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CV NEWS FEED // The Diocese of Syracuse, New York, confirmed in a Feb. 27 news release that one of its high schools will be closing and merging with another school to establish a sustainable long-term solution in response to lower enrollment rates and financial challenges.
The closing school, Bishop Grimes Jr./Sr. High School, will merge with Bishop Ludden High School to form the newly announced Bishop Ludden/Grimes School, the name of which honors Syracuse diocese’s first two bishops.
Diocesan Schools Superintendent Amy Sansone said that Bishop Grimes was picked for closure because its buildings are in need of more repairs and would be more expensive to update than Bishop Ludden, according to news outlet Syracuse.com.
Parents started a fundraiser group online to try to help save Bishop Grimes, but Sansone commented that the closure decision is final, Syracuse.com reports.
The diocese filed for bankruptcy five years ago after 38 people filed sex abuse lawsuits against it, as CatholicVote previously reported. The decision to close Bishop Grimes was unrelated to the bankruptcy and settlement, Sansone said, according to Syracuse.com.
“It’s declining enrollment and how we can sustain our Catholic education,” she said.
In the Feb. 27 release, Bishop Douglas J. Lucia of the Diocese of Syracuse said the consolidation of the schools is essential.
“Faced with the reality of declining enrollment in all schools across New York State and increasing costs, this change has become imperative,” Bishop Lucia said. “By bringing together the strengths of both Bishop Grimes and Bishop Ludden, we will create a dynamic and innovative learning environment that prepares students for success in college and beyond.”
Last year, the diocese had announced the closure of another one of its schools, also citing financial difficulty and decreased enrollment.
On its website, the diocese will be routinely updating information about the transition plan, and it is also providing a contact email address for parents, students, and staff members who have questions.
Sansone commented that the schools “will be stronger together.”
“We in the diocese are committed to integrating the best academic programs and resources from both schools,” Sansone said, “as well as maintaining and expanding the diverse range of extracurricular activities currently offered at both schools, including athletics, art, clubs, and student organizations.”
Three Catholic schools in the neighboring diocese of Albany, New York, are also weighing restructuring and closing options, as CatholicVote previously reported. Collectively, the three schools are operating at a $1 million deficit, so diocesan officials are considering closing one school and restructuring the other two. These schools also have been affected by low enrollment rates.
