A Rebirth For An Old School

St. Ann's School Building In East Baltimore Is Readied As New Home For Mother Seton Academy

Mother Seton Academy, founded and backed financially by several Roman Catholic religious orders - Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Scranton, Pa., Daughters of Charity, Xaverian Brothers and the Marianists - is leaving Fells Point after a plan to house it in the old St. Stanislaus Church on South Ann Street proved too costly.

"We needed to move but had to stay in an area ... our students could reach by bus," Krohe said. "Our school speaks to the need of the city."

The academy has a maximum of 72 students, all on scholarship, who are chosen after a rigorous admissions process. Some 87 percent are African-American and 13 percent are Hispanic.

The school has class sizes of no more than 15 students. Krohe described a "rigorous academic curriculum" that uses guest speakers and field trips and focuses on values, service and respect. Students arrive at the school at 7:45 a.m. and remain until 5 p.m. There is a breakfast, lunch, and dinner program.

"We knew in God's time the right thing would happen," said Barasha, the parish administrator. "The thought of the school reverting to its original use is exciting."