St. David Community Responds to Potential School Closings

Rev. Charles Chaput, archbishop of Philadelphia, wrote a pastoral letter that was presented to Catholic parishioners last Sunday.

In the letter, Chaput addressed two primary concerns of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. One major concern is the management of archdiocesan resources (its Catholic schools), in light of years of declining student enrollment.

“This means that as archbishop, I have the duty not just to defend those limited resources, but also to ensure that the Church uses them with maximum care and prudence; to maximum effect; and with proper reporting and accountability.”

Chaput further wrote that the archdiocesan Blue Ribbon Commission will provide recommendations how to acquire “maximum effect” with its schools, as well as its parishes.

“It will likely counsel that some, and perhaps many, schools must close or combine. It will also offer a framework for strengthening our schools going forward.”

“It was a well-written letter, addressing all the topics that need to be addressed; all the issues that need to be taken care of in the diocese,” Sister Angela Joseph, principal of the in Willow Grove, said. “It had to be written and had to be said.”

Sister Angela Joseph spoke earlier this week in her office at the upper building of the St. David School, which is located at 316 N. Easton Road, across the street from .

She said the letter addresses the current economic situation that many families find themselves, which results in the decision not to enroll their child in a Catholic School.

Elementary Catholic Schools are funded, in part, through tuition with archdiocese support making up the difference. The cost of tuition will vary from school to school, as the school’s parish or Pastor of the individual parish manages each elementary school.

According to Sister Angela Joseph, in the six years she has been principal of St. David School, no student has been turned away due to the inability to pay for tuition.

“The economy is bad, and parents can’t afford Catholic education,” Sister Angela Joseph said. “But, they are given as much financial help as we possibly can.”

Several scholarships are offered to St. David School students, she said, many of which are academic scholarships.

She said that primarily, parents send their children to Catholic schools, because it is a faith-based school - although she adds that St. David School has often in the past and currently enrolls students who are non-Catholic.

“We have a very caring, close-knit community,” Sister Angela Joseph said. “Catholic school is very important, and we’ve had many students that graduate and do very well in high school and college.”

She highlighted one student last year, who graduated with a Connelly Foundation Neuman Scholarship, which enabled him a tuition-free entrance to Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster.

According to the archdiocese website, the 2009 graduating classes of Montgomery County Archdiocesan schools received scholarships totaling $31,137,863.

Its elementary schools have also excelled in various academic areas, including honors math programs and in county and regional science competitions.

Other St. David alumni have gone off to prominent positions in the Upper Moreland community, including township Commissioners, , and .

If there is no more St. David’s

Sister Angela Joseph expects that the archdiocese will react quickly after the 16-member Blue Ribbon Commission makes their recommendations, speculating that closures or consolodations will occur for the 2012-2013 scholastic year.

According to recent news reports, the recommendations will tentatively be released to parish pastors and school presidents and principals on Jan. 6, 2012, from 10 a.m. to noon at Neumann University in Aston, Delaware County.

 “I don’t know if the diocese will give them the choice of schools,” Sister Angela Joseph said, should St. David School close. “Some may go to the regional school. In the end, people will have to make their own choice.”

The archdiocese runs 156 elementary schools in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, as well as regional high schools.

Around the immediate Willow Grove area, the following Catholic elementary schools currently enroll students:

• Good Shepherd Catholic Regional School – Ardsley
• Our Lady Help of Christians – Glenside
• St. Luke the Evangelist – Rydall
• St. Catherine of Siena – Horsham
• Immaculate Conception – Jenkintown
• St. Albert the Great – Huntingdon Valley
• St. Anthony-St. Joseph – Ambler
• St. Hillary of Poitiers - Rydal
• Our Lady of Confidence Day School (Special Education) - Willow Grove

[Updated 1-6-12] However, St. David School is the only Catholic, general education school in Upper Moreland Township, and boasts a 91-year history in the community.

Despite this, Sister Angela Joseph said that enrollment over the years has also declined. Currently the school has 240 students enrolled in its kindergarten through eighth grades.

While she is optimistic that St. David School and parish would survive the potential cuts, she said the alternative outcome would leave a notable hole in the Upper Moreland community.

 “It would be a loss to the Catholic Community in the area,” It’s right here in Willow Grove, and it’s where they go for their spiritual nourishment.”

St. David CYO

Also within the St. David youth community is its popular Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) program.

According to David Dombrowski, St. David CYO president, the sports-based youth organization currently has 10 boys and girls sports program for youth ranging in age from first grade to high school.

Nearly 400 youth in Upper Moreland participate in the seasonal sports programs, the most popular of which are grades 3 – 12 Basketball with 90 participants and its grades 5 – 8 Boys Baseball with 30 participants.

Many of the same youth participate in the different CYO sports.

Dombrowski, who replied in an e-mail, said should St. David School close, the CYO program would not be affected, as it is a parish organization.

However, should St. David Church close, CYO families would have to join another parish to participate in their CYO programs.

“There are some parishes in the area that have successful CYO programs even though there is no supporting school,” Dombrowski said. “But, the number of participants appear to be larger for those programs that have a school.”

He added that St. David CYO encourages its youth participants to commit to community service projects, such as the last spring.

“We also encourage our members to participate in the many other community events that our other parish organizations sponsor,” Dombrowski said.

Other community service events include hosting a Forteniters Dinner for mentally-challenged adults, while future projects may include Coaches Vs. Cancer and building a community garden in the spring.