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The Archdiocese of Baltimore announced last week that it plans to close 13 of its schools when the current academic year ends, but Bowie's catholic school, St. Pius X Regional School, is free from that turmoil.

"There's been no question of whether or not it's opening in the fall," said Kathy Dempsey, the assistant director of communications at the Archdiocese of Washington. "St. Pius in Bowie is just fine."

Founded in 1962, the school has 719 students enrolled from pre-kindergarten to eighth-grade, compared to 727 last year. The school is one of 67 elementary, early childhood and high schools that is run by the Archdiocese of Washington.

In 2008, seven Archdiocese of Washington schools were converted into public charter schools, according to Dempsey. St. Ignatius School in Fort Washington was also closed, she said.

This year, Holy Redeemer Catholic School in the District will close, while St. Hugh School in Greenbelt will form a regional school with St. Joseph's Catholic School in Beltsville. Meanwhile, St. Mark School in Hyattsville and St. Camillus School in Silver Spring will join together to become St. Francis International School, which will initially be located at the St. Camillus campus. Dempsey said there were expansion plans for another campus at St. Mark.

Dempsey said shifting urban and suburban populations, as well as Catholics in the Northeast moving to Southern states, were two reasons behind the need to consolidate and close some schools.