Academy of St. Paul & St. Ann among 12 NYC Catholic Schools to Close
The Catholic Archdiocese of New York, which cited changing demographics and the enrollment declines tied to the pandemic as its rationale for the closures, was spending close to $28 million a year to keep struggling schools afloat, one source said.
| 17 Feb 2023 | 12:22
The Academy of St. Paul & St. Ann is scheduled to close at the end of this academic year. Photo: Kay Bontempo
The Academy of St. Paul & St. Ann in East Harlem is one of five Manhattan based Catholic schools and 12 Catholic schools that will close at the end of the current academic year in June, the Archdiocese of New York announced.
“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,” said Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York in announcing the closures on Feb. 15.
“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 said. “We are all in this together, and with hard work and God’s blessings, we will come out on the other side.”
The archdiocese stated that the school closures were impacted by declining enrollment and shifting demographics, particularly post-pandemic.
A teacher at St. Paul & St. Ann named Marcela said that she found out only Feb. 15 that the school would be closing.
“We were surprised,” she admitted. “We didn’t expect this.”
“We understand these are challenging times for many families, and this is indeed a sad day for everyone in our Catholic schools community,” shared Michael J. Deegan, Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York.
“I personally mourn the loss of every one of our great schools. However, as we process this news, we must resolve that 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.”
The full list of Manhattan Catholic schools slated to close is as follows:
Academy of St. Paul & St. Ann, Ascension School on the upper West Side, Guardian Angel School in Chelsea, Immaculate Conception School in the East Village, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Inwood. In addition the archdiocese is closing six schools in the Bronx, one in Staten Island and merging four Bronx schools into two.
“I personally mourn the loss of every one of our great schools.” Michael J. Deegan, Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York