Fighting to keep our Catholic school open

[OhMari]

In WI, many Catholic schools are closing. The funding just isn't there to run our schools. Parents are fundraised out.

Anyway, we had a staff meeting yesterday. Our "Priest"-"Boss" wants the school shut down because of the extensive cost. So for the last 3 months the principal, teachers and parents have been trying everything they can to keep the school open. At an open forum meeting things were discussed last Tuesday. Our Priest asked how the meeting went.

Our principal told him it went well and it was very positive. She told him the core group of people that want the school open are fighting really hard to keep the doors open. He turned around and gave this huge lecture how people shouldn't fight, they should remain calm, level headed. I nearly burst out laughing. After he got done with his little speach and had the principal in tears, I said to him. I think she meant, the core group of people are using a lot of their time and energy, to find solutions to keep our school open. He then said, "well it is a lot of wasted time and energy for something that is inevitable, it is ridiculous people are fighting about this. Finally I said, people are not fighting, they are working really hard to finding a solution.

I just cannot believe he took the word "fighting" and made it a verb, instead of an adjective. He rolled his eyes at me for challenging him.

 

[sodaseller]

Our Bishop just decreed that our parish school is closing this year. Truly sad.

 

[rayelias]

There's an easy answer to this.


School Vouchers

 

[MUFFYCAT]

I feel bad for you. Many of the schools are closing here as well.
Best of luck to you!

 

[joshsmom]

If its a $$$ thing--even though you are fundraiser-ed out, we have been keeping our school open for YEARS on weekly Bingos. I know, I know, it doesn't sound like much. But we generally make about $3000 per game and we do it twice per week. $6000 a week income ain't bad for a small Catholic school of 200 students. If you want more info, PM me.

I'm sorry your Priest isn't supportive--almost hostile it seems. If those of us who care don't continue to try to find solutions, our Catholic schools will disappear all together. My best to you and your Parish.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Money is the #1 reason people aren't sending their kids to parchial schools anymore in my area. With taxes at $7,000 a year. an extra $5,000 tuition per child is too expensive for many families

 

[mickman1962]

The church is too busy paying out 100's of millions of dollars to victims of abuse by it's priests (over 150 million in Boston alone) and it can't find money to keep schools open? The value of the Catholic church's holdings back in 2000 were valued at over 100 billion dollars. Sounds like the church could care less about your kids in more ways than one. I wish you luck.

\Catholich school graduate
\\went to Catholic college
\\\no longer a Catholic

 

[CarolA]

I think there are other considerations.

Years ago Catholic schools were largely taught by Nuns who worked cheap. Now you have to HIRE teachers who want competetive wages.

My concern really would be with sending kids to a poorly funded school. If the school is "barely hanging on" that means that recuriting and keeping good teachers gets tough. (Would you stay or look for a job with a more secure future and probably better pay?)

 

[Daxx]

Our school is also fighting to stay alive. The neighborhood my school is located in is terribly depressed, economically. Most people, although they want the Catholic education, cannot afford it and have to send to public. Vouchers would be great but we're not holding our breath.

DS's school has been talking about combining w/3 other Catholic schools, which would make for more students and larger classes with the same amount of teachers. Part of the reason I chose DS's school is b/c of the smaller class sizes (23 in his current 3rd. gr. class). If I wanted him in large classes, I wouldv'e sent him to public school where they're putting 40 in a class. I don't know what will happen. I am just waiting to see.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Catholic school, primary and HS, for Marie and me both, plus the same for Vince and Natalie. Very costly then, immensely costly today. Big reasons are the elimination of the nuns this past generation, and costly legal costs of clerical wrongs over the past years sucking up monies that could be used for other purposes, such as support of the educational system. Very sad.

Your priest there sounds like a pompous loser too, would be nice if he got the boot. Good wishes in keeping it going, though it will be tough I am sure.

 

[cardaway]

There's an easy answer to this.


School Vouchers

Not a chance.

 

[Dznypal]

not the best way to keep private schools open.

We live in the city of Milwaukee which has a terrible public system

my kids went to private which is still holding its own


but with MPS we have choice (I think this is done with vouchers) where low income families can send their kids to private religious schools at taxpayers expense

as far as keeping private schools open the best thing they did around here was combine shcools.

they take 2 or 3 schools in the area and make them into one school but different "campuses"

K-3 is at one school 4,5,6 at another and 7,8 at another

all the schools stay open but the grades are split

it may not be the most popular way but the schools stay open

 

[MN Dis Fans]

Years ago Catholic schools were largely taught by Nuns who worked cheap. Now you have to HIRE teachers who want competetive wages.

You don't really believe that teachers in parochial schools are receiving competitive wages, do you? Teachers, principals, and support staff in Catholic schools make far less, with fewer benefits, than other education professionals and are expected to do much more with much less. Nevertheless, our students thrive.

I am praying that your school stays open. The small class size and family-like atmosphere at our school has been a blessing for our family. I hope that your priest comes around although sad to say, in my experience the chance of that is slim.

 

[tmt martins]

Well if thats the Priest attitude then I would shut him down as well.Even if that ment driving a distance to get to another church.He should be also doing everything in his power to help and support the school.

It just amazes me that the Vatican even with paying all the lawsuits is still one of the richest entities in the world .Be proud to pay to be Catholic.

 

[paigevz]

Part of the reason I chose DS's school is b/c of the smaller class sizes (23 in his current 3rd. gr. class). If I wanted him in large classes, I wouldv'e sent him to public school where they're putting 40 in a class. I don't know what will happen. I am just waiting to see.

Wow. No wonder you're fighting so hard. In my (public) school, they watch the enrollment numbers carefully and open a new class if it goes over 22 in 3rd and below, 25 in 4th and 5th. Sometimes it gets higher if many kids come in and not many leave, but they try to stay right around there. They do not put more than 26, 27 tops........even midyear, they'll hire a new teacher, open another class and move some kids over from each of the other classes. That happened to us two years ago.........we each had to send six kids over. I asked for volunteers. You want a humbling experience? Teach a class of kids for a month and ask who wants a new teacher. I was surprised I had enough volunteers, and REALLY surprised by which kids volunteered.

Good luck to all of you and your schools!

 

[mickman1962]

It just amazes me that the Vatican even with paying all the lawsuits is still one of the richest entities in the world. Be proud to pay to be Catholic.

Biggest reason why I am no longer a Catholic. Actually the biggest reason is that my father, who was the most Christian person I have ever known, was denied by the Catholic church, that both my family and my DW's family attended on a regular basis, was refused a funeral mass because my father did not attend on a regular basis. The priest actually had the "cajones" to reprimand my mother, the day after my father died, how he was not a proper Catholic. Other then the my DW's 4 aunts who live and die by the Catholic church, they lost over 100 Catholics that day to other religions. It took quite a bit of restraint on the parts of others to keep my brother, sister and myself from showing up in church that Sunday to let the congregation know how their priest treated our father. I will be an atheist long before I ever step foot in a Catholic church again. Hell will freeze over before I ever give any of my money to anything even remotely affiliated to the Catholic church.


Bitter, you are damn right I am.

 

[sodaseller]

There's an easy answer to this.


School Vouchers

"For every complex problem there is an easy answer, and it is wrong." H.L. Mencken

 

[ztbz]

Its seems to me that school vouchers ought to help pay for education for our children, whether its at a private or public school. The real reason why some people are against vouchers is not because private schools would teach religion but its becaue the public school teachers who don't want to lose students to private schools would lose their jobs at the public schools since they would not be needed anymore.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

School vouchers are an interesting concept BUT you would have to level the playing field completely. That would mean private schools accepting them would have to accept handicapped children etc and share that expense and be subject to the same testing and standards as any other school. The other way to do it would be to give special needs children bigger "vouchers" to cover the extra expense. Otherwise the public school can't compete, they just become the dumping ground

We are very lucky. Our DD is in a Catholic school that is run by an order of nuns and they have done a great job keeping it in very good financial shape. We do very little fundraising

 

[MouseWorshipin]

Private schools DO accept handicapped kids. At least they do around here. A girl down the street who has MS -leg braces, crutches, whole bit - attends a private school. If someone knows of a specific private school that won't take a handicapped kid, I want to know about it. I'll be all over that.

Cleveland has a limited number of vouchers. The parents who get them love them. They are so in demand with parents in the Cleveland Public School system that they had to set up a lottery to see who gets them. I think it is extremely fair to let people pick whatever school they want. They can use them in a public school or a private one. Options are great!