MONROE — Monroe Catholic Elementary Schools will stop using its 108-year-old St. John campus for classrooms at the end of this school year. The 1916 structure remains safe to occupy, and the gym and cafeteria side of the building will continue to be used for CYO and parish events next year. The building’s future will be determined.
MCES educates infants through eighth-grade students at three Monroe campuses, St. Michael, St. Mary and St. John, which houses grades 2-4.
The St. John campus, 521 S. Monroe St., was evaluated recently by the Archdiocese of Detroit and was found to need several necessary and costly upgrades.
“Some of the needed upgrades include roof, windows, foundation work and HVAC,” said Kyle Kubik, executive principal for MCES. “The evaluation was routine by the archdiocese and the Parish Finance Council. They were working to establish a needs list for the parish campus.”
St. John parish is not able to pay for the upgrades because of a decline in offerings.
“The costs were prohibitive to the parish finances,” Kubik said.