Walden's Most Precious Blood School to Close After 60 Years

Most Precious Blood School, the Catholic elementary school on Ulster Avenue that has anchored Walden's faith community for roughly six decades, will close at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. The Archdiocese of New York announced the closure as part of what it is calling a School Renewal Process, citing challenges that made continuing "impossible."

Sr. Mary Grace Walsh, superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of New York, framed the decision in stark terms. "These decisions were made after extensive reflection, study, and prayer, as we face significant challenges that make it impossible to continue our mission at these locations," she said. The Archdiocese added that it hopes all affected students will continue their Catholic school education at another Archdiocese school.

Most Precious Blood, located at 180 Ulster Ave on a ten-acre campus overlooking the Shawangunk Mountains, serves approximately 176 students with a student-teacher ratio of 20 to 1, according to its Niche profile. The school has promoted a blended learning program combining online and in-person instruction and holds AdvancED NCA accreditation. As recently as this month, the school's website was still displaying a "2026-2027 Admissions Open" banner.

The Walden closure is not an isolated decision. Sacred Heart School in Hartsdale, which has operated since 1956 and enrolls roughly 119 students, is also slated to close at the end of the current academic year under the same Archdiocese process. Meanwhile, St. Anthony-St. Paul School, which operates across two locations serving Nanuet and Valley Cottage, will consolidate onto a single campus at St. Anthony Parish in Nanuet rather than close outright.

Walsh acknowledged the weight of these changes for families while trying to offer a longer institutional view. "We know that change can bring mixed emotions, but every step we take is part of a faithful journey of renewal and growth," she said.

For the Walden community, the loss is particularly sharp. Most Precious Blood has served village families across multiple generations, offering pre-kindergarten through elementary education grounded in what the school described as a commitment to nurturing "mind, body, and soul" in a Christian environment. The school's parish site still lists photo albums from a 2021 graduation, Ring Day, and National Junior Honor Society induction.

What comes next for current MPB students, faculty, and staff remains to be determined. The Archdiocese has not publicly detailed a specific transition plan for the Walden campus beyond its general hope that students will remain in the Catholic school system.