By PAT NEWMAN
pnewman@thecitizennews.com

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School in north Fayette County is nearly complete and will be open to ninth and 10th graders this fall.

John J. Cobis has been named principal of the 500-student-capacity school, replacing Sister Dawn Gear, who helped lay the groundwork and supervise construction of the facility.

Cobis visited Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Peachtree City Sunday, addressing the congregation after Masses on the merits of Catholic education.

While he recognized the high calibre of education offered in Fayette County public schools, Cobis said that sending a child to Our Lady of Mercy would provide a Bible-based education, not just in religion classes but throughout the curriculum. “That's what sets us apart,” he said.

Mercy is the first Catholic high school to locate in the south metro area, on 54 acres on Ga. Highway 279 directly across from the Evander Holyfield estate.

The physical plant includes 20 classrooms, computer and science labs, a learning lab, dance and drama rooms, an arts lab, choral lab, media center, chapel, cafeteria/auditorium, gymnasium, two weight rooms, field house, concessions building, soccer field, football field, three tennis courts track and field event area and a 1,000-seat lighted stadium.

Tuition is $6,500 per year.

Applications are now being accepted and can be obtained by contacting Donald T. Sasso, secretary of education for the Atlanta Archdiocese, at 404-888-7833.

Cobis said he plans to be on-site starting in July.