When classes end for the summer in two weeks, the doors will be closing for good at two Catholic grade schools, St. Philomena in Lansdowne and Our Lady of Charity in Brookhaven.
Parents and parish members were told of the closings at special meetings Tuesday night.
Low re-registration figures for the 2011-2012 school year forced the decision by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, according to a press release issued after the meetings.
According to the diocese, 98 children are registered for Our Lady of Charity and 88 students are registered for St. Philomena. Each of the schools would have had at least one grade with fewer than five students.
Additionally, with such low enrollment, each school would have needed minimally to cut art, physical education and library services in order to remain fiscally viable.
"This was an extremely difficult decision to make because of the impact on students, families and teachers. We waited as long as possible in the hope that re-registration numbers would increase and that the schools could remain open next year," Superintendent of Schools Mary E. Rochford stated. "One of the hallmarks of our Catholic schools is that we provide an outstanding education that is affordable for families. We owe it to our families to provide a rigorous and challenging academic program that is no different than what students at our other schools receive. It would not have been possible for these schools to provide that type of program next year."
While Rochford met with parents at Our Lady of Charity, Deborah Bachor, assistant superintendent for elementary educational services, ran the meeting in Lansdowne.
More than 100 parents who attended the emergency meeting in the basement of Our Lady of Charity Church reacted with anger and resentment.
"We were held hostage," said Cathy Bradley. "How, at the end of the year, can you do this? There are 10 days left of school. We were told that we had one year to stay open. First we were closing, then staying open, now closing again."
The recommendation of the Archdiocesan Office of Education is that Our Lady of Charity pupils attend St. Joseph School in Aston next year.
"I am in no way saying that there is not quality in the education going on here at Our Lady of Charity, because there certainly is," Rochford said at the Brookhaven meeting. "But this school is not meeting the standards for a quality Catholic school and going forward with the low enrollment we are looking at right now, this school does not meet the criteria set at this time."
Currently, the Archdiocesan Office of Education criteria for class size is 25 in kindergarten, 30 in grades one through three and 35 in grades four and five. The set amount of students in a given school is 250.
There were 176 students attending Our Lady of Charity during the 2010-2011 school year, and Rochford announced that only 98 pupils were registered for the 2011-2012 school year.
"We cannot run a school with 98 students," said Rochford. "Somebody has to pay the bills ... some class registrations for next year are in the single digits."
A PowerPoint presentation indicated, as an example, that if Our Lady of Charity were to remain open with 89 students, the parish would operate with a $500,000 deficit.
Some parents exited the meeting in disgust after just a few minutes and others could not contain their anger. Questions were asked about why St. John Chrysostom School in Nether Providence is staying open when this year the school did not have any students in the eighth grade and next year's registrations are low.
"Why are we in the bull's eye?" asked one angry parent.
Rochford said the schools with low numbers are being subsidized by the individual parish and the archdiocese does not and has never subsidized the parish schools. "Some parishes have the cash on hand," she said.
Questions were raised as to why parents were not consulted or given the opportunity to try and raise funds, why student council elections were held for Our Lady of Charity seventh-grade pupils, which gave students hope for next year; and if the Penn-Delco School District has been notified of the closing because of the possible influx of students into district schools.
The main cause of discontent centered around the fact that after being told in November the school was closing, the announcement was made weeks later that the school would be open, and now the school community is being told once again that the school will not remain open.
"We were told we had one more year and now we are being s----," said Upland resident Matthew Archacki. "...You guys just kicked us in the a--."
Several Our Lady of Charity teachers were in attendance and a few spoke on the condition of anonymity.
"We knew nothing until yesterday afternoon," said one teacher. "There was a meeting and that's when we learned that we were basically out of a job. This is terrible. Where is the consideration?"
Prior to the end of the meeting, parents were told, in addition to St. Joseph School in Aston, their children had the option of attending Notre Dame de Lourdes School in Ridley Township. Parish Pastor Rev. Brian Izzo said he was open to speaking to families who would like their children to have additional options, but it was necessary for him to be contacted directly. He also said all tuition money that has been paid for the 2011-2012 school year will be refunded.
Rochford announced that students whose parents are practicing Catholics and who contribute to Our Lady of Charity Church will receive a subsidy from the parish toward tuition at the new school selected.
"This is a huge violation of trust here," said one parent who asked to not be identified. "This is not fair and this really shakes our faith of being a Catholic ... My trust is really wavering"
Bachor broke what she called "the hard facts" to a standing-room-only crowd gathered in the St. Philomena School cafeteria. There were no outbursts, but Bachor had to ask some in the audience to refrain from speaking all at once - especially when she opened the floor for questions.
"Not enough people have enrolled in St. Philomena to keep it open," Bachor said. "We thought it best to tell you now."
Of the possible 141 students who could have pre-registered for next year, only 88 students did so, she said.
With only 88 students, she said tuition would have to be raised to $9,853 per student. Even then, the school would have a projected deficit of $553,276.
"I'm about as shocked and numb as you are," Bachor said, calling the decision process "very quick," not one made months or even weeks ago.
Parents there also questioned the timing of the announcement. Had there been more notice, one woman said, parents might have been able to at least try to raise the money to keep the school open.
"This is not something Father Hand has known for a long time," she said, referring to the Rev. John D. Hand, parochial administrator.
"The pastor does not want to close the school, nobody does," she said. "There just is no money."
Bachor advised parents to register their children at either St. Laurence or St. Andrew grade schools, both located in Upper Darby.
Said both schools have room and will accept St. Philomena students, as long as their current financial responsibilities have all been met.
"I don't know anything about these others schools," said one mother. "I think it is totally unfair."
Ebony McIntosh of Darby has a son in the fourth grade at St. Philomena. "I am beyond devastated," she said as she left the meeting.
McIntosh said she wants her son to have a good education and she has no idea where he will be in September.
"I planned on keeping him here until the eighth grade," she said. "I guess I have a whole lot of research to do over the summer."
When she received word of the special meeting, McIntosh said she thought she would hear talk of a merger, not a closing.
She said she was put off by the way the announcement was handled.
Bachor said a study into all the diocese schools and programs is ongoing by a blue ribbon commission.
"Unfortunately, St. Philomena couldn't wait," she said.
An emergency meeting will be held at St. Kevin School in Springfield on Thursday night at 7 to discuss the future of that school.
