A dozen Catholic private schools within the Archdiocese of New York are set to close at the end of the 2022-23 school year, the Superintendent’s Office announced Wednesday.
The archdiocese cited “shifting demographics and lower enrollment made worse by the pandemic” as the driving forces behind the school closures.
In addition to the 12 schools closing, four other Catholic schools in the archdiocese will merge into two schools, according to the press release.
Archdiocese of New York Superintendent Michael J. Deegan lamented the school closures while assuring New Yorkers “the great tradition of Catholic education in New York will continue, and we will assist all students who are seeking to carry on their Catholic education to find a seat at another excellent school in the Archdiocese.”
Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan made similar comments. “It is never a good day when we announce closures to any of our beloved schools, but the goal is always to strengthen the remaining institutions and preserve Catholic education in New York for decades to come,” he said in the press release. (RELATED: Colorado Catholic School Disinvites Nearby Catholic School From Event Over Faculty’s Alleged Support Of LGBT Ideology)
Parents of students in NYC Catholic schools may need to make new plans for their children come the fall, as 12 schools within the Archdiocese of New York will be closing their doors for good at the end of the current academic year, the superintendent saidhttps://t.co/6fK1gyfwp6
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) February 16, 2023
“We are doing everything we can to minimize the impact this will have on families and will provide both educational guidance and pastoral support to all those affected to ensure all children will be warmly welcomed into a nearby Catholic school,” he added.
Over 67,000 students, from Pre-K to 12th grade, are enrolled in Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of New York at the time of writing, according to the religious organization’s website.
These are the schools set to close at the end of the 2022-23 academic year, according to the press release:
- Academy of St. Paul & St. Ann, Manhattan
- Ascension School, Manhattan
- Guardian Angel School, Manhattan
- Holy Family School, Bronx
- Immaculate Conception School, Manhattan
- Immaculate Conception School, 760 E Gun Hill Rd., Bronx
- Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Manhattan
- Santa Maria School, Bronx
- St. Angela Merici School, Bronx
- St. Brendan School, Bronx
- St. Christopher School, Staten Island
- St. Margaret Mary School, Bronx
In the Bronx, St. Francis Xavier will merge with St. Clare of Assisi and St. Gabriel School will merge with St. Margaret of Cortona, the press release noted.