St. Thomas parents consider school options for students
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Courtesy photo / Seventh-grade students work at St. Patrick School in Newry. St. Patrick School split from the diocese's control in fall 2016 when its parish community refused to follow Bishop Mark Bartchak's plan for regionalization, which called for the school's closure.
A plan to close St. Thomas the Apostle School at the end of the school year puts a few options before parents.
They could send their students to the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese's regionalized Holy Trinity schools or St. Patrick School in Newry.
However, if St. Thomas closes, Principal Amy Higgins foresees a majority of students going to neither Holy Trinity nor St. Patrick.
"The families like the Catholic school in Bedford. But if it closes, most would probably go to the Bedford school system," Higgins said.
St. Patrick and the Hollidaysburg campus of Holy Trinity are about 30 miles from St. Thomas.
St. Patrick is closer, Higgins noted, but Holy Trinity is under the diocese umbrella. St. Patrick parted ways with the diocese to become a school solely operated by the parish.
"We are having as normal a school year as possible and have hopes of staying open," she said.
She added that St. Thomas parents are leading a charge to keep the school open as St. Patrick stayed open.
On Jan. 13, the closure announcement came from the parish council and pastor, the Rev. Richard Tomkosky.
St. Thomas, which is part of the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese, is facing closure because of declining enrollment. Its enrollment is 53 students, and the parish provided more than $200,000 a year to help finance the school, funding more than 50 percent of the school's operational costs.
St. Thomas' pastor is encouraging students to go to Holy Trinity, but St. Patrick Principal Donna Messner said she wants people to know St. Patrick School is also available. Monday signals the start of 2018-19 registration.
St. Patrick School split from the diocese's control in fall 2016, when its parish community refused to follow Bishop Mark Bartchak's plan for regionalization, which called for the school's closure.
In 2015, the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown approved a plan under which its five schools were set to be consolidated to three in the 2016-17 school year. The former Hollidaysburg Catholic and Altoona Central Catholic serve children through fifth grade, and St. Rose of Lima School serves students in grades six to eight. All of those schools have become one school with three campuses renamed Holy Trinity. St. Patrick in Newry was slated to close with St. John the Evangelist in Lakemont under the Holy Trinity plan.
Those that chose to become Holy Trinity are thriving, said diocese Communications Secretary Tony DeGol.
Holy Trinity is "strong and vibrant," DeGol wrote in an email.
"We are convinced that regionalization in the Altoona area was the right move because the burden of supporting schools is now placed on all parishes -- not just the parishes that had schools. Thanks to this model, we are confident that Catholic education in the Altoona area will remain viable for years to come," DeGol stated.
Likewise, St. Patrick continues its long tradition instead of merging with Holy Trinity. St. Patrick School will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2020. Last year, without receiving any diocesan funding, St. Patrick School ended the year with a profit, Messner said. She said it required no help from the parish. It was funded by tuition and fundraisers. In its second year, 63 students are enrolled.
St. Patrick School educates students from pre-kindergarten to grade eight. A press release states "class sizes are small, allowing for individualized instruction for students when needed." Language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, health, religion, computers, art, music and physical education are taught.
Holy Trinity's campuses implement a STREAM curriculum of science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and math.
"We have dedicated faculty and administrators; enrollment is holding steady, and (Holy Trinity) is doing well financially. Parent fundraising for this academic year has already surpassed expectations. The STREAM program continues to grow at all grade levels," DeGol said. "In honor of Catholic Schools Week, Bishop Bartchak will celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament on Feb. 2, with students from all campuses attending," DeGol wrote.
Mirror Staff Writer Russ O'Reilly is at 946-7435.