Stella Maris Academy is expanding

Stella Maris Academy is proud to announce the anticipated opening of a Catholic high school no later than Fall 2022. To support this period of significant growth of the school, Stella Maris Academy will immediately begin a search to fill the role of Academy President. 

Since the inception of Stella Maris Academy (SMA), a high school has been a key part of the strategic plan to provide the full continuum of Catholic education in Duluth, allowing for the formation of young Catholics through twelfth grade. The mission of SMA is found in its Catholic Liberal Arts curriculum, which differentiates itself by a close link of academics and Catholic spiritual formation.

The Very Reverend James Bissonette, administrator for the Diocese of Duluth, stated: “Having been involved with Catholic school education much of my priesthood and with Stella Maris Academy since its beginning, I am delighted that the Academy will take this next step, adding a ninth grade by the Fall of 2022. I have every confidence this will be a blessing for our families, the diocese, and the wider community. 

The introduction of a Catholic high school at this time is supported by its strong enrollment, currently at 474 students in grades PreK–8. The Academy is well-supported by its generous donors, with SMA exhibiting healthy and stable finances, which allows the Academy to take this important next step. Existing facilities will be used to house the high school, keeping costs to a minimum and allowing for efficiencies as the Academy expands. 

While the pandemic has proved to be a challenging time for all, and notably in the area of education, Rev. Anthony Wroblewski, administrator of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, and an SMA board member, said, "We've learned that we can overcome even a terrible pandemic, and our school can still thrive. Out of a dark time, we have this light of Catholic education that is shining brightly." The protocols put in place during the pandemic have allowed SMA to learn and adapt, introducing new technology and remote learning across the Academy. These adaptations will allow for the possibility of a virtual connection to other Catholic schools across the Diocese of Duluth, filling a need for Catholic high school education across the diocese.

It is an exciting time at Stella Maris Academy, and we are full of hope. "Stella Maris Academy began with a hope. A hope that our families would have PK-12 Catholic education. This is our fulfillment of that promise," said Father Wroblewski.

Applications for the Academy President are being accepted until the appropriate candidate is chosen, with new leadership in place no later than the beginning of the next fiscal year, July 1, 2021. The President will be responsible for leading the Academy through this period of change as well as providing oversight of the entire Academy.