John F. Kennedy Catholic High School (Missouri)
The property was purchased by Fontbonne University to add to the university portfolio of campuses. The university uses the campus to focus on graduate and evening programs for adult students, expanded MBA and master's programs in accounting, leadership, computer science and supply chain management, be a home for the Ed.D. program. In addition to academics, the former Kennedy campus will be used by Athletics for practice fields, gymnasiums and track.
Background
John F. Kennedy Catholic High School (Kennedy Catholic) was established in 1968 and is named after President John F. Kennedy.
General information
John F. Kennedy High School had about 280 students at time of closing.
It was the only co-educational, archdiocesan Catholic High School in West County, St. Louis, Missouri.
Kennedy had recently renovated its entire campus with its first capital campaign in 40 years, raising over $1 million. The newly remodeled building included a new entrance, commons area, cafeteria, and offices, though it still lacked windows.
Kennedy was located off of MO-141, north of Manchester Road.
Extracurricular
Kennedy offered a wide variety of student clubs and activities. Boys' sports included football, soccer, swimming, cross country, baseball, basketball, tennis, golf, and track. Girls' sports included soccer, swimming, cross country, softball, basketball, tennis, golf, track, and volleyball.
Booster Club
The Booster Club provided additional income to the Kennedy athletic program, through the sale of the Celt Club Card and various fundraising activities. Traditionally, the Kennedy Dads were visible on Kennedy Pride Days, performing chores around the 23-acre (93,000 m) campus and baking cookies for Open House.
Mothers' Club
The Mothers' Club met twice monthly, serving the Kennedy community and one another through spiritual support. The Mothers' Club also helped organize and disseminate Kennedy class information. Every Kennedy mother was invited to attend Mass in the chapel each month and to participate in all-school liturgies throughout the year.
Advancement Office
Kennedy's Advancement Office was the liaison between the school and the parent organizations.
Due to the financial constraints of the 2008 economic recession, Kennedy had instituted a tuition assistance initiative called "Celts Helping Celts." Fundraisers such as a Spaghetti Dinner, a Freshman Dance Party and a Mardi Gras T-shirt sale raised money that was earmarked for families who needed tuition assistance.
Campus
The campus had 23 acres (9.3 ha) of land. The archdiocese had been the owner of the property.
Clubs, sports, and activities
Athletics
| Boys | Girls |
|---|---|
| Baseball | |
| Basketball | Basketball |
| Cross country | Cross country |
| Golf | Golf |
| Football | Spirit Squad |
| Soccer | Soccer |
| In-line hockey (co-ed) | In-line hockey (co-ed) |
| Softball | |
| Track & field | Track & field |
| Tennis | Tennis |
| Volleyball |
Clubs
| Social opportunities | Academic clubs | Leadership opportunities |
| Art Club | Book Club | Link Crew |
| Green Team | Drama Club | Student Ambassadors |
| SADD | National Honor Society | Student Council |
| Photography | Torch (student newspaper) | Student Tour Guides |
| Movie Club | Profiles (yearbook) | Student Escorts |
| Film-Making Club | Focus St. Louis Leadership Team | Pro-Life |
| Ping Pong | BASIC (Brothers and Sisters in Christ) | Chess Club |
Notable alumni
Steven M. LaValle, 1986, computer scientist, roboticist, and early founder of Oculus VR
Jay Marshall, 2001, former MLB pitcher
Closing and redevelopment
In September 2016, the Archdiocese of St. Louis announced the school would be closing following the 2016–2017 school year due to declining enrollment.
Fontbonne University acquired the campus with the intention of making it student athletic and continuing education property, spending $8 million.
However, Fontbonne then sold it in 2020 before it was able to convert the campus to its intended use, having spent an additional $3 million, approximately, out of a planned $30 million. As of Dec 2021 the school is going to be torn down for a new subdivision.
Notes and references
- ^ Williams, Lorenzo. "Public & Private High School Charts Search Results, Filtered by Desc." St. Louis Restaurant Guide, Culture, Events, Style and Home - St. Louis Magazine. St. Louis Magazine, 7 Oct. 2011. Web. 01 Jan. 2012. <"Public & Private High School Charts search results, filtered by desc". Archived from the original on 2013-12-13. Retrieved 2012-01-01.>.
- ^ NCA-CASI. "NCA-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
- ^ "School Profile". John F. Kennedy Catholic High School. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
- ^ Crouch, Elisa (September 20, 2016). "Closure of Kennedy Catholic High a 'unique situation,' school chief says". Retrieved 13 May 2019.
- ^ "Our Location".
- ^ "Advancement". www.kennedycatholic.net. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ Kirn, Jacob (2018-11-10). "Fontbonne spends millions on former JFK High School, begins renovation". St. Louis Business Journal. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ^ Feldt, Brian (2017-11-15). "Fontbonne to buy Kennedy High School property". St. Louis Business Journal. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ^ "Jay Marshall Stats | Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ Crouch, Elisa (September 17, 2016). "John F. Kennedy Catholic High School scheduled to close". stltoday.com. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ "Fontbonne University to transform old JFK High School into athletic and academic facility". STLPR. 2017-11-20. Archived from the original on 2021-02-23. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ^ Kukuljan, Steph. "'Rapidly changing environment' forces Fontbonne University to put former JFK property up for sale". St. Louis Business Journal. Archived from the original on 2022-07-20. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ^ Clark, Patrick (2021-10-15). "JFK alumni commemorate former school before new subdivision moves in". Fox 2 Now. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
External links
- Kennedy Catholic High School at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
