BORDENTOWN CITY: Community members hold Town Hall meeting to Save Saint Mary School

Why is Saint Mary School closing?

BORDENTOWN CITY – There will be a Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, March 26, at 7 p.m. to address a question being asked throughout the community: "Why is Saint Mary School closing?"

 

The meeting will take place inside the Carslake Community Center, 209 Crosswicks St., Bordentown City. It is open to the public and the Town Hall is being presented by Save Saint Mary School.

Saint Mary School was founded in 1873 and has run as a private coeducational Roman Catholic day school in Bordentown City ever since. A longstanding bedrock of the community, it serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade. This year marks the 125th anniversary of the school.

 

It is also a part of Saint Mary’s parish and falls within the Diocese of Trenton.

And according to SSMS, on March 8, the Diocese of Trenton suddenly announced that the St. Mary School would be closing in June due to declining enrollments, despite Bishop David O’Connell’s promise that no school would be closed this year, or at least until completion of a comprehensive Diocese-wide school sustainability study in May. 

 

Concerned parents and alumni are fighting to keep the school. 

 

Bishop O’Connell, in a monthly webcast Feb. 3 titled "The Shepherd’s Voice" said if any school is to be closed “…it will be done with the awareness of all involved, parents, teachers.” (O’Connell’s monthly webcast, “The Shepherd’s Voice” – 03FEB2013) 

 

The grassroots coalition – SSMS – behind the Town Hall meeting consists of school parents and alumni. The group of volunteers is conducting its own investigation of the school closing announcement, and to develop a strategic plan that will return the school to solvency and position it for a sustainable future.

 

On Tuesday, March 12 in front of a public audience, representatives of Bishop O’Connell and the Diocese of Trenton Office of Education agreed to grant SSMS an audience with the Bishop to present these findings and recommendations in the second week of April, according to SSMS.

 

Two days later the request by SSMS for a date and time for this meeting was denied, and a second written request was denied earlier this week, a SSMS release said. On Thursday, March 21 a letter was sent home with all students stating that the Bishop’s decision was final and that the school will close.

 

"We are sincerely shocked and disappointed by the lack of due process, communication, tolerance and respect for our sincere efforts to preserve a school that has been serving this community for almost 125 years,"SSMS stated in a recent press release.

 

"Additionally, our fact-finding has revealed a disturbing pattern of manipulation and mismanagement that has clearly contributed to the school’s financial condition."

 

The group is hoping folks attend the Town Hall meeting on Tuesday evening to learn more about the past, present and potential future for Saint Mary School.