New name announced for merged South Hills Catholic elementary school

The Diocese of Pittsburgh has announced a new name for a new elementary school resulting from the merger of St. Anne in Castle Shannon, St. Bernard in Mt. Lebanon, Our Lady of Grace in Scott Township and St. Thomas More in Bethel Park.
The school will be named Ave Maria Academy. The merger will take effect July 1.
Religion teachers guided students in fifth through eighth grades to research saints and come up with name suggestions. An implementation committee made up of parents from each of the four schools submitted final recommendations to Bishop David Zubik, who selected the new name.
“I wish to extend my most sincere gratitude to our students, parents, principals, and our regional administrator, Sharon Loughran Brown, for their efforts to assure the success of Ave Maria Academy and the future of Catholic education in the South Hills for generations to come,” Zubik said.
Brown takes over her new position after serving as principal at Our Lady of Grace School.
“It has been exciting to see so many involved in this process,” she said. “I’d like to thank the current principals, the new administrative team, parents, students and the entire implementation team for bringing this project to life. It was truly a collaborative effort. We could feel the holy spirit with us, bringing our community together, as we worked to add a name to our new school. I am looking forward to seeing the Ave Maria Academy school family thrive under the mantle of our blessed mother’s love.”