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I have family members that have attended that school and one cousin who is currently enrolled. People are devastated. Apparently, the SI Advance got wind of something that caused them to dig down into the story and were going to run an article about the closing. The school was taken off guard that they gathered everyone up for an assemble today and informed them that the school was closing. When I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE. Students, teachers, admin. staff Custodial staff. The parents received a mass automated phone call that a mass email with an important announcement will be sent out within several minutes of the phone call. Really crappy way to do this to the kids. I really hope we aren't looking at another Mt. Manresa situation.
Besides friends who grew up with, a few family members went to SJVA.
Leaving all that aside there are a few "iconic" Catholic schools on SI; Saint Peter's Boys, Notre Dame, Monsignor Farrell, and Saint John's Villa Academy.
I have family members that have attended that school and one cousin who is currently enrolled. People are devastated. Apparently, the SI Advance got wind of something that caused them to dig down into the story and were going to run an article about the closing. The school was taken off guard that they gathered everyone up for an assemble today and informed them that the school was closing. When I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE. Students, teachers, admin. staff Custodial staff. The parents received a mass automated phone call that a mass email with an important announcement will be sent out within several minutes of the phone call. Really crappy way to do this to the kids. I really hope we aren't looking at another Mt. Manresa situation.
Something is going on that the nuns aren't letting out of the bag.
How do you do this to the kids/girls? Everyone just got back from Christmas holidays and getting back into the routine and they spring this on them totally out of the blue? Five months before semester ends? Not even let the girls who are sophomores and juniors graduate with their class?
Sincerely hope this isn't about real estate; if it turns out to be there is going to be war. Word out of archdiocese office is they can do nothing because the nuns own the property outright.
They just upped and closed the school overnight with no warning? I wonder what could have led to this. If it is finances their accountants have some explaining to do. Their accounts didn't just go into overdraft overnight. They can't find enough funds to finish the school year?
Such is life. Kids are resilient and will adapt to any new school environment. Schools close all the time and the kids didn't die. Staten Island is going through some things. Opioids, foreclosures, now school closing. Stay strong.
How sad for students, faculty, and staff. And sad for all of us if, as a few posts mentioned, the property falls into the hands of people like those who committed the Mt Manresa atrocity. I went to St Joseph's Hill Acad., across the street, and had many friends who went to St John's. This was literally a half century ago, but the memories of those days are both numerous and happy. The SJVA alumni will have to settle to having those memories. That might be enough, but still, not having the school there is a blow. I really feel for those who can't stay long enough to graduate. Kids are resilient, life will go on, etc etc, but most kids prefer continuity. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out and what the land will be used for. Personally, having grown up in Arrochar and seeing the gradual nibbling away of its charm (tear-downs, ugly mini-mansions), I wouldn't be optimistic.
Man, a lot of Peter's and Farrell boys won't get to have the experiences we had now.
I could tell stories about Villa and its girls all day long from my high school days. My wife is a New Dorp HS girl, but I have many fond memories of those white tights during my teens.
Also my grandmother went there in the late 30's, 40's. That's a more clean memory. lol
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