October 2, 2008

By Rick Winterson

The School Collaborative Board, a cross-section of stakeholders in the Gate of Heaven and St. Brigid Schools has deliberated since mid-2007.  Recently, the Board arrived at a key conclusion: combining these schools will better serve Catholic Education in South Boston.  Final recommendations for the ’09-‘10 school year , including which school building remains open, are targeted for December 2009.

The Saint Brigid and Gate of Heaven Collaborative Board was formed in May of 2007.  It is composed of members from both School Boards, as well as from the Parish Councils and Finance Councils of both churches.  The Collaborative Board exists to answer this question:  “What could the two parish schools do better together for the mission of Catholic education in South Boston than each school is doing on its own?”

It is important to note that the Board’s mission statement states in part, “… that will provide the highest quality Catholic Education to the South Boston Community …”  In other words, Catholic schooling will remain in South Boston and be made stronger.  The Board has met monthly for the last 16 months in support of this goal.

Last January, a public meeting was held for all interested parties.  The entire meeting presentation is available online at http://www.rcab.org/Education/2010/HomePage.html 

On this web page, you can also see the consolidation projects accomplished by the Archdiocese.  The nearest to South Boston is the Dorchester/Mattapan plan that resulted in the Pope John Paul II Catholic Academy, located on campuses in five neighborhoods.

The careful deliberations of the Collaborative Board have led to the first important conclusion:  In order to still provide the highest quality Catholic Education for many years to come, it is essential to create one school from both Gate of Heaven’s and St. Brigid’s existing schools.  Furthermore, the time to do this is very soon, so that the combined school will start its operations next year, in the fall of 2009.

There are many reasons that this conclusion became inevitable, as the Board gathered data and studied the situation.  Changes have occurred rapidly.  Just seven short years ago, there were 1,200 students in five South Boston Catholic schools.  Now, there are only 400 students in two schools – St. Brigid and Gate of Heaven.  Enrollments continue to drop; tuition still goes up.

Costs are an issue.  For example, in the St. Brigid/Gate of Heaven complex, heating just one of the buildings cost $25,000 last year.  Clearly, that will be much more in future winters, now that fuel prices have escalated so significantly.  In addition, a more efficient single school will attract more funding from contributors and grant programs.  You may have read about the recent multi-million dollar donation to the Pope John Paul II Academy.  That gift came only after the Academy was up-and-running.

One school class is so small that it has only two girls.  Despite what you hear about small class size in the media, the teachers in both schools think that 20 to 25 is best, depending on grade level.  The parents, who work so hard to support the St. Brigid and Gate of Heaven Schools, will become more efficient if they combine their efforts.  Certainly, there will be strong emotions connected with whichever building ultimately closes, but in the long run, there will be a lot of synergy as parents from both schools join together.

What won’t happen is also important.  Both schools will remain open for “business as usual” until the end of the current school year next spring.  When the schools are combined next fall, the combination will still be part of the Parish – it will not join a diocesan academy somewhere else.  The name of the combined school will be completely new, containing neither “St. Brigid” nor “Gate of Heaven”.  Symbols (and names) are important.  And at this time, no decision has yet been made about which building will remain open.  The Collaborative Board still faces that decision.

You are encouraged to make your thoughts known.  Signed letters with return addresses are requested, so that each one can be answered.  Write “Collaborative Board” on the envelopes and mail them to or drop them off at either school no later than October 15.  In November, there’ll be an open parent-parishioner meeting.  In December, a final announcement is planned, including a decision concerning which school building to keep open.  Then, the plan will be implemented, effective at the start of the 2009-2010 school year.

During the interview for this article, Fr. Casey was upbeat.  He said, “The St. Brigid/Gate of Heaven Parish is doing all right.  We’re getting by, but in this economic climate, we have to be very careful with the Parish’s resources.  I think this will be a positive move for our Catholic Education programs.”

South Boston Online will update you as 2008 progresses.