This letter was sent home to parents of students at Immaculate Heart of Mary School and Holy Name of Jesus School last night.
Dear [parent's name],
As you are aware, for the past three years our diocese has been fully engaged in the process of strategic planning with Preserving the Vision (Schools) and Christ Jesus, Our Hope (Parishes).Through Preserving the Vision, our cluster parishes, (Holy Name of Jesus, Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. Francis Xavier, and St. Saviour), have been engaged in a regional discussion regarding the future of Catholic education in the area and the need to be proactive in our planning instead of reactive.We (four pastors and principals) have been meeting with Bishop Frank Caggiano, Vicar General, and Dr. Thomas Chadzutko, Superintendent of Catholic School Support Services, since last spring to actively explore this possibility for our area, keeping in mind that all parish elementary school will be academies by 2017.
The diocese has done extensive exploration and studies regarding the changing demographics in our area as well as researched the projections for our neighborhoods. Through these studies it became evident that while we would have a regional Catholic elementary academy in our cluster there would most likely not be a need for the academy to be established at four sites. Currently, approximately 1,100 students attend the four schools in our cluster.The goal of Preserving the Vision is to ensure that Catholic education will be present in the area for years to come.
The parishes throughout our diocese have provided "Self Studies" to the Planning Commission for Christ Jesus, Our Hope. Currently, Immaculate Heart of Mary is engaged in Phase III of this process and has been asked to provide a strategic action plan to the Commission by March 2012.Bishop DiMarzio has asked the parish to address its financial debt to the diocese, evangelization goals, and to work towards a regional Catholic elementary academy in the area.The plan must include a realistic and attainable payment plan addressing the debt.Undoubtedly, this has pushed the timeline that we might have considered previously for establishing a regional Catholic Academy.
In an effort of collaboration and being proactive rather than reactive, in consultation with our parish staffs, trustees, pastoral planning councils and finance councils, we have agreed that both Holy Name of Jesus School and Immaculate Heart of Mary School will close in June 2012.A new Catholic academy under the patronage of St. Joseph the Worker will open in September 2012 at the Holy Name of Jesus site. St. Joseph diligently cared for both Mary and Jesus throughout his life.Perhaps even more importantly he had dreams which enabled him to see beyond what laid before him-he saw possibility.It is out hope that we too can see possibility and dare to dream of what can be for the children of our area.
Immaculate Heart of Mary School will be rented and the rental income generated will assist in the payment plan for the parish's diocesan debt and under the diocesan structure of the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Trust, help support St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Academy.This support will help to secure financial stability as well as allow for creative ways to address effective marketing, and recruitment and retention of students as we continue the mission to provide excellence in Catholic Education with a distinct academic program that will meet the needs of students.
We ask that you hold both school and parish communities in your prayers in the months ahead as we work towards establishing St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Academy.
In the Good Shepherd,
Rev. Robert B. Adamo Rev. James K. CunninghamAdministrator AdministratorImmaculate Heart of Mary Church Holy Name of Jesus Church