ST. VIRGILIUS SCHOOL

TO CLOSE IN JUNE

            St. Virgilius School in Broad Channel will close in June and affiliate with St. Camillus School in Rockaway Beach, Msgr. Michael J. Hardiman, the Vicar for Education in the Diocese of Brooklyn, has announced.

            The vicar said St. Camillus School has ample space to accommodate the 92 students whose families had registered them for the 2006/2007 academic year at St. Virgilius.

            Extensive study about the future of the school, involving the parish, parents and school officials, preceded the decision to close the school, Msgr. Hardiman said.

            St. Virgilius was scheduled to close last June, principally due to low enrollment. It remained open after school parents and other parishioners sought and received a reprieve allowing them time to develop a business plan that would guarantee a three- to five-year future, based on meeting enrollment and financial criteria.

            While the parents and parishioners have been successful in their efforts to raise funds, through the efforts of an advisory board, Msgr. Hardiman said, a registration of 92 students for kindergarten to eighth grade fell 21 students short of the 113 as called for in an amended business plan.

St. Virgilius enrolled 103 students this year, about 25 percent coming from outside the parish. The general benchmark in parish schools is 25 students in a class. Five years ago the school had 150 students.

            In view of the low enrollment figures, diocesan officials recommended that the school affiliate with St. Camillus. An alternative option was to remain as an independent Catholic school administered by a board of lay trustees.

            St. Camillus School will host “open houses” for parents May 22 and May 24 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and May 30 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

            The Office of Catholic School Support Services will assist faculty of St. Virgilius School who may wish to seek a position in another parochial school in the Diocese.

                                                            # # # # #

5/15/06