academy at the end of this academic year, saying a proposal from an independent board failed to meet the diocese’s criteria by a May 15 deadline.
In a letter to families on Friday, Bishop James Ruggieri said that while he is grateful for the community’s support and recent fundraising efforts, the conditions for keeping the high school open into the 2025–2026 school year were unmet.
“This decision was made to ensure that students receive a quality Catholic education, that our employees and vendors are treated justly, and that we do not take on risks we cannot bear,” Ruggieri wrote.
The letter emphasized that continued financial and enrollment challenges make it unsustainable for the diocese to operate the high school. The elementary and middle school programs at the Holy Cross campus in Lewiston will continue as planned.
Despite the decision, the diocese said it had recently received an initial proposal from an independent board seeking to lease the Auburn campus and open an independent Catholic high school starting in 2025–2026. The diocese said it gave the group the necessary requirements to become a tenant and operate a Catholic school within the Diocese of Portland.
The independent board had previously proposed leasing the campus for one year starting July 1 and consolidating grades 6 through 12 under its management. The group said it had secured enough converted pledges to begin setting up administrative systems and was prepared to assume full responsibility for staffing, insurance, maintenance, and other operations.
However, the board also cited a $3 million upfront requirement from the diocese as a significant barrier. A Facebook post on Wednesday said that attempts to gain clarity and establish a partnership with the diocese had been challenging.
St. Dominic Academy announced plans to close the high school in March, triggering a community response that included forming the independent board and fundraising campaigns to preserve the high school.