Corbin School Board votes to buy St. Camillus Academy; plans to move Corbin Middle School

Call it an offer too good to refuse.

The Corbin Independent School District’s Board of Education unanimously approved an agreement Tuesday that is the first step toward purchasing St. Camillus Academy, and the 26 acres of scenic land that surround it, for $1 million.

Board of Education Chairperson Kim Croley said the property was offered to the school district by its owners, The Sisters of Divine Providence, who agreed to allow for it to be paid over five years, interest free.

"They came to us and said ‘we would like for you all to consider purchasing the property.’ They wanted to see the tradition it had of taking care of kids continue," Croley said.

St. Camillus – a private, Catholic school – was founded in 1908, but closed for good at the end of the 2012-13 school year due to lack of enrollment.

A group of parents with children who attended the school made a bid to keep it open this year, but gave up on the idea over the summer.

In its heyday, the school served students in grades Kindergarten through 12 and even included boarding facilities for girls.

The fate of the well-maintained school buildings and idyllic property upon which they were situated was up in the air.

Croley cautioned that the deal still had to be approved by the Kentucky Department of Education. She said it would take three to six months to get that approval. Environmental studies have to be completed. Thorough inspections of the building must be conducted. And, Croley said the existing usable buildings at the site, of which there are three, would likely need some renovation to suit the board’s intended purpose – to become the new site for Corbin Middle School.

"It is our intent to move forward slowly," Croley said. "I don’t think anything will happen very soon. At first I think we will move some of our existing program up there and consolidate some things together."

The school district has been stretched to the limit financially coming of the heels of two major construction projects – the construction of Corbin Primary School and purchase of the large farm where it is located, and the total renovation of Corbin High School. The CHS project alone cost $10 million and took the district to the limit of its allowed bonded indebtedness.

Croley said that’s why the agreement to pay for the property over five years, with no interest, was such a good one for the school district.

And it’s another reason Croley said the school district plans to move slowly on any major spending at St. Camillus so that some of that bonded indebtedness can be paid down.

Board members also voted to accept a higher tax rate this year to help compensate for the purchase. Croley said proceeds from the tax hike will pay for roughly half of the $1 million needed.

And the rest?

"We are asking [Superintendent] Ed McNeel and his administrative team to get creative," Croley said.

"We didn’t want to take a chance of losing the property. That kind of acreage inside the city limits will probably never come our way again."

Croley said the property would provide a lot for middle school students. It already has an existing track, football/soccer field, tennis courts and plenty of area for outdoor classroom activities.