Barat Academy announces move to Chesterfield, MO It is a new school year and Barat Academy, a private Catholic high school, has moved to a new location in Chesterfield from Dardenne Prairie, MO. The move stems from financial difficulties that occurred when the school’s mortgage holder failed and the FDIC stepped in taking control of the lender’s assets. Unsuccessful negotiations with the new lenders - the FDIC and Enterprise Bank, forced an eviction from the school building this summer. Despite attempts to keep the school in St. Charles County, the newer school, only open since 2007, was unable to find appropriate accommodations.
The school identified a property formerly occupied by Gateway Academy located on Wild Horse Creek Road in Chesterfield as it’s new home. The site offers all of the facilities that the former Barat Academy campus would have had eventually. Previously with only a main building and a gymnasium, the new campus offers more classroom space and athletic fields.
The school will be challenged to fill it’s classes as it enters the West County market area that is already fairly saturated with Catholic High Schools. The concept that Barat Academy is about the students, the families and the educational model, not bricks and mortar, is what the school hopes will attract students. Additionally, it is the only Catholic High School that offers a coeducational school with single-gender classes.
While the move caused a loss of some students and families unable to make the longer commute, Barat hopes to attract new students from the more affluent West County area. In addition to plenty of classroom capacity, Barat offers scholarships and financial aid. The school expects to open on August 31 with approximately 200 students with a capacity of 150 students per class in the future. With a late start date, the school hopes to talk to a few more families who are considering the school prior to the first day of school.
While the school is ready to open, future modifications are planned to further align the school building with the model started in the previous building. The classes are structured into neighborhoods with separate wings for each grade.
Chesterfield warmly welcomes Barat Academy and wishes it every success.
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