The imminent shutdown of Saint Francis School is a poignant loss, even for those who didn’t attend the Manoa school.

The Catholic school’s vibe and 95-year history have been full of ohana and charity, with a reputation for being a relatively affordable private school with a mission to educate and nurture its students, preschool through grade 12. But it also needed to be a shrewd business amid Hawaii’s competitive marketplace for private schools and some blossoming public schools. Ultimately, the enrollment just wasn’t there to overcome the school’s deep financial woes, exacerbated by debt for a gymnasium completed in 2013, plus low tuition income and generous financial subsidies.

When Saint Francis announced last month that it would be closing its middle and high schools, a sliver of hope remained that the lower school could be saved by strong enrollment. Unfortunately but understandably, families looked elsewhere.

In 2006, the all-girls’ school went co-ed, and for a while, it seemed the tight-knit campus was growing its student population — from 425 in 2007-2008, to 491 in 2017-2018; there are now 442 students. But with about 60 percent receiving financial aid plus hefty operating costs, things proved insurmountable.

Saint Francis will completely close after this academic year, scattering many longtime friends and classmates. By early 2020, the former nun teachers who live on its grounds will move to St. Francis Health Care System’s Kupuna Village, and the school’s tranquil 11 acres likely will be sold. It will be a difficult next several months for all involved — including Saint Francis’s last student body.