The New York Archdiocese is out with a list of 31 “at risk” Catholic schools in danger of being closed. Our Lady of Sorrows, a small elementary school at 219 Stanton, is one of five Manhattan schools being targeted. In a news release, the Archdiocese said:
“The Reconfiguration Committee, charged with evaluating the long-term viability of parish and archdiocesan schools in the Archdiocese of New York, has made its preliminary recommendations as to which Catholic schools should no longer receive significant financial subsidies from the Archdiocese… “Declining enrollment and rising tuition are key challenges facing those schools that have been identified as “at-risk.” These under-enrolled schools require significant financial support from the archdiocese, which cannot be sustained indefinitely. We need to allocate our resources where they can do the most good, and support schools that can sustain themselves over time,” said Dr. Timothy J. McNiff, Superintendent of Schools.”
The next step:
“…pastors and principals of the “at-risk” schools will be invited to meet with members of the committee to discuss the combination of factors that led the school to be included on the list. These pastors and principals will be given the opportunity to share local insights that might be relevant in the evaluation process, and be invited to present a proposal for the school’s long-term sustainability.”
Archbishop Timothy Dolan will make the final decisions after receiving recommendations from the committee, shortly after the new year. Our Lady of Sorrows School has been operating on the Lower East Side since 1867.
