Schools

Class Dismissed: St. Anthony Closes for Good

Parish cites steady decline in enrollment put Butler school at a deficit.

After 130 years, , citing declining enrollment, has announced it's closing for good.

According to a statement posted Friday on the parish website, the Parish Financial Council, Parish Council, Home School Association, School Advisory Council and school parents agreed at a meeting on May 8 that if enrollment dipped below 130 students for three consecutive weeks, the school would close.

Since then, enrollment has dropped to 111 students, forcing the parish to close the Butler private school, the statement said.

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As a result, the school would have an approximately $100,000 deficit and the parish would have a $150,000 deficit, the statement said. "Current market conditions do not support" additional tuition increases, the statement said.

"We truly appreciate the gravity of this step," the parish statement said. "To close a school that has served the parish community for 130 years, and that has been such an integral part of the life of the parish, is not easy. Yet, in the interests of our school children, the parents, and the overall parish, we must do precisely that."

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Just over a month ago, Principal Lynn DeLuca said the s and parents raised $50,000 in just one week to help keep the doors open.

However, the continued steady enrollment decline left the school in a deficit, which is forbidden in the Paterson Diocese, the parish statement said.

New York-based Holy Name Province funded an assessment by Craig, Fitzsimmons & Michaels LLP of the school’s financial condition. The firm also concluded the school should not remain open.

“It is our opinion that St. Anthony School cannot remain open and fall within the parameters of the Diocesan mandate to have a ‘realistic’ break even budget," the firm said, according to the parish statement. "As such, it is our recommendation that the finance committee of the Church strongly consider closing St. Anthony School."


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