LEONARDTOWN, Md. – Parents and students at Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy (LHJNA) continue to express their disappointment and concern over the sudden closure of the private school.
As The BayNet first reported last Friday, the school’s Board of Trustees decided to close the doors of LHJNA, effective immediately, due to maintenance needs, safety issues, and financial problems.
On Tuesday morning, St. Mary’s County Attorney Buffy Giddens attended the Commissioner’s meeting, asking the commissioners to ratify a letter to end the relationship with LHJNA.
“Since the news came out from the school, the community at large have heard countless stories about the incredible impact this school has had and helping people turn their lives around.”
Giddens says she opposed the manner in which the end of the lease was handled. She says she feels there were not enough alternatives.
The commissioners said the county did offer to help find a new location. Parents are now just wondering why the decision to close was made so quickly.
One concerned citizen who has family members who attended LHJNA spoke to The BayNet about the situation. She said the school wasn’t given much time when they received the letter.
“The school needed to decide if it was better to close at the beginning of a semester and give the kids a chance to start somewhere else or wait and have to close in the middle of a semester.”
Taking a look back at how this all started, in 2013, the county entered a lease with the school that expired in June 2023. Once it expired, the county agreed to continue on a month-to-month lease basis. In February 2023, the headmistress, knowing that the lease would expire in June, requested to renew the lease and also discussed some repairs and maintenance issues that needed to be addressed, including new air conditioning units, electrical work, and new windows.
In December 2023, a financial plan was released regarding fundraising and an increase in tuition rates. It was also suggested that the school apply for a grant to cover the cost of repairs. The school ultimately decided to shut its doors because the cost was too great.
“This left children heartbroken, parents in shock, and teachers at a loss for words. We all have so many questions that were not answered. Not only did the board not abide by their own by-laws, they have failed to be honest and transparent with parents, teachers, and the entire community.”
Those words came from parent Christine Quade, who wrote a letter and petition (included at the bottom of this article) in an effort to stop further action by the Board of Trustees and the administration.
She continued by saying, “We need to save this school for the history that it holds for our community, the leaders that it has created before, the leaders that it is creating today and the leaders that it will create in the future.”
Tuesday’s meeting wrapped up with the commissioners saying something could still be worked out in the future.
“To the parents that are here and the people who have reached out to us, we’re here. Figure out who’s in charge, and then maybe reach out to us because we want to help you. We don’t want to just pull the rug. Help us continue.”
As it stands today, there are plans in the works to reopen soon. The BayNet will continue to follow this story and bring you updates.
Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com
Sounds like the Commissioners are just kicking the can down the road. Shutting down 115 years of proven proficiency of the young students and keeping them on the path of good is a disgrace. My 4 years of JROTC got me in the backseat of an F-4 Phantom II. I am sure the hard work these students have put in is now feeling as if they do not mean anything. Is anyone investigating? The county has sure dumped a lot of money into other projects.
Perhaps money should have been put into this school instead of a prosecutor’s office that has the highest turnover rate in Maryland. Especially since it’s just a stepping stone for the individual who runs it.
The original lease signed in 2013 stipulated that the institution do its own maintenance. It wasn’t done and caused the building to fall into disrepair. This is not on the commissioners
Agree. This is an absolute shame. Some of the graduates are Judges, Attorneys, Police Officers and so on. This school taught us a lot and the discipline was a great plus. Learned things that you never see in a normal school. Learned to be a drummer and played in many large city parades years ago.
I’m not trying to shed a positive light on Leonard Hall, but how many of its graduates have ended up in jale? excuse me, jail?