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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — As 4 Catholic elementary faculties on Staten Island are anticipated to type two separate academies starting within the 2020-2021 college 12 months, many households are welcoming the mergers.
The Archdiocese of New York introduced Monday that St. Rita Faculty in Meiers Corners will merge with St. Teresa Faculty in Castleton Corners, to type the St. Teresa-St. Rita STREAM Academy. The scholars will attend courses on the St. Teresa Faculty constructing. St. Adalbert’s Faculty in Elm Park will merge with Holy Rosary Faculty in South Seashore to turn into the Father Vincent Capodanno Catholic Academy, to be housed at Holy Rosary Faculty.
College students will now not attend college on the St. Rita Faculty constructing or the St. Adalbert’s constructing starting within the 2020-2021 college 12 months.
“Our dedication to Catholic schooling is as robust as ever, and we have now our fingers on the heartbeat of our communities and perceive the wants they’ve for a high-quality schooling rooted within the Catholic religion,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan mentioned in a information launch.
Households on the merging faculties mentioned they like the concept of the change, as an alternative of faculties closing completely.
“I’d slightly they merge than the college shut utterly,” mentioned Stephanie Badalamenti, mom to St. Rita fifth-grader Sofia Tornabene. “Sofia will nonetheless be with the identical youngsters. My mindset is, it’s only a change in location and perhaps a number of new buddies. I’m simply hoping we don’t lose too many academics and the transition is clean for all.”
Christine LoPorto, who has two kids at St. Teresa Faculty — a son in seventh grade and a daughter in fifth grade — is welcoming the merger.
“We welcome the merger of St. Rita college households, college and administration,” she mentioned. “As with all change I’m sure that there might be a number of bumps within the highway, however I’m hopeful that by bringing collectively these faculties, we’ll construct a powerful basis for persevering with the Catholic schooling and rigor on Staten Island.”
One other father or mother of a sixth-grader at St. Rita Faculty mentioned it is going to be an adjustment for college students.
“It’s unhappy that every one the Catholic faculties are closing and/or merging,” mentioned Andrea Bruno. “St. Rita’s is an excellent college with fantastic college students, households, and college. When one door closes, one opens. Our college principal, Mrs. Fresca is fantastic and we might be in nice palms.”
Households at Holy Rosary Faculty and St. Adalbert’s Faculty couldn’t be reached for remark Tuesday.
PARENT MEETINGS
The Archdiocese is holding conferences for folks to deal with questions and considerations. There might be a gathering for St. Rita mother and father on the college on Tuesday at 7 p.m., whereas St. Teresa mother and father can attend a gathering within the church on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Conferences for Holy Rosary Faculty and St. Adalbert Faculty mother and father haven’t been posted as of Tuesday. Nevertheless, it is suggested that folks proceed to test the Archdiocese’s web site at https://catholicschoolsny.org/fr-capodanno-academy/ for updates on upcoming conferences.
Excursions of the St. Teresa campus and Holy Rosary campus might be held on March three and March 24, from 9 to 11 a.m.
As well as, for college students who will attend St. Teresa-St. Rita STREAM Academy subsequent 12 months, there might be a welcome evening for all households on the new campus constructing on Might 12 at 7 p.m. Each Residence Faculty Affiliation members at St. Adalbert’s Faculty and Holy Rosary Faculty will meet in April to collaborate on a Again to Faculty Cupcake Social, to be held in August.
Diana Gatto, regional director of enrollment, is reaching out to particular person households within the subsequent week to reply questions and supply updates. She may be reached at 664-995-9327 or by e mail at [email protected] A bilingual hotline is accessible at 646-798-7773, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday via Friday.
ABOUT THE NEW ACADEMIES
The brand new St. Teresa-St. Rita STREAM Academy will deal with “a rigorous tutorial program that challenges them in a Science, Know-how, Faith, Engineering, Artwork, and Math (STREAM)-supported ambiance that focuses closely on group partnerships and project-based studying,” in accordance with a letter despatched to oldsters of each faculties.
Along with the brand new STREAM initiative, the academy will provide a Nationwide Junior Honor Society, a seamless on-line studying setting in partnership with St. Joseph by-the-Sea Excessive Faculty, and robotics, in accordance with the Archdiocese.
Further details about the college may be discovered right here.
The Father Vincent Capodanno Catholic Academy, named after the Staten Island priest who died whereas administering final rites to a dying soldier in the course of the Vietnam Struggle, “will permit each the St. Adalbert and the Holy Rosary college communities to boost present packages and enhance group partnerships … [and explore] the opportunity of creating instructional alternatives past elementary college, which is able to welcome conventional learners in addition to these with various studying kinds,” in accordance with the Archdiocese.
The brand new academy will function: a Nationwide Junior Honor Society; an Italian Immersion Program with language and tradition parts; a Kiwanis Builders Membership, that includes group service actions; a Younger Ambassador Membership; Trout within the Classroom, which helps college students perceive ecosystems and stewardship of all God’s creatures, in accordance with the Archdiocese.
Extra details about the brand new academy may be discovered right here.
“The unification of each college communities will permit us to boost present packages, enhance group partnerships and increase our preschool program,” in accordance with a letter despatched to oldsters, which was signed by Zoilita Herrera, the regional superintendent of the Catholic Faculty Area of Staten Island, and Deacon James Cowan, chairman of the Catholic Faculty Area of Staten Island.
PAST CLOSURES, MERGERS
Final 12 months, Our Girl Assist of Christians in Tottenville was one among seven Catholic faculties throughout the Archdiocese that closed on the finish of the 2019-2020 college 12 months. The Archdiocese that cited the buildings had been underutilized or in want of great repairs.
Earlier than that closure, the Archdiocese mentioned it hadn’t closed any Catholic elementary faculties within the prior 5 years.
A string of Staten Island Catholic faculties closed in 2011, together with: St. Mary’s Faculty in Rosebank; St. Roch’s Faculty in Port Richmond; St. Sylvester’s Faculty in Harmony; St. Margaret Mary’s Faculty in Midland Seashore, and St. Peter’s Ladies Excessive Faculty in New Brighton.
St. Peter-St. Paul Elementary Faculty in New Brighton was created in 2011 by merging St. Peter’s Elementary with the previous St. Paul Faculty, which closed a number of years prior. In 2013, St. Joseph’s Faculty in Rosebank and Immaculate Conception Faculty in Stapleton closed its doorways for good.
In 2018, the Sisters of St. John the Baptist introduced that the elementary and highschool at St. John Villa Academy would shut on the finish of the 2017-2018 college 12 months. Whereas the college was affiliated with the Archdiocese of New York and the Workplace of Superintendent of Faculties, St. John Villa Academy was a personal college, led by the Sisters of St. John the Baptist.
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