St. Mary's School Community Hosts Socially Distant Demonstration

POMPTON LAKES, NJ — Faculty, parents, students and even St. Mary's School principal Heather Schnaars, say they were "blindsided" by the news that the school would permanently close after this academic year.

In response, the St. Mary's School community is planning a Wednesday socially distanced demonstration at 9 a.m. in front of the church, school and parish offices.

The release says the goal is of the gatherings is to seek greater transparency from church and diocese officials, and an open dialogue regarding the school's closure.

The decision to close the school, according to a news release, was based on the recommendation of the St. Mary's Parish Finance Committee and the diocese's approval of the committee's recommendation.

Among the factors that drove the decision are years of six-figure operating deficits, significantly declining enrollment, and a projected deficit of more than $334,000, which does not include $240,000 of necessary state-mandated and other repairs for what would have been the next academic year, according to the release.

In a Saturday, May 16 email to parents, Friar Gonzalo de Jesus Torres-Acosta said that the coronavirus posed an "unprecedented challenge", in addition to the financial constraints the school faced while try to "serve the underprivileged of our society."

He goes on to say that 75 percent of the schools students attend school with a scholarship provided by parishioners through the Fair Ability to Pay program. According to a news release from school officials, when adjusted for those scholarships, the average annual tuition cost for the 2020-2021 school year is $3,861 per student, while the average cost of educating those students is $7,393.

But those on the other side feel strongly that recent financial reporting from the school shows a different truth. They additionally say a "save our school" fundraising effort could have been launched by community members, which, hypothetically, could have provided some level of financial assistance.

While the alumni, parents, guardians, faculty and students say their thoughts and ideas have yet to be heard, it's clear they plan to change that tomorrow morning.

Read more: Pompton Lakes St. Mary's School To Permanently Close