School has 152-year history in LaPorte
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After more than 150 years as an educational presence in LaPorte, St. Joseph Catholic School will close at the end of the 2011-12 school year. Declining enrollment and subsequent economic hardships are the reasons cited by St. Joseph Parish Pastor David Kime and Diocese of Gary Bishop Dale Melczek.
Parishioners learned the sad news during announcements at St. Joseph’s Oct. 15-16 Masses. The school, which this year has an enrollment of about 100, has seen its student numbers decline over the past several years.
The school, located at 101 C St., currently includes grades pre-K through fifth. In its 152-year history the number of grades have varied depending on enrollment. According to the Indiana Department of Education website, St. Joe students have consistently exceeded the state average in ISTEP scores in the past several years.
In a letter from Bishop Melczek to Father Kime, dated Oct. 14, 2011, Melczek indicates that the two met on that date and writes the following:
“During the meeting you explained how St. Joseph School, the Strategic Planning Committee, members of the parish, and members of the LaPorte community have been working very hard to address the economic challenges caused by the declining enrollment and increased operational costs at the school. It is my understanding that the school enrollment has seen a serious decline over the last ten years resulting in a drop of over 60 percent of the student population. The reasons for this drop are many. Families have opted to not send their children to the Catholic school because of finances, because of a choice to home school, and due to other personal factors, not the least of which is a strong public school system in LaPorte.
“Several years ago this declining enrollment precipitated the closure of the seventh and eighth grades and then the sixth grade the following year. It has also caused the loss of several staff members over the last few years due to budget constraints. Most recently these cuts have meant the loss of a classroom teacher when the first and second grades were combined into one classroom.
Melczek goes on to note that in the past year, the St. Joseph parish and staff launched an energetic recruiting campaign in the community and formed a strategic planning committee to boost enrollment. “Nevertheless, their noble efforts did not bear the anticipated fruit for which you and the parishioners had hoped.” Enrollment continued to decline.
“The pastors of the other LaPorte parishes have expressed their concern about the school’s viability and the difficulty that they have had in shouldering the financial burdens of a school with so few students” He said in a conference with other pastors, the school superintendent and Father Kime, “it was clear that each of these groups and persons recommended that your school should not continue beyond this year … .”
Melczek continued: “… Given all the facts and details, the majority of the members of the (St. Joseph’s) Parish Pastoral Council recommended to you that the school should be closed at the end of this academic year of 2011-2012. After prayerful consideration and concern for the well-being of our students and families, I have accepted the recommendation of the Parish Pastoral Council, Dr. Barbara O’Block, neighboring pastors and yourself to close St. Joseph School at the end of this academic year.”
Melczek went on to express sadness over the school’s pending closure and his appreciation of the school staff’s, parishioners’ and community’s efforts to keep it open.
“It is my earnest wish that you use the remainder of this year to celebrate the great effectiveness of St. Joseph School for the last 152 years,” Melczek wrote.
In a subsequent letter to parishioners, Father Kime stated the following: “As you know, St. Joseph School has been experiencing a consistent decline of students for the past ten years. This reduction in the student body has subsequently caused a corresponding increase in the subsidy to the school. Even in this last year with the arrival of the ‘Semester Free Guarantee’ and the Government Voucher Program, we have still witnessed the dwindling of our student enrollment.
“After receiving input from the Strategic Planning Committee, the school superintendent, the other two LaPorte pastors and the Priest’s Council, I met with the Parish Pastoral Council on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 and received from them, by a majority vote, the recommendation to close the school at the end of this academic year. I accepted their recommendation and presented it to the Bishop, who has agreed to the closure of the school.
“I, myself, have struggled, prayed and sought guidance regarding the issue of the school. The difficulty of this decision weighs heavily upon my heart. There are some among us who are of the opinion that I am not distressed by this outcome. I can only state once again that this decision has laid upon me a great sorrow, but one that I know will ultimately lead to better approach to stewardship and a flourishing of our parish community.
“I want to personally thank those who have worked so faithfully for the development and mission of our school, particularly our dedicated principal, teachers and staff. It is my hope that we can model appropriate closure for the sake of our children and thereby teach them the ability to celebrate, even in a moment of difficulty and loss.”
