Diocese of Scranton Announces Final Plan for Reorganization of Catholic Schools in Lackawanna , Wayne and Luzerne Counties

       The Diocese of Scranton announced the final plan for the reorganization of Catholic schools in Lackawanna, Wayne and Luzerne Counties at a news conference on Jan. 17. The news conference was broadcast live by CTV: Catholic Television.

Bishop Joseph F. Martino noted that the plan is the culmination of a 17-month process focused on the goal of “preserving and advancing Catholic education in the 21^st century.”

The Strategic Planning Process was coordinated by Meitler Consultants, Inc., a national firm recognized for its expertise in educational planning.

The consultants presented their preliminary recommendations in November. Local Consultative Groups and other interested parties representing the schools provided feedback that was reviewed by the consultants, who then presented their final recommendations to Bishop Martino.

The Bishop expressed his “heartfelt gratitude” to the many people who participated in the process. He specifically acknowledged the following:

·         Pastors

·         Principals

·         Faculties/Staffs

·         Families

·         Students

·         Diocesan officials

·         Local Consultative Groups

·         Steering Committee Members

·         Task Force Members

·         Finance Committee Members

·         Parent Groups

·         Local government officials

“This has been a long and challenging process for everyone involved,” Bishop Martino said. “The final decisions have been made after much prayer and months of consultation.”

The final plan announced by the Bishop consists of the following:

Lackawanna County

Bishop Hannan High School and Bishop O’Hara High School will close. A single high school will be established to serve all of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties and the wider area.

Meitler Consultants, Inc. has completed the first phase of a feasibility study regarding enrollment potential for building a new high school. The second phase to determine the level of financial support for this project is now being undertaken by Community Counseling Services.

In the meantime, the present high schools will operate as a single high school with two campuses until the feasibility study is completed.  

The following elementary sites will remain:  

• All Saints Academy, Scranton
• Marian Catholic, Scranton
• St. Clare/St. Paul, Scranton (which will operate as one school)
• St. Mary of Mt. Carmel , Dunmore
• La Salle Academy , Jessup/St. Mary Visitation, Dickson City (which will operate as one school)
• Sacred Heart, Carbondale
• Our Lady of Peace School, Clarks Summit
• St. Vincent, Honesdale

        The sites that will no longer operate are:  

• Holy Rosary, Scranton – which will combine with All Saints Academy
• St. Anthony, Dunmore – which will combine with St. Mary Mt. Carmel
• St. Mary, Old Forge – which will combine with All Saints Academy

As noted above, Holy Rosary, St. Anthony and St. Mary will combine with other institutions. Transitional committees will collaborate on the best arrangements for creating unified communities at these schools.

An Individual Instruction program for students with special needs in Lackawanna and Wayne Counties will be established at All Saints Academy in Scranton. This program will be similar to the one presently in place in Luzerne County.  

Luzerne County

Bishop Hafey High School, Bishop Hoban High School, Bishop O’Reilly High School, and Seton Catholic High School will close. A single high school will be established to serve Luzerne County at the facility in Wilkes-Barre.

Bishop Martino noted that he has spoken to Bishop Edward P. Cullen of the Diocese of Allentown to assure the families of the students from Bishop Hafey that an arrangement with Marian Catholic High School in Hometown is one that will provide a Catholic high school education to students from the greater Hazleton area. He also stressed that the Diocese of Scranton, in particular the parishes of the greater Hazleton area, will remain connected to the students from their respective parishes who attend Marian Catholic High School.

The following elementary sites will remain:  

• Holy Family Academy, Hazleton, which will become a PK-Grade 8 program located at the Bishop Hafey site.
• St. Aloysius, Wilkes-Barre
• SS. Peter and Paul, Plains
• St. Nicholas/St. Mary, Wilkes-Barre
• Gate of Heaven, Dallas
• St. Jude, Mountaintop
• Holy Rosary, Duryea
• Wyoming Area Catholic, Exeter
• St. Mary Assumption, Pittston

• A new elementary center will be established at the present Bishop O’Reilly High School building for students in Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8.

The sites that will no longer operate are:  

• St. Boniface, Wilkes-Barre – which will be combined at the new elementary center in Kingston.
• Sacred Heart, Wilkes-Barre – which will be combined at the new elementary center in Kingston.
• Regis Elementary, Forty Fort – which will be combined at the new elementary center in Kingston.
• Sacred Heart, Luzerne – which will be combined at the new elementary center in Kingston.
• Sacred Heart, Dupont – which will combine with Wyoming Area Catholic
• Pope John Paul II, Nanticoke – which will combine with St. Aloysius and/or the new elementary center in Kingston.

The Individualized Instruction program that operates at Regis Elementary and Bishop O’Reilly High School will be continued at the elementary center in Kingston and at the high school in Wilkes-Barre.

Bishop Martino cited the Meitler consultants’ observations that all of the Local Consultative Groups and other interested parties had provided thoughtful and detailed proposals. In particular, the proposals regarding the high schools included ambitious plans for fundraising and student recruitment.

However, the consultants determined that past history, current trends and demographic projections do not support the realistic prospect that these goals can be achieved. Furthermore, neither the Diocese nor the parishes can afford to subsidize the schools while these goals are being pursued.

“I know that some people will be disappointed with these outcomes, and it has been difficult for me to make some of these decisions, but I believe they are necessary,” Bishop Martino said. “Now I ask everyone to join with us as this plan is implemented.”

Financial Support for Catholic Schools  

A common formula for determining parish assessments will be utilized throughout the Diocese. It is the responsibility of all Catholics to provide financial support for Catholic schools. Therefore, all parishes will contribute based on their income and a sliding scale.

Many parishes with schools are providing a level of financial support that is not sustainable and jeopardizes other important aspects of parish ministry. The new system will establish an equitable formula with all parishes sharing in the support of Catholic schools.  

Governance  

Regional Catholic school systems (Pre-K to 12) will be formed for both Lackawanna/Wayne and Luzerne Counties . The systems will each be governed by boards of clergy and laity with delegated authority and responsibility. The boards will be directly accountable to the Diocese and will have responsibility for areas such as planning, finance, policy development, public relations, marketing and institutional advancement.  

Implementation of the Plan  

The principals at each school will be forming transitional teams to address the practical aspects of the reorganization and the particular issues that will affect their respective school communities.

A process for registration for the 2007-08 academic year will be announced in the near future.

Meanwhile, the Diocesan human resources director is working with teacher representatives to develop a fair and equitable policy regarding school personnel. After registration is complete and the number of personnel needed is determined, the policy will be completed.

The Diocesan Finance Office is working on preliminary budgets for the 2007-08 school year.  

“We will all work together to enhance our Catholic identity, advance our curriculum, plan for facility upgrades, technological advances, and other programs to ensure that every student has the opportunity to obtain a quality Catholic education,” Bishop Martino said.

The Bishop added that the uncertainty that often surrounds the status of particular schools from year to year should be dispelled now that the Strategic Plan has been determined.