to close at end of school year
ELYRIA TOWNSHIP-After 53 years of teaching children, St. Vincent de Paul School is closing its doors in June.
Father James Ols, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, said decreased enrollment and increased expenses led to the decision to close the school. The parish was projecting it would have to spend about $550,000 from its savings to keep the school open next year. Enrollment for this year had dropped to 167 students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
Father Ols officially notified parishioners and parents of the closing in a February 6 letter. He said the closing is difficult for the entire parish community.
“It’s sad to see the school leave the parish,” Father Ols said. “It’s been a vital part of our parish.”
Bob Renney, president of the school’s parent/faculty co-op and the father of an eighth grader at the school, said parishioners and parents are taking the news hard. They had started a fundraising effort which garnered about $100,000 but it was not enough to keep the school open.
Renney said folks in the parish and school community are upset about the closing but are trying to move forward.
“People are really struggling with it,” he said. “In a lot of ways it’s like a death. There’s grieving.”
Father Ols said the area Catholic schools in Elyria and Lorain have been supportive in letting parents know their options for enrolling next fall.
The parish also is working toward helping the faculty and staff in finding new jobs.
“My biggest concern is the staff,” he said. “We’re trying to provide as much support as we can for them.”
He said parents and parishioners are also planning a closing event for the end of the school year.
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