Christian Academy to consolidate Southwest Campus in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Christian Academy School System announced Thursday it will consolidate its Southwest Campus in Louisville at the end of the school year, citing a lack of growth in enrollment.

In a letter sent to families, obtained by WDRB News, the school system said it was making the announcement "with a heavy heart."

Leaders said they, along with their Board of Directors, look at enrollment each year and come up with financial plans to support enrollment numbers.

"Any thriving school must sustain enrollment numbers and, ideally, see continued growth," the letter continued.

Officials said enrollment at the Southwest Campus has "held steady," but hasn't "grown substantially over the last fifteen years despite multiple and various attempts to encourage increased growth."

The school system's Board of Directors decided that "in order to provide the best possible educational opportunities for students in the entire school system," consolidating the Southwest Campus is "necessary" at the end of the 2023-24 school year.

Moving forward, CASS said it is putting together a transition team to help with the process of consolidating. It also said it will eventually sell the southwest property.

"The community at Southwest has been one of family. Our teachers, parents, and students have created strong bonds of friendship and respect and this decision was not an easy one, but we believe it is the best way to serve these families going forward," Superintendent Darin Long said in a news release on Thursday. "The same strong academic curriculum, the integration of a biblical worldview in all our classes and activities, and the love and attention of our teachers are available at our Middletown and New Albany campuses, and we will do all we can to aid in the transition next fall.”

Long said Christian Academy is working to make the transition as easy as possible for students, families and employees.

"Our primary focus is on the comfortable transition of our students and families and doing all we can to ensure the retention of our amazing faculty and staff," said Long. "We are currently expanding our Indiana campus and we will be providing bus transportation from southwest Louisville each day, which will help facilitate the transition."

Head of Schools Bryan Hibbard said the remaining months at the Southwest Campus will be "special."

"The Southwest Campus has provided memories as well as strong spiritual and academic foundations for our students," Hibbard said in a news release. "We plan to celebrate Southwest and all the accomplishments that have been experienced and are currently being enjoyed on this campus."

The Christian Academy School System serves more than 3,300 students on its three campuses in Louisville and in New Albany, Indiana, from preschool through high school.

The school, on Saint Andrews Church Road, opened in 2000 and is currently a pre-K through eighth grade building. In 2006, the current Southwest Campus opened with a brand new 48,650-square-foot facility.

Right now, the Southwest Campus serves 252 students, and has 35 faculty and staff members.