A quintet of schools has battled intense feelings since the archdiocese announced plans to use a shuttered facility as its students’ new learning site.
Epiphany of Our Lord teacher Ursula Polidore offered a social studies lesson to her seventh-graders Tuesday. The most populated school among the nine local sites chosen to close or merge, Epiphany instructs nearly 300 learners.
“As emotional as everything is, you need to avoid coming at it from an emotional stance,” Patricia Cody said after Friday’s dismissal of 293 pupils from Epiphany of Our Lord, 1248 Jackson St.
The fifth-year principal has been maintaining her composure since Jan. 6, when the Archdiocese of Philadelphia-appointed Blue Ribbon Commission declared her Lower Moyamensing location along with Holy Spirit, 1845 Hartranft St.; Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 2329 S. Third St.; Sacred Heart of Jesus, 1329 E. Moyamensing Ave.; and St. Richard, 1826 Pollock St., will likely merge to form a regional parochial institution. If a review committee and Archbishop Charles J. Chaput uphold the group’s suggestions for 45 elementary and four high schools to close or merge, hundreds of students will need a new educational abode, with the archdiocese projecting 700 learners will attend the former Stella Maris site, 814 Bigler St., which closed two years ago for the same reasons that could doom the commission’s selections.
Cody knew South Philly would experience change but had not expected it for nine of its 10 elementary spots. She noted the archdiocese began studying each school about four years ago but had not heard any theory that her locale, filled 53 percent to capacity, would join the aforementioned schools and Annunciation B.V.M.. 1148 Wharton St.; St. Gabriel, 2917 Dickinson St.; St. Nicholas of Tolentine, 913 Pierce St.; and St. Thomas Aquinas, 1719 Morris St., in pondering parting with or welcoming young minds.
“The commission had to make many tough choices, many I expected, not that that fact has made things much easier,” the resident of the 1100 block of West Moyamensing Avenue, who last year won a Distinguished Principal Award, said.
Enrollment dips signaled a call for action, as did parish subsidies, which since 2001 have averaged $319,162 per school. Epiphany’s students received $100,466 in subsidies in ’09-’10, the last year the report chronicles.
The report deemed students must attend their respective regional school to continue their Catholic instruction, stating “By keeping the children from the same parish together it will help them to build community among themselves and the pastor and parish staff can maintain a relationship with them.” For many Epiphany children, that will mean returning to Stella Maris, 0.89 miles away. Samantha Dinubile, however, cared not about proximity but about feasibility.
“I am worried about having so many children in one place,” the resident of the 1200 block of Ritner Street said after retrieving her sons, fifth-grader Salvatore and second-grader Santino.
She dubbed herself shocked and feels not enough consideration went into compiling the report.
“While it’s true students will not need to travel that far, there will be safety and transportation issues,” Dinubile said.
Distances from the planned school range from 0.89 to 1.9 miles. The figures have her wondering about busing, an element the six-member implementation team consisting of Stella Maris Rev. John R. DiOrio and other pastors is discussing. Her sons’ friendships have Dinubile leaning toward the regional site.
“I still can’t believe it,” Salvatore said.
He acknowledged remaining with companions would gladden him but noted parting with the Epiphany atmosphere would sadden him.
“This could also be troublesome for teachers. What about teachers who may come from schools with low enrollment?” his mother said wondering the effect of larger class sizes.
Employees at closing and merging schools must reapply for positions at their particular regional site only, with 1,700 teachers destined to polish their résumés. Packer Park’s Holy Spirit, with 141 students, and Mount Carmel, with 140, join a dozen other selected schools in educating fewer than 150 students. Filled 43 and 45 percent to capacity, respectively, they have suffered significant enrollment plunges, losing nearly 300 combined students since ’05. While Mount Carmel Principal Sister Rosemarie O’Neill declined to comment, Holy Spirit Principal Donna-Maria Meyers confessed in an e-mail to having a heavy heart.
“The Christmas tree and decorations in my outer office are still not put away. It dawned on me that the delay is because I know that I’m not just putting them away for next year, but that I am putting them away to take home to my garage until...,” she said. “The kids will sense what we are feeling. If we are positive and see this as a good thing, the kids will, too. Change is a healthy part of life’s journey.”
Pennsport’s Sacred Heart of Jesus enrolls 191 students, 76 percent of its capacity. Like all the mentioned schools, it received a six-figure subsidy in ’09-’10. Down 39 students since ’05, it, too, has struggled.
“These have been hard days,” Principal Sister Patricia Mount said via e-mail, “but we are getting excited about our planning for the new regional school and its programs.”
The archdiocese chose the Stella Maris building because its capacity for students exceeds the other sites’, archdiocese spokeswoman Donna Farrell said. Ample parking, green space, the church’s connection to the school and the site’s overall structural integrity solidified the selection.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia said it has made its final decisions regarding the closings and consolidations of schools across the city, but community members in Pennsport and Whitman have not yet backed down.
Ava Washington will graduate from St. Gabriel School, 2917 Dickinson St., in June and had felt heartache over her likely fate as a member of the Grays Ferry site’s final commencement.
To the Editor: All of the turmoil, heartache and disruption caused by the Blue Ribbon Commission, implemented by retired Archbishop Justin Rigali, in my opinion, was a diversion from the devastating sex crimes committed by these pedophile priests. Did we faithful followers have to be subjected to all the pain and suffering of not knowing the future of our children? Schools closing, regional schools opening — what a disgrace and now everything is back to square one. The upheaval of emotions is horrific.
The name Gabriel derives from Hebrew and translates as “God is my strength.”
Friday marked the Feast of the Epiphany, the celebration through which Christians honor the visitation of the Magi to baby Jesus, an event through which the infant gained new companions. Nearly 24,000 students at 45 elementary and four high schools learned that day they soon will join the lauded child in adding friends, as the Blue Ribbon Commission, an Archdiocese of Philadelphia-appointed entity, released its report on parochial institutions’ future that announced closings and mergers of nine of South Philly’s 10 elementary sites.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced that all of South Philly's elementary schools with the exception of St. Monica, 16th and Porter streets, will consolidate with at least one other facility to form three regional Catholic schools.
A sign displaying “Thanks for the Memories” adorned the school yard at 814 Bigler St., as gold and blue balloons seemed to sway in time with the children’s voices as they sang the school song.
“I’m sad. I cried,” Stella Maris seventh-grader Jason Burris, of Sixth and Johnston streets, said following last Thursday’s dismissal. Burris, 13, and his classmates were slated to graduate from Stella Maris next year. Instead, that final year has come early as they scurry to find a new school.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia officially announced Friday that Stella Maris School, 814 Bigler St., would close at the end of the school year due to low enrollment.
Last week, parents at two local Catholic schools feared the bases of their children’s education would shut their doors for good in June, but both — Holy Spirit and Stella Maris — have refused to go down without a fight from their supporters.
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1. jp said... on Jan 26, 2012 at 01:29PM
“In 2005 the I moved back to So. Philly from NJ. At the time my daughter was a seventh grade student and Sacred Heart would be our parish school. I contacted the principal and requested to enroll my child there. In no uncertain terms she denied my request stating that her policy was no to accept students in the upper grades due to discipline issues. I explained again that we moved back into Phila and that I wasn't taking her from one city school to another. She was very emphatic about her decision and couldn't be persuaded to enroll my child. Sacred Heart's policy, in my opinion, helped to seal it's fate. She was mean and intolerant and I was very disheartened by the lack of Christian charity on her part.”
2. Anonymous said... on Jan 26, 2012 at 03:38PM
“When looking at the big picture, please know that when I was a student at Stella Maris back in the 70's we had 3 classes in each grade each with 30 plus children. The school can accomodate all the children being transferred. They are correct, the church is attached, there is parking and there is green space. We survived without a gym for many years, but there is room to build if they are able. I feel very sorry for the people of the parishes, I know how they feel because we went thru it 2 years ago at Stella Maris, it is a sad sad situation. As a homeowner in the area I am thrilled that Stella Maris property was chosen as the new regional school. I know that "Stella Maris" is not reopening, this is a new start for us as well as the closing parishes. When I attended we had a school bus driven by Joe D'Amato and we were fine, I am sure everything will work out for the best, please try to be positive for the children.”
3. Anonymous said... on Jan 27, 2012 at 01:11AM
“My child is being affected. She goes to Epiphany where my whole family went. Why move when Epiphany is only filled to 53% capacity. We have th capacity to fit 650 students. Also a gym is important. My older daughter is a great basketball player. Started in 5th grade in Epiphany, played every Region 6 sport and is now being recoginzed as a great athlete now that shes in high school. Epiphany already has a huge gym. The Catholic shools are hurting for money why would we spent money to build one where there is already a school available with every amenity possible?”
4. Anonymous said... on Jan 27, 2012 at 01:16AM
“One more thing...Epiphany is in my neighborhood, so happy that you are happy that the Stella Maris school was chosen because you are a homeowner in that area but what happens with the Epiphany building that is in my neighborhood? Bottom line, they cannot sell the Stella Maris property because there is a church attached. It is not great for the market. Who is going to buy a property with a church???”
5. Mike said... on Jan 27, 2012 at 02:33PM
“The challenge for Catholic education is that we need to retrench and have strong schools. The five-school merger in S. Philly will be tough. Many families want to stay close to home. They don't want kids traveling a mile or two. But our parish schools cannot realistically sustain themselves given increasing costs, declining enrollment, declining baptisms and given the competition from alternatives like charter schools.
It's not ideal, but the Stella Maris concept has great potential. The diocese plan calls for small classes (on average 25 kids/room), strong programs with full time "specials" teachers, enrichment and remediation programs, music, art, etc., etc. It may not all come true but this is the plan.
The diocese plan also calls for a fundraising professional who will bring in the tax credit money for our kids. This person will raise money from alumni and businesses. This person will help bring in revenue over and above tuition so Catholic schools are affordable.”
6. Italiangirl said... on Jan 31, 2012 at 08:49AM
“Gone are the days when it was safe to walk a mile or two to school. I did when I went to Goretti. If the 79 bus was too crowded, or there was a Septa strike, we walked, and it was over a full mile, 1 way, regardless of the weather.”
7. Carole Lisacek said... on Feb 3, 2012 at 09:42AM
“Epiphany is a great school with great staff, (I am proud to say it is my parish) and Father Pigeon did all he could do to raise money but still they are on the cutting block. This makes no sense at all. Where will all these children go, they are out future and they need good education; they got that at Epiphany and the other affected schools. This is so unfair but no matter what we say we do not have the final say. God be with all of you who are affected.”
8. Anonymous said... on Feb 7, 2012 at 02:25PM
“It is a sad situation when any school closes but as a member of Stella Maris we went through this 2 years ago and the hurt does heal. It's not financially possible to keep schools open and a regional school is the only way to keep Catholic education alive in South Phila. My children went to Stella Maris and played basketball and had no problem using other facilities for practice and also for home games. The school arranged for this and I'm sure it'll be the same in the future. Stella Maris students had to go to other schools not in their parish boundary lines and adjusted to that so I'm positive the children will adjust to coming to Stella Maris. Their friends will be with them and they'll also have the opportunity to meet new friends from different South Phila. neighborhoods. Change is good and kids are great with adjusting to change.”