Saturday, December 3, 2011

GOODBYE, IHM SCHOOL

It's a shock to realize that Immaculate Heart of Mary School--one of the anchors of the neighborhood--will close in only six months. The current eighth grade class will be the last one to graduate.

The school announced at a meeting with parents last night that after ninety-five years of serving the Catholic community, it will close in June 2012.

Ginger Peters tells us that
"The original school opened in 1917 on the site of the current school. That building was demolished following the end of the 1966-67 school year. For the 1967-68 school year, while the new school was being built, IHM students were bused to PS 10, where IHM classes were held. The current school building opened in September, 1968."

Starting in September 2012, children who would have attended IHM will instead attend St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Academy. It will open in the building now housing Holy Name of Jesus School at 241 Prospect Park West by Windsor Place.

In February 2009, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn announced the proposed merger of IHM and Holy Name, forming one school with a single campus to be located on Prospect Park West. The Diocese might rent the IHM building to generate income for the parish.