Post by Cjb on Jan 22, 2013 18:40:58 GMT -5
For all you former Cardinals like myself who attended Blessed Sacrament High School in NewRo, a very sad email received today:
January 22, 2013
Dear Members of the Blessed Sacrament-St. Gabriel High School Community,
Since I arrived at Blessed Sacrament High School in 1979, there have been many changes in our school. I had the opportunity be a part of the merger with St. Gabriel High School; I have had the opportunity to work with four principals, many dedicated faculty and staff; and I have seen 33 classes graduate. The blessings I have experienced here at Blessed Sacrament-St. Gabriel High School are too numerous to list. We are proud of our 98% percent graduation rate and college acceptances at excellent universities. However, the steady decline in enrollment has brought about a very serious situation concerning our future sustainability. With the difficult economy that all Americans are facing, we continue to lose students because many parents can no longer afford tuition. Sadly I am writing to inform you that in consultation with the Office of the Superintendent of Schools of the Archdiocese of New York, the decision has been made to close our doors at the end of this academic year in June 2013. There are many reasons for this difficult decision. Our budgetary deficit continues to increase as our enrollment continues to decline, at a rate well beyond our efforts to fund that deficit. The generosity of the Archdiocese of New York, the Irish Christian Brothers, the Sisters of Charity, Blessed Sacrament Parish, and our many friends and alumni, have allowed us to continue our mission for more than seventy years. However, they cannot continue to bridge the gap between income and expenses that is increasing every year. Please know that our doors are open, and I will be available to answer any questions or concerns you may have as we move forward. I do want to assure all of our current families that their child’s education will continue uninterrupted through the end of this school year. There are other excellent Catholic high school options available. We will schedule a meeting in February to assist parents and students in a smooth transition to another Catholic high school. I am forever grateful to the parents who made tremendous sacrifices to send their children to Blessed Sacrament-St. Gabriel High School, to the faculty and staff who have dedicated their lives to Catholic education and to the alumni and friends who helped this school through many difficult times. Last but not least, I would like to thank the students past and present who have given me the opportunity to shape their futures.
Sincerely,
Edward Sullivan Principal
January 22, 2013
Dear Members of the Blessed Sacrament-St. Gabriel High School Community,
Since I arrived at Blessed Sacrament High School in 1979, there have been many changes in our school. I had the opportunity be a part of the merger with St. Gabriel High School; I have had the opportunity to work with four principals, many dedicated faculty and staff; and I have seen 33 classes graduate. The blessings I have experienced here at Blessed Sacrament-St. Gabriel High School are too numerous to list. We are proud of our 98% percent graduation rate and college acceptances at excellent universities. However, the steady decline in enrollment has brought about a very serious situation concerning our future sustainability. With the difficult economy that all Americans are facing, we continue to lose students because many parents can no longer afford tuition. Sadly I am writing to inform you that in consultation with the Office of the Superintendent of Schools of the Archdiocese of New York, the decision has been made to close our doors at the end of this academic year in June 2013. There are many reasons for this difficult decision. Our budgetary deficit continues to increase as our enrollment continues to decline, at a rate well beyond our efforts to fund that deficit. The generosity of the Archdiocese of New York, the Irish Christian Brothers, the Sisters of Charity, Blessed Sacrament Parish, and our many friends and alumni, have allowed us to continue our mission for more than seventy years. However, they cannot continue to bridge the gap between income and expenses that is increasing every year. Please know that our doors are open, and I will be available to answer any questions or concerns you may have as we move forward. I do want to assure all of our current families that their child’s education will continue uninterrupted through the end of this school year. There are other excellent Catholic high school options available. We will schedule a meeting in February to assist parents and students in a smooth transition to another Catholic high school. I am forever grateful to the parents who made tremendous sacrifices to send their children to Blessed Sacrament-St. Gabriel High School, to the faculty and staff who have dedicated their lives to Catholic education and to the alumni and friends who helped this school through many difficult times. Last but not least, I would like to thank the students past and present who have given me the opportunity to shape their futures.
Sincerely,
Edward Sullivan Principal
