Star of the Sea School’s Salvation Plan Gets Icy Clerical, Diocesan Reception; Bishop’s Letter Responds

(The following appeared in the Aug. 5 print edition on Page A3, and Bishop Galante’s response, on page A5 was not printed in its entirety. The bishop’s response will be printed in the Aug. 12 edition.)
CAPE MAY — A committee of parents of Our Lady Star of the Sea School students is continuing to develop a business plan they hope will reduce subsidies from three parishes and keep the school from closing.
Parents received a letter May 12 informing them the school would close its doors in September 2010 due to low enrollment. The letter informed parents the school will merge with St. Ann Regional School, Wildwood.
Two years ago, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden closed St. Raymond Regional School, Villas and merged it with Our Lady Star of the Sea School here.
Our Lady Star of the Sea PTA President Frank Zilinek told the Herald the committee was unsuccessful in trying to schedule a meeting with Monsignor Thomas McIntyre and a consultant from Pennsylvania who has worked to save Philadelphia Catholic schools.
“We are moving forward with our business plan,” said Zilinek. “We are going to present that to the Camden Diocese in hopes that they’ll accept it or give is a shot at trying it.”
He said Bishop Joseph Galante refused to meet with the parents’ committee.
“He flat out refused to come to Cape May,” said Zilinek.
The committee is considering a drive for donations and other activities, such as a car wash and an event in the fall to raise funds, he said.
Even though Our Lady Star of the Sea School will be open for one more school year, some parents have already removed their children and placed them into public schools.
“That is one of the obstacles that we are battling, and hopefully we will be able to bring them back,” said Zilinek.
He said a few parents were preparing to send their children to other schools but when they saw how hard the committee was working to save the school, those parents changed their minds.
“At the worst, they get one more year or they are here for the remainder of their education,” said Zilinek.
He said there were some undecided parents who had not registered their children in public school.
The business plan is being developed based on the diocese’s ideal number of 200 students attending the school. The plan includes “enrollment calculators” to project the student population in five years, how much enrollment has to increase each year and at which grade levels.
The committee had hoped to present the plan to McIntyre before sending it to the Camden Diocese, but according to Zilinek, McIntyre refused to meet with the committee “on any level.” Zilinek said the committee will instead go directly to the Camden Diocese with the plan.
Zilinek said the three parishes that subsidize the school, Our Lady Star of the Sea, St. Raymond, Villas and St. John of God, North Cape May, want their contribution to the school reduced from 43 to 45 percent to 30 percent.
He said the committee was working on a method of reducing the parochial subsidy 13 to 15 percent and increasing enrollment. The cost of subsidizing Our Lady Star of the Sea School is not split evenly between the parishes, said Zilinek, which may be a sticking point.
He said he believed the school’s operating budget was $1 million with the three parishes contributing $430,000 to $450,000.
“They want to be down to around $300,000, said Zilinek.
While increasing enrollment is one way to bridge the gap, he said the committee is also looking at endowments.
The committee believes pastors of the all three parishes requested Our Lady Star of the Sea School be closed, said Zilinek.
“According to Canon Law, the pastors of a school can petition the bishop of the diocese to close their school,” he said. “The bishop can then say ‘yes or no,’ but obviously most of the time he’s going to say ‘yes’ because it is a financial decision burden for them.”
Zilinek said based on talking with Philadelphia parishes, a bishop does not close a school unless he is asked by the pastors to do so, since it is their school.
Rev. Richard Forbes of St. John of God refused to talk to the Herald. Rev. William Vandergrift of St. Raymond’s and Monsignor McIntyre did not return the Herald’s phone calls.
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Bishop’s Letter Responds to Parents
CAPE MAY — In a June letter to Constance Mahon, Cape May Point Borough Clerk and Administrator, Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden Bishop Joseph Galante states: “I do understand the disappointment of school families and the Borough of Cape May Point community over this decision, however, I accepted the recommendation of the pastors from the sponsoring parishes that the school merge with St. Ann’s in Wildwood in order to ensure the future availability of Catholic elementary school education in this area of the diocese.”
He continued: “Given the long-term declines in enrollment, given the disproportionate amount of parish income being allocated to the school, given the high cost per student ($7,000, more than 40 percent higher than the diocesan average), and given the population trends in Lower Cape May County that are not anticipated to reverse, it is necessary that Our Lady Star of the Sea Regional School be merged with St. Ann’s in order to strengthen Catholic education for the families in Cape May and the surrounding area.”
Galante stated Monsignor McIntyre plans “ to continue to use the school facility in Cape May for religious education and other faith formation opportunities for all age groups, including the substantial and growing senior population in Cape May.”
“I have heard by mail, e-mail and phone from many of those most affected by this decision. I have heard expressed with great emotion the great love the people have for the school and the great impact it has had over these many decades on their own lives and on the wider community. I am moved by this and assure you that it is painful for me to hear the disappointment that these decisions inevitably involve.
“Yet, the recommendation I received from pastors and the decision that resulted from it was made only after considering carefully the challenges facing Catholic education in this area of the diocese and my desire to sustain it. I am well aware that there are those who might wish that this decision be reconsidered, but I am convinced that the decision is a sound one and in the best interests of the Catholic people I serve.”
Galante said he recently sent a letter to each of the school families of Our Lady Star of the Sea outlining the reasons for the school consolidation.
“Our executive director of Catholic Schools, Nicholas Regina, and our superintendent of Catholic Schools, Mary Boyle, already have held a well-attended meeting for parents outlining the reasons for the merger and they responded to questions there. Monsignor McIntyre also has communicated with parishioners. Given these efforts, I do not believe that it is necessary to schedule an additional meeting with diocesan officials,” said Galante in the letter.
“I assure you that the diocese stands ready to ease the transition during the year ahead and to be responsive to the concerns of Our Lady Star of the Sea families and the wider Cape May community,” he concluded.