CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — Students from two Cape May County Christian schools will begin the upcoming academic year together after Westminster Christian Academy and Southern Cape Christian Academy agreed to combine operations into a single K-12 school.
The unified school will operate from Southern Cape Christian Academy's Oyster Road campus in Cape May Court House. School leaders are still working to select a name before classes begin this fall.
According to reporting by NJ Advance Media, Westminster Christian Academy will relocate its students from Ocean City to the Cape May Court House campus, creating a single kindergarten-through-12th-grade program. Southern Cape Christian had previously discontinued its high school grades.
The merger is expected to bring roughly 100 Westminster students together with Southern Cape Christian's existing enrollment, although school officials say final enrollment figures have not yet been determined.
The consolidation also means changes for employees. Some Southern Cape Christian faculty and staff members will not return under the new organization as Westminster integrates its own personnel. School officials told NJ Advance Media that displaced employees will be encouraged to apply for positions in the school's early learning center as openings become available.
The agreement was approved by Southern Cape Christian's Board of Trustees in late June, and families were notified earlier this month that the schools would merge ahead of the 2026-27 school year.
The move follows years of declining enrollment and financial challenges at Southern Cape Christian Academy.
According to NJ Advance Media, enrollment dropped from about 80 students in 2015 to approximately 45 during the most recent school year. Tax records also show the nonprofit school spent more than it generated in revenue during 2024, prompting school leaders to pursue several strategies aimed at improving its long-term viability.
Those efforts included reducing tuition, restructuring financial aid, introducing flexible enrollment options for homeschooling families and expanding fundraising initiatives. The school also secured a $300,000 loan from Revolve Church in Lower Township to refinance debt and maintain operations, according to Cape May County property records.
Westminster Christian Academy is owned by James Patterson, who is expected to serve in an administrative role at the merged school, according to NJ Advance Media. Patterson did not comment on the merger.
The consolidation reflects a broader trend affecting private religious education across New Jersey. In recent years, numerous private and parochial schools have closed or reorganized as they contend with declining enrollment, increasing operating costs and financial pressures. NJ Advance Media previously reported that more than 30 private and parochial schools statewide have closed since 2020.
Rather than closing, the two Cape May County schools are betting that combining resources and restoring a full K-12 program will provide a more sustainable path forward for Christian education in the region.
About the Author
Karen Johnson
With over 30 years of news experience in major markets like Los Angeles, Denver, and Columbus, Karen now covers our area for South Jersey NewsBeat. She also brings her articulate and conversational news delivery to WOND radio listeners every weekday. Her background includes work with the NBC Radio Network, and she thrives in fast-paced news environments.
