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Just recently the Diocese of Rockville center closed 2 more catholic Grammar schools.
Now we can come up with 101 reasons as to why, the Pandemic, the Diocese going bankrupt to settle molestation cases, less clergy/nuns more lay people as teachers (which drives up overhead cost) declining enrollment/church attendance for years etc
but it got me thinking will any be left in 30 or 50 years from now?
I know people, family members in fact that are genuinely worried that their children and possibly grandchildren won't have a these schools to go to.
Now granted I am not one of them, I feel that the overwhelming majority of these schools are a scam and I also feel I pay enough in property taxes so why add more to that bill and I am equal opportunity I also do not think my Tax dollars should be sending kids to college either. Education is a to each their own decision, you pay based on the district you live in.
But I digress, with a lot of these changing factors do these schools have a future?
There will be a scant few that survive, here and there and if people want their kids to go to Catholic school they will have them make the trip, just as they do with Catholic HS. St. Anne's in Garden City already has a "welcome St. Thomas families" thing on their website.
If you have kids in Catholic school and there's only one class per grade, you need to read the writing on the wall.
People don't see the value in Catholic grammar school with the taxes on LI. High school is a different story.
People don't see the value in Catholic grammar school with the taxes on LI. High school is a different story.
But will they? Let say the average property tax on a house is 12k..the tuition for chaminade, kellenberg etc is roughly the same at 12k a year. Add it up its basically a year at college tuition for a top notch school which despite all the hype not all students go to those schools after 4 years of catholic high school
But will they? Let say the average property tax on a house is 12k..the tuition for chaminade, kellenberg etc is roughly the same at 12k a year. Add it up its basically a year at college tuition for a top notch school which despite all the hype not all students go to those schools after 4 years of catholic high school
People who send their kids to those schools are not worried about the cost of their property tax+ tuition but I guess time will tell.
My DS went to Catholic HS here in NC, it was hard to get into when he applied....now? forget it. Private schools are the ones around here that didn't close this year due to the pandemic. Waiting lists a mile long. It's a bargain compared to the secular private schools around here.
The Diocese should have addressed this problem 25+ years ago and gone regional instead of leaving every parish to fend for itself. Roosevelt and Freeport parishes can't compete financially with Garden City and Rockville Centre. Some of the schools have only survived this long as a result of others closing (including St Christopher's which is on the chopping block as of today).
The Marianists (Chaminade/Kellenberg/St Martin de Porres) were brought in to consult way too late in the game. They can probably help the diocese form a new regional system with the existing school buildings, but it is likely too late to save most of the surviving single-parish schools, except for the flagships like St Agnes.
I wouldn't be against sending my kids to a catholic school, maybe St Doms in Oyster Bay which is doing well. But too bad thousands of Catholic priests couldn't resist molesting little boys and couldn't keep it in their pants. Then all the sick and corrupt colleagues covered for these pedophiles.
People who send their kids to those schools are not worried about the cost of their property tax+ tuition but I guess time will tell.
My DS went to Catholic HS here in NC, it was hard to get into when he applied....now? forget it. Private schools are the ones around here that didn't close this year due to the pandemic. Waiting lists a mile long. It's a bargain compared to the secular private schools around here.
Comparing a chaminade/holy trinity/Kellenberg to say a Friends academy you are right it is a bargain.
That being said i know plenty (myself included) who went through the catholic high schools and view them as a bit of a scam.
Also, in my lifetime no one has ever said “I want to move to Long Island for the cheap cost of living” maybe people today or 20 years ago cared about tax+tuition but plenty down the road...I’m just not sure the viability is there
There are a few Catholic high schools outside of the Diocese that continue to do extraordinarily well, such as Chaminade and Saint Anthony’s. These will doubtlessly continue for at least the next 30 - 50 years.
Within the Diocese I suspect almost all schools will close over that extended (30 - 50 years) time period. There are some well-situated elementary schools (such as St. Patrick’s in Huntington) that may continue to thrive.
Last edited by Quick Commenter; 03-23-2021 at 03:36 AM..
They are also shutting down a few of their nursing homes.
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