St. John Bosco School to close this year for grades K-7;
Bishop Clark hopes to rebuild enrollment and reopen

Issue Date: Aug. 14, 2007

St. John Bosco School in Seneca Falls will not reopen for Grades K-7 this
coming school year due to less-than-adequate enrollment to operate
academically. However, diocesan officials hope new efforts can be made to
spark new interest in the school so that it might re-open anew at some
point in the future.

Officials do hope to keep open the preschool at St. John Bosco as planned
this year, if parents are interested. They are being contacted this week.

In a letter to parish officials and distributed to parents, Bishop of
Rochester Matthew Clark expressed "deep disappointment" at the decline in
enrollment and subsequent need to close the school this year, which is
attributed to unfounded concerns that apparently surfaced over the summer
that the school would not reopen despite assurances otherwise.

"I am sorry to learn that a steep decline in enrollment this summer was
caused by what seems to have been an irrational and infectious fear that
the school might close before September," Bishop Clark wrote. "Though again
and again we assured principal and parents it would not close, one by one
students were withdrawn until there are barely enough students now to fill
a single classroom. I am disappointed that the situation
developed in this way."

School enrollment dropped from more than 125 to less than a handful of families this summer.

Bishop Clark added in his letter: "The survival of Catholic education in
Seneca County is of such concern to me that I would like to propose that we
evaluate the possibility of re-growing St. John Bosco School. Working
together with the Catholic Schools office and the parish pastoral councils
over the next year, I recommend that we determine whether there is a desire
for Catholic education in the county. If there is interest and support,
then I recommend that a strategic plan be developed with the preschool as
the foundation for slowly rebuilding a Catholic school grade-by-grade."

Parents who wish a Catholic education for their children this year are
encouraged to contact nearby St. Francis DeSales/St. Stephen School in
Geneva, which stands ready to enroll children for the 07-08 academic year.
If parents are interested in this option, they should contact the
principal, Mrs. Elaine Morrow, at 315-789-1828. END

BISHOP CLARK'S LETTER CONCERNING ST. JOHN BOSCO SCHOOL

When St. John Bosco School was formed from St. Mary and St. Patrick Schools several years ago, I had high expectations for Catholic education in Seneca County. Therefore it is with deep disappointment that I accept the recommendation handed to me to shut down St. John Bosco School after only two years of operation because of insufficient enrollment.

Please know that, at 125 students, St. John Bosco School was healthy enough at the end of the 2006-2007 academic year to survive. What happened? I am sorry to learn that a steep decline in enrollment this summer was caused by what seems to have been an irrational and infectious fear that the school might close before September. Though again and again we assured principal and parents it would not close, one-by-one students were withdrawn until there are barely enough students now to fill a single classroom. I am disappointed that the situation developed in this way.

The survival of Catholic education in Seneca County is of such concern to me that I would like to propose that we evaluate the possibility of re-growing St. John Bosco School. Working together with the Catholic Schools office and the parish pastoral councils over the next year, I recommend that we determine whether there is a desire for Catholic education in the county. If there is interest and support, then I recommend that a strategic plan be developed with the preschool as the foundation for slowly rebuilding a Catholic school grade-by-grade.

In the meantime, let me express my gratitude to all the women religious and laypeople who, for more that 125 years, have ministered to thousands of children in these schools, encouraging their growth in faith while conducting academic programs of quality. May God reward them for their generous service.

While I am truly sorry about the events of today, I look forward to a brighter future, where every family that values a Catholic education for their children will have that opportunity in their region.

With every good wish I remain,

Your brother in Christ,

+Matthew H. Clark

Bishop of Rochester