The Office of the Superintendent of Schools of the Archdiocese of New York today announced 12 Catholic schools will cease operations at the end of the 2022-23 academic year. Four schools will merge into two.
Extensive broader community research, detailed studies, and careful deliberation and analysis went into the final determination of which schools would not reopen. Unfortunately, due to shifting demographics and lower enrollment made worse by the pandemic, the impact to the financial stability of these schools was detrimental. All affected families will be welcomed in neighboring Catholic schools, with applications for financial aid and scholarships available for the upcoming academic year where applicable. Additional information will be shared with school constituencies in the coming days.
“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. “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. We are all in this together, and with hard work and God’s blessings, we will come out on the other side.”
“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 following Catholic schools will not reopen:
- Academy of St. Paul & St. Ann, Manhattan
- Ascension School, Manhattan
- Guardian Angel School, Manhattan
- Holy Family School, Bronx
- Immaculate Conception School, Manhattan
- Immaculate Conception School, 760 E Gun Hill Rd, Bronx*
- Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Manhattan
- Santa Maria School, Bronx
- St. Angela Merici School, Bronx
- St. Brendan School, Bronx
- St. Christopher School, Staten Island
- St. Margaret Mary School, Bronx
St. Francis Xavier, Bronx, will merge with St. Clare of Assisi.
St. Gabriel School, Bronx, will merge with St. Margaret of Cortona.
*There are two Immaculate Conception Schools in the Bronx, one is located at 151st Street and
operated by Partnership Schools. That school is NOT affected by today’s announcement and WILL
NOT close.
The Office of the Superintendent of Schools will work closely with each affected family to help find a neighboring Catholic school for the fall. Directors of enrollment will provide each family with information and answer any questions that they may have, whether they are about enrollment, transportation or tuition. The best resource for continually updated information will always be catholicschoolsny.org/announcements.
The Superintendent’s Office is dedicated to working in coordination with the teachers’ union to do everything it can to help faculty of the affected schools find employment within the archdiocesan school system.
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