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- calendar_today October 27, 2026
Supporters Seek to Preserve Rice Memorial High
Supporters aiming to save Rice Memorial High School from potential liquidation have increased their purchase offer from $4.3 million to $5.9 million. The school, serving grades 9–12 in South Burlington, belongs to the Vermont Roman Catholic Diocese, which is currently undergoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
Background: Vermont Catholic Diocese’s Financial Struggles
The Vermont Catholic Diocese filed for bankruptcy in the fall of 2024, following a series of nearly 70 priest misconduct settlements that reduced its holdings by half, leaving about $35 million in assets. The diocese continues to face more than 100 claims of clergy abuse dating back as far as 1950, unresolved as part of the ongoing financial reorganization.
Sale to Nonprofit and Committee Acceptance
This summer, the diocese requested approval from a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge to privately offer Rice Memorial High's campus to a new nonprofit entity, RMHS Inc. The nonprofit is managed by the nine members of the Rice School Board. The plan’s initial $4.3 million price tag sparked opposition from a creditors committee representing over 100 individuals who filed clergy abuse claims. This led to mediation talks and the subsequent raised offer to $5.9 million.
Church lawyers stated in court filings that the creditors’ committee now consents to the new proposed sale price. An attorney for the committee confirmed this consent to VTDigger, though the group has yet to file formal court approval.
Awaiting Court Approval
For the sale to proceed, a bankruptcy judge must approve the transaction. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for November 20. The court's decision could arrive just weeks before the diocese’s request to withdraw its bankruptcy case is considered at a December 8 hearing. Approval of the case withdrawal is not guaranteed and could be delayed.
Valuation Disputes and Community Response
The initial supporters’ offer followed a valuation from White + Burke Real Estate Advisors, which estimated Rice Memorial High’s market value between $4 million and $6 million. However, the creditors’ committee urged the sale price to better match a separate 31-page appraisal from Champlain Valley Appraisal Services, commissioned by the church, valuing the campus at $30.5 million. Claimants recommended accepting higher bids to increase available funds for abuse settlements.
Rice Memorial High and Other Catholic Schools
Founded in 1917 as Cathedral High School and relocated in 1959, Rice Memorial High has a student population of approximately 400. It is one of three Catholic high schools in Vermont, alongside Mount St. Joseph Academy in Rutland and St. Michael School in Brattleboro. The diocese has not revealed any plans regarding these other institutions or its ten elementary and middle schools.
Source: vtdigger.org.
