Staff reports 5 a.m.
Tuesday, April 21, 2026 5:04 am
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DOVER - Saint Mary Academy, a Pre-K through eighth grade Catholic School in Dover, has announced plans to relocate to a 10.25-acre site on the St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish campus in Somersworth. A newly constructed school building is expected to open for the 2028-29 school year.
The project is estimated to cost $20 million. A gift of $15 million from an anonymous donor - a parishioner of St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish - has made it possible.
"This donor has no connection to Saint Mary Academy but sits quietly in the pews of the parish every week. They have worked hard and humbly their whole life and provided the gift of Catholic education to their own children. In gratitude - and so that future generations of children can receive that same gift - this person has generously committed these funds to our new school," announced The Rev. Andrew Nelson, Pastor, St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish, at a special family meeting held at Saint Mary Academy on Friday. "This is the largest single gift to Catholic education in the history of our parish. It is truly a miracle."
The Rev. Agapit Jean, Pastor of Parish of the Assumption, has committed $1 million to the project from the planned sale of the 113-year-old existing school property buildings located at 222 Central Ave.
Plans for the new school and the campaign to raise the remaining $4 million in funding needed are being managed in collaboration with the Diocese of Manchester, the Parish of the Assumption and St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish.
"For years we have wrestled with how to afford the maintenance and repairs of the existing Saint Mary Academy building, which has been home to generations of families from the Dover area," says David Thibault, Superintendent of Catholic Schools. "This development is a true blessing for the future of our Diocesan school and the children and staff who will benefit from its many educational and spiritual gifts."
The new campus will serve 250 students in Pre-K3 through eighth grade and will provide direct access to St. Martin Church with daily access to the Sacraments. It will feature 284 parking spaces, ample green space for recreation and gathering and off-street pick-up and drop-off lines for families.
Throughout this process, Saint Mary Academy will remain at its current location, continuing its mission without interruption as plans move forward.
For more information about the relocation plans, visit www.saintmaryacademynh.org/building-our-future.