One school saved from closure, another faces shutdown
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By EmmaLee Italia | Correspondent
And Christina Leslie | Staff Writer
The week brought vastly different news to two school communities in the Diocese.
St. Paul School, Burlington, after learning in December that it will have to close at the end of the school year unless it can raise enough money to operate without subsidy, achieved its goal of $250,000 following an intense fundraising effort. Widespread jubilation was seen in and around the school in response to an electronic message sent to all families from the pastor, Father Michael G. Dunn of St. Katharine Drexel Parish, that the school will open its doors in September.
At the same time, families in Incarnation-St. James School, Ewing, heard a much different bit of news from their pastor, Trinitarian Father Santhosh George. In a letter sent Jan. 12 to all parents, Father George announced that the school, which ironically had saved itself from closure in 2010, would now have to shut its doors due to low enrollment and the attending financial difficulties.
Burlington community responded
In the voice message sent to the school families, Father Dunn stated, “We have successfully completed a campaign to raise $250,000.00 to keep our school open for the 2015-16 school year. You, the parents of our children, led by a committee of volunteers and together with the extended Burlington Community have raised a quarter of a million dollars, making it possible for the children of St. Paul School to continue their education in this extraordinary institution of learning.”
As of press time, a meeting concerning the future of St. Paul School, Burlington, and its initiative “Save St. Paul School” outcome, was planned for Friday, Jan. 16 at 7:00 p.m.
When the school was advised in November that it would need to raise $250,000 by mid-January in order to remain open for the following school year, supporters of the school met the required sum just in time. Through events like Ugly Sweater Nights and Zumba-thons, along with many individual and often anonymous donations, the goal was reached in less than two months.
In a letter sent to Father Dunn, and provided to The Monitor, diocesan chancellor and chief administrative office Anthony J. Mingarino acknowledged the school’s accomplishment and conveyed the positive response of Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M. He wrote, “I have consulted with Bishop O’Connell, and he has agreed that, with the success of the fundraising effort, he would be receptive to St. Paul School remaining open for the upcoming school year.”
The dollar amount needed to be raised was based on the assumption of an enrollment of 145 students in grades K-8. Mingarino’s letter advised that fundraising efforts continue, in the event that the enrollment goal for next year is not reached.
The Bishop has directed the Department of Catholic Schools to work with St. Paul School in matters pertaining to finance and academic decisions throughout the remainder of the 2014-15 school year.
School principal, Bill Robbins, said of the enormous fundraising effort, “We have to thank the committee, the PTA; it was largely because of them that we hit what seemed like an insurmountable goal. The dedication of the parents and the community has just been overwhelming. I had someone hand me a $25,000 check at our most recent event.”
At the same time, Robbins characterized the feat as a “modern miracle.” He said, “We said a special prayer to St. Don Bosco everyday.”
The school family has been truly buoyed by the community’s response, Robbins said. “So many people have said, through their actions, ‘Yes, I want to be part of this.’ They have told us loud and clear that they love this school.”
The effort will not end there, Robbins maintains. He said, “We have many plans to stay solvent and ready to go for the future. We are looking forward.”
In a statement released to the media Jan. 15, Rayanne Bennett, diocesan spokesperson, said, “We congratulate St. Paul School and the entire Burlington community for raising enough money to open next year. It is both gratifying and inspiring to see such an outpouring of support for a truly deserving Catholic school.
“We will pray that this tremendous effort will not only sustain the school but help it to thrive long into the future. And we hope that the example this campaign has provided will inspire others to support their local Catholic schools, which all are important and valuable to their respective communities,” Bennett commented.
For updates on St. Paul School, visit the school website, stpaulbrl.org, or Facebook page, facebook.com/pages/Saint-Paul-School-Burlington. To donate, go to www.savestpaulschool.org
Long– standing struggles
For the ISJ family, the news of closure was something they had been working to avoid for four years. In his letter, Father George admitted that the decision to close was “very difficult to make.” He wrote, “Much work has been done over the past several years to help the enrollment improve. We have been cautiously optimistic.”
But, he added, “The current school year has seen a dramatic decrease in enrollment [and] there is no reasonable expectation that the enrollment can be turned around to the degree that would allow the school to become financially viable.”
He explained that the decision was made locally by him and parish leaders when they discovered “parish assistance, fundraising and tuition could no longer meet the school’s financial obligations,” according to the letter.
It was the second time in recent years that the school faced this news. It had been announced in February, 2010 that the school would close at the end of that school year. That announcement struck a strong emotional response in the parish and school community, and school and parish leaders requested time to develop a solution to the school’s financial and enrollment challenges.
The grassroots “Save Our School” committee, comprised of parishioners, parents, alumni and others, aimed to raise $300,000 via fundraising events, donations and other means. Their goal was achieved when the decision to allow the school to remain open was announced that April. However low enrollment remained a challenge.
Plans now call for classes and activities at ISJ to continue until the end of June. Father George assured the parents that “though saddened by a future reality, we will continue to celebrate graduations, milestones, community athletics, faith and academic achievement.”
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By EmmaLee Italia | Correspondent
And Christina Leslie | Staff Writer
The week brought vastly different news to two school communities in the Diocese.
St. Paul School, Burlington, after learning in December that it will have to close at the end of the school year unless it can raise enough money to operate without subsidy, achieved its goal of $250,000 following an intense fundraising effort. Widespread jubilation was seen in and around the school in response to an electronic message sent to all families from the pastor, Father Michael G. Dunn of St. Katharine Drexel Parish, that the school will open its doors in September.
At the same time, families in Incarnation-St. James School, Ewing, heard a much different bit of news from their pastor, Trinitarian Father Santhosh George. In a letter sent Jan. 12 to all parents, Father George announced that the school, which ironically had saved itself from closure in 2010, would now have to shut its doors due to low enrollment and the attending financial difficulties.
Burlington community responded
In the voice message sent to the school families, Father Dunn stated, “We have successfully completed a campaign to raise $250,000.00 to keep our school open for the 2015-16 school year. You, the parents of our children, led by a committee of volunteers and together with the extended Burlington Community have raised a quarter of a million dollars, making it possible for the children of St. Paul School to continue their education in this extraordinary institution of learning.”
As of press time, a meeting concerning the future of St. Paul School, Burlington, and its initiative “Save St. Paul School” outcome, was planned for Friday, Jan. 16 at 7:00 p.m.
When the school was advised in November that it would need to raise $250,000 by mid-January in order to remain open for the following school year, supporters of the school met the required sum just in time. Through events like Ugly Sweater Nights and Zumba-thons, along with many individual and often anonymous donations, the goal was reached in less than two months.
In a letter sent to Father Dunn, and provided to The Monitor, diocesan chancellor and chief administrative office Anthony J. Mingarino acknowledged the school’s accomplishment and conveyed the positive response of Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M. He wrote, “I have consulted with Bishop O’Connell, and he has agreed that, with the success of the fundraising effort, he would be receptive to St. Paul School remaining open for the upcoming school year.”
The dollar amount needed to be raised was based on the assumption of an enrollment of 145 students in grades K-8. Mingarino’s letter advised that fundraising efforts continue, in the event that the enrollment goal for next year is not reached.
The Bishop has directed the Department of Catholic Schools to work with St. Paul School in matters pertaining to finance and academic decisions throughout the remainder of the 2014-15 school year.
School principal, Bill Robbins, said of the enormous fundraising effort, “We have to thank the committee, the PTA; it was largely because of them that we hit what seemed like an insurmountable goal. The dedication of the parents and the community has just been overwhelming. I had someone hand me a $25,000 check at our most recent event.”
At the same time, Robbins characterized the feat as a “modern miracle.” He said, “We said a special prayer to St. Don Bosco everyday.”
The school family has been truly buoyed by the community’s response, Robbins said. “So many people have said, through their actions, ‘Yes, I want to be part of this.’ They have told us loud and clear that they love this school.”
The effort will not end there, Robbins maintains. He said, “We have many plans to stay solvent and ready to go for the future. We are looking forward.”
In a statement released to the media Jan. 15, Rayanne Bennett, diocesan spokesperson, said, “We congratulate St. Paul School and the entire Burlington community for raising enough money to open next year. It is both gratifying and inspiring to see such an outpouring of support for a truly deserving Catholic school.
“We will pray that this tremendous effort will not only sustain the school but help it to thrive long into the future. And we hope that the example this campaign has provided will inspire others to support their local Catholic schools, which all are important and valuable to their respective communities,” Bennett commented.
For updates on St. Paul School, visit the school website, stpaulbrl.org, or Facebook page, facebook.com/pages/Saint-Paul-School-Burlington. To donate, go to www.savestpaulschool.org
Long– standing struggles
For the ISJ family, the news of closure was something they had been working to avoid for four years. In his letter, Father George admitted that the decision to close was “very difficult to make.” He wrote, “Much work has been done over the past several years to help the enrollment improve. We have been cautiously optimistic.”
But, he added, “The current school year has seen a dramatic decrease in enrollment [and] there is no reasonable expectation that the enrollment can be turned around to the degree that would allow the school to become financially viable.”
He explained that the decision was made locally by him and parish leaders when they discovered “parish assistance, fundraising and tuition could no longer meet the school’s financial obligations,” according to the letter.
It was the second time in recent years that the school faced this news. It had been announced in February, 2010 that the school would close at the end of that school year. That announcement struck a strong emotional response in the parish and school community, and school and parish leaders requested time to develop a solution to the school’s financial and enrollment challenges.
The grassroots “Save Our School” committee, comprised of parishioners, parents, alumni and others, aimed to raise $300,000 via fundraising events, donations and other means. Their goal was achieved when the decision to allow the school to remain open was announced that April. However low enrollment remained a challenge.
Plans now call for classes and activities at ISJ to continue until the end of June. Father George assured the parents that “though saddened by a future reality, we will continue to celebrate graduations, milestones, community athletics, faith and academic achievement.”
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