Wildwood Catholic to Close; Alumni Fight

NORTH WILDWOOD – “It’s not over yet,” say some Wildwood Catholic High School alumni.
Wildwood Catholic and Cape Trinity Catholic School – which had planned to combine to become Wildwood Catholic Academy, next year, were among five schools the Diocese of Camden announced April 17 would close permanently, following this school year.
With both schools sharing a building, closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s likely they will never hold another class.
Shockwaves reverberated throughout the Wildwoods and the school community after the 2 p.m. announcement. 
Sean Dougherty, a senior at Wildwood Catholic, said he “was speechless” when he heard the news.
Joe Catanoso led a group that bailed out the school when a closure loomed in 2010. He was equally surprised to find his services may be required again.
“I was shocked. Initially, like we did 10 years ago, I was like let me see what we can do to prevent this from going through,” Catanoso, who is also a member of the school’s board, said in an interview with the Herald.
As students, alumni, parents, and teachers processed the news that the schools would be closing, a procession of cars was organized to circle the school. They met at a nearby marina. The line kept growing.
“When I pulled up into that parking lot, I didn’t know what to say. I did not know that many people would come and support our high school like that,” Dougherty said. Dougherty had two siblings and two cousins supposed to be in the school next year.
Blocks-long lines of cars circled the school, with people hanging out of windows and sunroofs, horns honking. Some waved flags or held signs honoring the two schools. Firetrucks joined the procession, sirens blaring and lights on.
“I honestly was crying in the front seat of my car when I was driving around,” Dougherty said in a phone interview.
 
Wildwood Catholic High School and Cape Trinity Catholic Elementary School in Wildwood tonight where students, alumni and community members circled the building in their vehicles. Earlier today, the Diocese of Camden announced the schools will close permanently at the end of this year. “We will fight this,” said one alum.
Posted by Cape May County Herald Newspapers on Friday, April 17, 2020
Kim Sorensen, who was on the Finance Committee, which came up with the budget for the PreK-12 academy that was supposed to combine the schools next year, said the outpouring of support was to be expected.
“That doesn’t surprise me at all. There’s that kind of emotion and support for that school at every turn,” Sorensen told the Herald.
Michael Walsh, spokesman for the Diocese of Camden, said in an e-mail the diocese saw all of the social media activity about the demonstration and wished more residents of the Wildwoods and Cape May County chose and supported Catholic education.
“The dedication of the school community of Wildwood Catholic High School and Cape Trinity Catholic is visible and heartfelt,” Walsh stated, in response to e-mailed questions. 
While all of this was going on at the schools, Catanoso was at his computer, setting up the “Save Wildwood Catholic” Facebook page and soliciting donations to try to bail the school out of its financial hole. He said if the plan is unsuccessful the donations would be returned.
He understands some parents are upset and are taking to the page to vent, but said he prefers a more respectful approach.
“We have to approach it in a positive way,” Catanoso said. “We’re not going to bash the diocese. We don’t agree with their decision. But you collect more flies with honey.”
Asked if the diocese would reconsider its decision if the alumni group could raise enough money, Walsh stated “that is a conversation to be had between the president/pastor and the alumni group. It is the responsibility of the schools to show financial viability.”
Walsh added to ensure a fiscally responsible budget for next year, the school would need $1.76 million, “which includes debt owed for the last two years, the anticipated deficit for 2019-2020, and the budgeted fundraising amount for 2020-2021.”
In addition, the enrollment would have to remain the same and the school would have to bring in $575,000 in fundraising annually, the diocese stated.
Catanoso admitted he felt sandbagged by the diocese’s decision.
“They should have given us an opportunity instead of blindsiding us with that decision,” Catanoso said. “That wasn’t right, but I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on this.”
The diocese explained the timing, saying the decision had to be made by April 30 because May 1 is the last day to provide union teachers contracts for next year. 
“The business model for Wildwood Catholic Academy did not prove to be financially viable,” Walsh stated, adding that determination was mutual.
All three of the other closed schools – Good Shepherd Regional Elementary School, in Collingswood, St. Joseph Regional Elementary and St. Joseph High School, both in Hammonton, had at least a 30% drop in enrollment the last five years. 
Cape Trinity and Wildwood Catholic, combined, were down just 12% in that period, according to the diocese.
With no other Catholic high schools in the county, parents are scrambling to decide what to do with their children next year if they are not able to finish their education at what would have been Wildwood Catholic Academy.
School Principal Joseph Cray declined the Herald’s request for an interview, referring all communication to the diocese. 
Walsh called the decision to close the only Catholic high school in the county “extremely painful and difficult,” adding, “the diocese did not cause the schools to close. The schools are closing because, despite the noble and valiant commitment by the school community, ultimately not enough people in the local and nearby communities share their desire.”
In the meantime, all the schools’ community can do is donate and pray. 
Brought to tears by the emotion and magnitude of the decision during an interview with the Herald, Sorensen worried that bringing Wildwood Catholic back from the dead again might be too tall an order.
“If all it would took was heart, I would say 100% that first day of school would happen. But money rules the world. Hopefully, we will have God on our side,” she said.
Dougherty feels they might have it.
“After last night, after that drive by, I’m confident. I’m confident that this school will reopen. That’s something that I’ve never witnessed, but that’s love. That’s one big family coming together,” he said.
To contact Shay Roddy, email sroddy@cmcherald.com.