SSA News

SSA Property Sale Finalized
Teresa Hernandez('97)
November 14, 2005

Recently an article in the Pueblo Chieftain announced the sale of the St. Scholastica Academy grounds to Octwell, LLC, a Utah limited liability company. The company plans to spruce up the Academy facilities, and open a new boarding school serving students age 13-18.

The new school, Royal Peak Academy, is due to open sometime in the spring of 2006, and will serve 100-200 students from all over the United States. Former president of Dixie State College, Robert Huddleston, will oversee the school.

The Academy's opening comes as good news to the area, creating as many as 100 new jobs, and bringing new life to the beautiful campus.

Dr. Huddleston says Octwell chose 615 Pike Avenue as the new home for Royal Peak because of the ideal location and well suited facilities. The Canon City campus, located in the heart of a small Colorado town will likely be preferred by families living in the Western United States wishing to give their children the opportunity for a self-paced education while keeping them closer to home.

The new academy will focus its first year on the standard curriculum, tailoring the pace to each student's individual needs. As the school grows, expansion of extracurricular activities and the addition of sports teams will be possible. But for now, the administration plans on taking things one step at a time.

St. Scholastica Academy closed it's doors in 2001, because of the diminishing number of active Sisters able to oversee day-to-day operations in Canon City. Since that time, the furnishings have been sold or donated to various organizations, and the school's archival material moved to Chicago. The former Sisters' dormatory (many of you will remember it as the building with the tile cow mosaic in the entry way) was sold last year to a different buyer. The three sisters who still live in Canon City (Sister Amy Campbell, Sister Kathleen McNamara, and Sister Anne Krall) now rent a small house on the east side of town.

As one might expect, feelings regarding the sale of the property was mixed. Prioress Sr. Jane Smith, OSB, gave the following comment to the Canon Daily Record:

"We're delighted Octwell will use the property for its best and intended use, which is a boarding school. It is thrilling to think it will benefit some high school children and it will be a good benefit to the city of Canon City... The property has been on the market for a long time, so in that sense we are glad to be able to sell. But since that time, we have been able to get used to not running the school."

According to Subprioress Sr. Benita Coffey, OSB, the general feeling among the Sisters is one of relief. Seeing to the upkeep and security of the empty property had been a financial strain, and the sisters in Chicago are glad they no longer need to worry.

"The decisions about the closing and the sale were made by all of us Sisters together after prayer and discussion where we reached consensus that this was the best things for us to do," said Sr. Benita, "So I don't think there is anyone who is sorry to see the sale finalized, though, of course, there is some sadness, especially, I feel sure, among those who were graduates themselves (we have seven SSA Canon graduates still among us, many more are deceased) and those who ministered there over the years."

While it is sad to see the Academy, which many of us still regard as "ours" changing hands from the Benedictine Sisters to another organization, news of the sale is still welcome. Many former students who live in the area have remarked on how unsettling it is to see the school empty.

The buildings of SSA still seem to echo with the memories of school years past, and always will. Now, after a 5 year hiatus, the hallways will begin to gather new memories. The SSA Alumnae Network wishes Dr. Huddleston and the Royal Peak Academy all of the joy and success SSA enjoyed during its 111 year history.