SAN ANTONIO • “Do you love Holy Rosary School?” Sister Gretchen Trautman, FMI, principal of Holy Rosary, loudly asked the crowd of students, families, alumni and friends who had gathered to say farewell to their school. “Yes!” They shouted back in one voice. So with blue and white balloons distributed to everyone, Sister Gretchen, being the ever patient and loving educator, instructed the assembly, “Then we’re going to launch these balloons as a sign of thankfulness for Holy Rosary School to the heavens. Count down with me, 10-9-8-7...”At the final number one, the balloons were caught on the strong breeze the afternoon of May 26, as Holy Rosary School closed its doors after serving the students on the West side for the past 57 years.

     After completion of a three-month evaluation process in February, the School Council of Holy Rosary School reported to Archbishop José H. Gomez their recommendation to close the school, a decision that the archbishop accepted with sadness. The archdiocesan Catholic Schools Office conducted a School Fair shortly after the announcement in order to assist students and teachers in transferring to other Catholic schools.

     The final few days of school were filled with bittersweet memories as photos from days long ago were brought out and put on display as alumni, including some from the first graduating class in the 1950s, came to reminisce of happier times. Students were filled with a wide range of emotions as they were excited about summer vacation, but apprehensive about what school they would be attending in the fall and not seeing their friends again.

    Originally founded by the Marianist priests and brothers and staffed by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the school opened on Sept. 6, 1949, and enrollment peaked at 520 students in the mid 1960s. Since 2000, the school saw its enrollment decline from 151 students to 109 in the current academic year.