ST. LOUIS — Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls has closed permanently, displacing around 100 middle and high school students just days before the start of the new academic year.
“Although our Board of Directors was optimistic that Hawthorn would reach our student enrollment targets for the coming school year, we were not able to attain the necessary scale and are now faced with the realities of program and budget constraints,†reads a letter posted Tuesday from board chairman Hal Davies and head of school Daphne Morgan.
The charter school opened in 2015 in the former McBride High School on North Kingshighway and has continually struggled to boost academics and enrollment. Nearly all students are Black and qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school was founded by Mary Danforth Stillman, daughter of former Sen. John Danforth.
Factors in the closure included population decline in the region, the effects of the pandemic and low attendance, according to the letter. Only 32% of students attended school at least 90% of the time last year, making Hawthorn’s attendance rate the lowest of any district or charter school in the state.
Over the weekend, Hawthorn’s social media pages were still promoting enrollment for 2023-2024 school year with posts reading, “If you’re still looking for a school, Hawthorn is looking for YOU! At Hawthorn, you’ll get a rigorous, high-quality curriculum and a supportive, all-girl environment.â€
School leaders will help students transfer to new schools and assist staff members with job placement, the letter said.
Outside the school on Tuesday, teachers and their families were clearing out their classrooms and taking down “Enrolling now!†yard signs. Administrators declined to comment.
Marilyn Dickson, who has been at the school since it opened, taught seventh- and eighth-grade math. She said the closure surprised her.
“Everything happens for a reason. We’re going to make it. We’re a strong group,†Dickson said.
Contracted school nurse Renee Bass said she’ll be out of work for a few days while her company finds her a new job.
“I think everybody is completely blindsided about what happened,†said Bass, who worked at Hawthorn for two years. “It’s just unfortunate to the children.â€
Charter schools are publicly funded but independently operated by appointed boards.
Hawthorn received about $2.3 million in federal, state and local tax dollars in fiscal 2022. The Hawthorn Leadership School Foundation bought its building at 1901 North Kingshighway for $1.75 million in 2014, according to city records. The building previously housed one of six Imagine charter schools that closed in 2012, displacing 3,500 students.
Half of the 34 charter school systems that have opened in ºüÀêÊÓƵ since 2000 have since closed. Hawthorn is the second charter school in ºüÀêÊÓƵ to close this year, following La Salle middle school, which was shut down for academic failures.
Washington University, which sponsors Hawthorn, released a statement saying it supports the decision to close the school.
“We know this action was not taken lightly or without great consideration for the impact the closure will have on Hawthorn students, families and staff. We appreciate Hawthorn School’s accomplishments in preparing young women for academic success over the past eight years and wish all who are associated with the school the very best in their future endeavors,†the statement reads.
In 2020, the Missouri State Board of Education renewed Hawthorn’s charter for five years, despite concerns then about the school’s low enrollment. Hawthorn had 116 students enrolled in grades six through 12 last year, down from a high of 200 in 2017, when it had grades six through nine. Original projections called for 500 students by 2020.
In 2022, 24% of the school’s students tested proficient or advanced in English and 14% in math, compared to an average of 20% and 13% in ºüÀêÊÓƵ Public Schools.
The closure leaves the private Rosati-Kain Academy and Marian Middle School as the only all-girls schools in the city.
The president of Marian Middle School said she was deeply saddened for the Hawthorn community, particularly the students and their parents. Marian is an all-girls Catholic school in south ºüÀêÊÓƵ that supports students academically and financially through college.
“We know how important it is for children to have a reliable and sustainable education,†said Mary Elizabeth Grimes, the Marian president. “The future success of our region depends on our collective ability to light the way for our young people today.â€
Liz Buchman, a member of the Hawthorn board of directors, removes an enrollment sign posted in front of Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023, within hours after the charter school announced it was closing because of low enrollment.
Math teacher Marilyn Dickson, who has been at the school since it opened, cleans out items from a classroom at Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023, within hours after the charter school announced it was closing.
"My wife teaches here," said Don Weaver, who helps removes items from her classroom with the help of their son Josh at Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023, within hours after the charter school announced it was closing because of low enrollment.Â