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The Archdiocese of Philadelphia officially announced Friday that Stella Maris School, 814 Bigler St., would close at the end of the school year due to low enrollment.
Cardinal Justin Rigali reviewed the data from a feasibility study conducted by each school that examined Catholic identity, education programs, personnel, class size, enrollment, facilities, demographics and finances, according to the Archdiocese. Stella Maris’ closing was announced along with Collingdale-based St. Joseph School.
“It was our hope that through registration and fundraising efforts, Stella Maris and St. Joseph parish schools could remain open, but sadly the conscientious and diligent efforts of the parish schools’ communities were unable to surmount the trend of declining enrollment,” he said in a April 9 statement.
Holy Spirit, 1845 Hartranft St., also was on the chopping block before an unknown donor saved it.
Rigali announced he would consider keeping the school open if it enrolled 175 students for the 2010-’11 school year, according to a press release from the Archdiocese. However, enrollment ended on March 30 with only 69 students on board. Keeping the school open with such a low enrollment would result in a deficit of more than $800,000, according to the release.
There are 181 students currently enrolled with 27 set to graduate in June. Enrollment has decreased from 284 six years ago.
Rev. Peter J. DiMaria, Principal Sister Lawrence Elizabeth along with other administrators met with the Archdiocese prior to last week’s announcement, but could not find a viable option to keep the school afloat past June.
“It gives me great pain to close our parish school and I know it will cause tremendous sadness for you, the school families, for our dedicated faculty and your precious children,” DiMaria said in a letter sent home to parents. “Unfortunately, Stella Maris is in crisis now and must take decisive action. However, Stella Maris will continue to be part of the planning to ensure quality Catholic education for our parishioners and this region of South Philadelphia.”
DiMaria and the Stella Maria Parish School Study Group started to evaluate the school’s viability last September, but an ongoing decrease in enrollment and an increase in costs resulted in DiMaria telling parents in his Feb. 12 letter that he had recommended to the Archdiocese that it close the school. A meeting was scheduled for the following week to provide details to parents, but it was later cancelled due to a death in the vicar’s family. It was never rescheduled.
However, DiMaria vowed to refund registration fees by Monday and organize a meeting at the parish to provide parents with information on academics, programs, tuition and uniforms at St. Monica, 1720 Ritner St., and Epiphany of Our Lord, 1248 Jackson St., according to the Archdiocese.
“It is important to realize that the children of our parish will continue to have access to quality Catholic education. … The school families of Stella Maris who opt to attend either Epiphany of Our Lord or St. Monica Parish School in September 2010 will receive the parish subsidy to make up the difference between out-of-parish tuition and in-parish tuition at the new school,” DiMaria said in a statement. “Stella Maris Parish will offer this subsidy as we continue planning for the future of Catholic elementary education in the area.”
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