Some Catholic schools in Connecticut are struggling financially, and parents were disappointed to learn in one case, the problem was so big the school will have to close.
“There was not much explanation,” Crystal Celentano said.
Shocked and saddened mom Crystal Celentano is trying to hold on to hope and keep her daughter’s school Our Lady of Victory in West Haven open.
“When we got there they basically told us the school is closing,” Celentano said.
The school is slated to close at the end of the academic year.
“A lot of the parents feel that we could've done something but we weren't aware of the situation at all,” Celentano said.
A statement from the school’s pastor says, “sadly the school’s financial reserves have been depleted over the years due to declining enrollment, escalating costs of operation, and diminishment of parish subsidies.”
Celentano says she and other parents learned about the school’s closing at a meeting last night but wished they knew sooner so they could help.
“A few of the parents said that if we had to pay a little extra to meet a certain deficit we could have but no one even asked no one asked,” Celentano said.
Meanwhile, another meeting at St. Francis-St. Hedwig School in Naugatuck Thursday detailed that school’s financial challenges.
“A financial review shows that the school is anticipating a major financial shortfall by the end of the school year," said Superintendent of Catholic Schools Dr. Michael Griffin.
“We just got enrollment letter for kindergarten last week,” Celentano said.
Celentano hopes it’s not too late for her daughter to spend another year at a school she loves.
