After nearly seven decades of serving the community, St. Columbanus School in Cortlandt Manor is closing its classroom doors for the final time.

The Archdiocese of New York announced June 18 that St. Columbanus School, a Roman Catholic elementary school at 122 Oregon Road, will permanently close at the end of June, citing a significant and unexpected decline in enrollment commitments for the 2026-27 school year.

According to the Archdiocese, school leaders had spent the past year working to strengthen enrollment and plan for the future. But in recent weeks, a substantial number of families informed the school they would not be returning in the fall, leaving the school unable to operate sustainably.

“This was not a planned closure, nor was this the outcome anyone had hoped for,” Sr. Mary Grace Walsh, Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York, said in a press release. “I recognize the disruption and uncertainty this will cause for your family as you make plans for the coming school year, and I am truly sorry that we were not able to provide more advance notice.”

The announcement stunned many families because it came just days after the school celebrated the end of the academic year. Pre-K and kindergarten students had their end of year ceremonies on June 12, while fifth graders had their moving-up day on June 16. In addition, earlier this month, the school’s social media pages were still promoting a Sept. 18 back-to-school party, offering little indication that its future was in jeopardy.

Just days after announcing the closure, the tone on the school’s social media changed dramatically.

“As school comes to an end for our students and we close the doors of St. Columbanus School, we do so with hearts full of gratitude, faith and countless cherished memories,” the school wrote in a farewell post.

The message reflected on the school’s legacy, describing it as “more than a school — it has been a home where faith was nurtured, friendships were formed, minds were inspired and lives were shaped by the love of Christ.”

Founded in the late 1950s, St. Columbanus School was built through a community-wide effort. According to the school’s website, parish volunteers launched a door-to-door fundraising campaign in 1956 with an initial goal of raising $100,000. Construction ultimately cost $385,000, and Cardinal Francis Spellman dedicated the school on June 14, 1958.

For decades, the school served students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. In 2023, however, the Archdiocese announced that beginning with the 2023-24 school year, St. Columbanus and two other Hudson Valley Catholic schools would eliminate grades six through eight as part of a regional restructuring. The school continued operating as a pre-K through fifth-grade institution until this week’s closure.

The school had already posted tuition rates and enrollment information for the 2026-27 school year, with annual tuition set at $6,750 for students in kindergarten through fifth grade and registration already underway.

Former student Alison Cahill, now a senior at Lakeland High School, said she was heartbroken to learn that the school where she spent much of her childhood would be closing.

Cahill attended St. Columbanus from kindergarten through seventh grade between 2014 and 2021.

“My experience was good because the classes were small,” she said. “I bonded with several of the girls who I’m still friends with to this day.”

She said the school’s academic expectations, particularly its emphasis on essays and project-based learning, helped prepare her for the transition to public school.

Among her favorite memories was her fifth-grade talent show. “So many people participated with different talents and it was fun to watch,” she recalled.

When she learned the school was closing, Cahill said she felt a deep sense of loss. “I was sad thinking about the place that I had spent so much of my childhood closed for good.”

The Archdiocese said it will work with families to transition students to other Catholic schools, including St. Augustine School in Ossining, St. Patrick School in Yorktown Heights or another Catholic school of their choice. Families who paid registration fees for the upcoming school year will receive full refunds, and enrollment assistance is being provided through the Archdiocese.

Walsh also thanked the generations of students, faculty, alumni and benefactors who supported the school throughout its history.

“While this chapter is coming to a close,” Walsh said, “the impact of your school’s ministry will continue to be felt in the lives of all it has formed and served.”

The Peekskill Herald reached out to the Archdiocese of New York seeking clarification on how many students withdrew their enrollment commitments before the decision to close was made but did not receive a response by publication time.