St. Brigid's Starts First Day of School With Mixed Student Body

There mixture of three student bodies all under one roof for the first day of school at a West Hartford catholic school is the result of two catholic schools closing earlier this year.

"It was like losing a part of your family," said Saint Mary School teacher Karen Hurley.

Hurley worked at Saint Mary School in Newington. Her school closed just two weeks before classes began. Saint Mary administrators said if they hadn't closed they'd be nearly $500,000 in debt. Most Saint Mary School teachers now work at Saint Brigid Saint Augustine Partnership School in West Hartford about three miles away.

Along with transferring teachers to Saint Brigid's, students were encouraged transfer there too.

But Saint Brigid administrators said only 40 of the 109 students enrolled.

"Some of them chose to go to public schools. Some made their choice to go to another catholic school," said Saint Brigid Saint Augustine Partnership School Principal Shevon Hickey.

There are now a total of 161 students at Saint Brigid. The breakdown of the students include: 40 Saint Mary, 41 Saint Brigid, and 80 Saint Augustine.

Hartford's Saint Augustine School closed earlier this year from financial strain.

"We really have a melting pot of all three schools," said Hickey.

To accommodate the growing student population Saint Brigid has added three new buses to transport children. An increase from just one last year.

Two buses are designated to pick-up Hartford students, one bus retrieves New Britain and Newington students, and the last bus gathers kids from West Hartford.

With the growing number of students all housed under one roof teachers said they are working to ensure students have a comfortable transition.

"I think having some of us here to really makes a huge difference for them. It's a continuation of home and expansion of family," said Hurley.

Saint Brigid staff said they are still getting late enrollments and the number of Saint Mary students could grow. Staff also mentioned they will be trying to retrieve supplies and technology, like smartboards, from the Saint Mary School.

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