BATON ROUGE - A Catholic high school that opened just six years ago will close at the end of the current school year.

Administrators at Franciscan High School have notified staff and students that they can no longer sustain operations.

"Please know that all options to continue operating Franciscan in some capacity at its current location have been explored and exhausted by all parties," they said in a letter to families. "We have always acted in the best interests of our students and families, and simply put, we have no other option available to us."

President Eric Engemann called it "an extremely difficult time" for those associated with the school.

The campus opened with a celebratory mass in August 2017. At the time, those involved with the launch heralded a college prep curriculum that incorporated work study through a partnership with community businesses.

Last year, the school changed its name from "Cristo Rey Baton Rouge Franciscan High School." Officials said they decided to drop an affiliation with Cristo Rey because the network’s standards did not align with their needs.

The school provided a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the closure, with additional information (included below).

School Closure Frequently Asked Questions

When will Franciscan High be closing?

FHS will close at the end of the 2022-2023 academic year. The last day of school for all students will be June 2, 2023.

How will Franciscan High help me find a placement for my child at a different school for next year?

Our community has a great network of local schools that our administrators are actively working with to assess availability of seats and expedite processes, and quickly coordinate admissions opportunities for our families. Details on all these initiatives be shared as they are finalized.

My child currently utilizes a Louisiana State Scholarship or Tuition Donation Tax Credit Scholarship at Franciscan High. How do I transfer that financial aid to another school?

Detailed information for all scholarship students will be provided to families as soon as possible regarding transfer of financial aid to other educational institutions.

What can be done to enroll my student at a local Catholic high school?

Each high school in the Diocese of Baton Rouge is site-based, with admissions policies and procedures designed by that school. All parents will receive information regarding the admissions process for local Catholic high schools to make it easier to approach the admissions process into these other schools.

I have already enrolled my child at Franciscan High for the 2023-2024 school year. Will my registration fee be refunded?

Yes. All fees paid toward the 2023-2024 school year will be fully refunded. Our accounting team is working on identifying those families who have registered for next school year and will be issuing checks to be mailed within the next 10 business days. For questions on refunds and other financial matters related to your account, please contact our Director of Operations, Rosalyn Scott, at rscott@franciscanhigh.org.

I have questions and/or concerns about the specific impacts this closure will have on my family. Can I speak to or meet with an administrator to have them addressed?

Eric Engemann, President of Franciscan High, will be available for one-on-one meetings either online or in-person at Franciscan High upon request. Please send those requests directly to Mr. Engemann at eengemann@franciscanhigh.org.