Ladywood High School, the all-girls Catholic school in Livonia, is closing at the end of this school year because of declining enrollment.

The decision by the Felician Sisters of North America was announced Monday to staff, parents and alumni. Students will be notified at assemblies Tuesday.

Enrollment at the school has dropped 60% since 2005, according to a letter from Sr. M. Alfonsa Van Overberghe, chair of the school's board of trustees. Ladywood has 169 students in ninth through 12th grade.

"Despite optimizing expenditures and significantly reducing the subsidy provided by the Felicians to Ladywood, we could not ignore the enrollment trend," Van Overberghe wrote. "Nor did we want to raise tuition to cost prohibitive levels to maintain our quality education with significantly fewer students, which made the decision unfortunate, but clear."

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The school, which is known for its rigorous academics and strong athletic programs, opened in 1950. It has more than 6,000 alumnae. Tuition and fees run about $11,000 annually.

School spokeswoman Mary Henige said the closure was unexpected. An open house held last month for prospective students was well-attended, she said.

Henige said school leadership learned of the closure late last month but it wasn't more broadly announced until Monday.

"I think this was definitely a surprise. ... It’s always sad to close a school, especially a ministry in Catholic education," she said.

The Felicians are offering a $500 annual scholarship to students who go on to attend other Catholic high schools in southeast Michigan. Officials are developing a transition plan for faculty and staff.

Melissa Ayoub Heinen, a pediatrician who graduated in 1992, was devastated to learn about the closure. Ladywood had fewer students than other all-girls schools, which contributed to a family-like feel, she said.

"It was small and personable. You were never a number ... It was a true sisterhood," she said.

Van Overberghe wrote in the letter that was sent to parents and alumni that Felician leadership in November evaluated whether Ladywood could have a viable and sustainable future. She noted that the 2008 recession and changing demographics due to low birth rates have hit schools all over the country hard.

"The Felician Sisters sponsor 27 ministries so we must be good stewards of our resources," she said. "Please know the decision-making process was heart-wrenching for the Sisters, who are saddened that the ministry's 68-year legacy is ending."

The Class of 2017 received $6.8 million in scholarships — nearly $100,000 per student, Van Overberghe wrote.

Rev. Steve Pullis director of the Department of Evangelization, Catechesis, and Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Detroit, said the decision to close a religious order-sponsored school is always difficult for everyone involved.

"The Felician Sisters have sponsored all-girls Catholic secondary education in southeast Michigan since 1882," he said. "Their commitment, their presence, and their graduates have contributed greatly to the Catholic fabric of the Archdiocese of Detroit."

Heinen said in the years since she graduated, a lot of positive things happened at Ladywood, including the expansion of the school and the construction of a new gym.

On the athletics side, Ladywood reached the girls basketball state finals in 1983-85, winning the Class B title in '83 and '85. The school also won the Class A volleyball state title in 1988 and 1989. In softball, the school won the Division 2 state championship in 2012.

On Ladywood's website Monday afternoon, there was still information about how prospective freshmen could apply to attend next year.

Staff writer Kirkland Crawford contributed to this report.

Contact staff writer Ann Zaniewski at 313-222-6594 or azaniewski@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @AnnZaniewski.