St. Lawrence Elementary & Middle School (SLEMS)

An Announcement from the Pastor
 
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
 
It is with a sad heart that I must announce the closure of St. Lawrence the Martyr Elementary and Middle School at the end of the 2026 school year. 
 
The 65-year legacy of Catholic education that our founding pastor, Fr. Victor Wilkemeyer, dreamed of when he established the Parish of St. Lawerence the Martyr will be coming to an end.  The declining enrollment for the past 10 years, predating the pandemic, has made it impossible for the financial sustainability of our parish school. 
 
The school and parish leadership sought every avenue possible to find a path forward in keeping the school open.  The teachers and staff of the school have worked untiringly to not only educate our students and lead them and their families closer to Jesus Christ, but in promoting and doing the extra work we hoped would lead to greater enrollment. 
Five years ago, Bishop Cantú assigned me to St. Lawrence to help revive the school and I deeply apologize that I have failed in this important endeavor.  I do wish to thank Bishop Cantú and the Diocese of San Jose leadership for supporting us over the past several years with both financial funds and other resources in seeking a direction we believed would help our school grow and continue to operate.  
 
I wish I could tell you what the future holds for our parish community, but I cannot.  I will continue to be as transparent as I am able as we move towards the future at St. Lawrence the Martyr.  We will announce a community meeting towards the beginning of March to answer any questions and respond to any concerns you may have about the closure of the school and the future of the parish. 
 
I would please ask you to pray for the families attending our school, the faculty and staff that have dedicated so much time, talent and treasure in their labors and for all Catholic Schools in our Diocese of San Jose. 
 
Your Servant in Christ, 
 
Fr. Mark Arnzen
Pastor

Un Anuncio de nuestro Pastor
 
Queridos hermanos y hermanas en Cristo,
 
Con gran pesar debo anunciar el cierre de la Escuela Primaria y Secundaria San Lorenzo Mártir al final del año escolar 2026.
 
El legado de 65 años de educación católica que nuestro párroco fundador, el padre Víctor Wilkemeyer, soñó al fundar la Parroquia de San Lorenzo Mártir, llegará a su fin. La disminución de la matrícula durante los últimos 10 años, antes de la pandemia, ha impedido la sostenibilidad financiera de nuestra escuela parroquial.
 
Los líderes de la escuela y la parroquia buscaron y agotaron todas las vías posibles para mantener la escuela abierta. Los maestros y el personal de la escuela han trabajado incansablemente no solo para educar a nuestros estudiantes y acercarlos junto con sus familias a Jesucristo, sino también para promover y realizar el trabajo adicional que esperábamos que condujera a un mayor número de inscripciones. Hace cinco años, el Obispo Cantú me asignó a San Lorenzo para ayudar a revitalizar la escuela y, me disculpo profundamente por no haber logrado tan importante labor. Deseo agradecer al Obispo Cantú y a los líderes de la Diócesis de San José por su apoyo durante los últimos años, tanto financiero como con otros recursos, buscando la dirección que creíamos que ayudaría a nuestra escuela a crecer y seguir funcionando.
 
Me gustaría poder decirles qué es lo que le depara en el futuro a nuestra comunidad parroquial, pero no puedo. Seguiré siendo lo más transparente posible a medida que avanzamos hacia el futuro en San Lorenzo Mártir. Anunciaremos una reunión comunitaria a principios de marzo para responder a cualquier pregunta e inquietud que puedan tener sobre el cierre de la escuela y el futuro de la parroquia.
 
Les pido que oren por las familias que asisten a nuestra escuela, por los profesores y por el personal quienes han dedicado tanto su tiempo como sus talentos y recursos a su labor, y por todas las escuelas católicas de nuestra Diócesis de San José.
 
Su servidor en Cristo,
 
Fr. Mark Arnzen
Pastor

Welcome to our growing Catholic school in the heart of the Silicon Valley!

Saint Lawrence Elementary and Middle School (SLEMS), established in 1961, has provided a comprehensive Catholic education for over 50 years and we are proud to model, teach and live Gospel values each day. We pursue academic excellence by promoting critical and creative thinking, and we tailor instruction to meet the needs of every student, Pre-K through 8th grade. In collaboration with our parents, we provide a challenging and nurturing environment to best prepare our students for high school and beyond.

We are blessed to be part of Catholic parish community, rich in diversity and called together as one living Church. At Saint Lawrence, we cultivate spiritual growth, wholeness, and a responsibility for self, others and the environment. Together, we are Grounded in Faith and Inspired by our Future.

For more information, please go to the SLEMS Homepage.