Historic school at San Xavier Mission suspends operations

The school at San Xavier Mission del Bac on the Tohono O'odham Nation suspended operations Friday, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson announced Monday.

San Xavier Mission School had no other option "due to a significant decrease in enrollment as well as lack of critical staffing to include a kindergarten teacher and principal," said a news release from Sheri Dahl, superintendent of schools for the diocese.

"We are working with parents and guardians to help place the 45 children in another school, especially if they wish to transfer to a Catholic school," the release said.

"San Xavier parish has a fiduciary responsibility to be a good steward of parish and school finances," the news release said. "The fiscal forecast supports a temporary suspension of operations with the goal of renovating, reorganizing, and reopening in the future. The planning process to lay the foundation for long-term success has begun."

Dahl could not immediately be reached for additional comment.

The school was the first Catholic school in Arizona, opened in November 1864, the mission's website says. Since 1940, it has been under the leadership of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity of Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

The school's philosophy was to connect Native American students to their heritage, languages and traditions, while imparting the Catholic teachings that undergird the next-door mission church, which was founded in 1692.

It served students through grade 8 as part of the diocese's system of schools.

The school celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2014.