Nearly three years after the Archdiocese announced the closure of Shrine Church of St. Ann, church officials announced it will close St. Ann School resting above the now-defunct church, surprising parents who’ve long considered the school a major part of their lives.
Many parents, the bulk of whom live in the community, were shocked and angry over the school’s imminent closure.
Many of the parents were disappointed with the decision to close down the school. “My little one just started,” said Melissa Martinez, 39. “Now we have to start the process all over again and look for another school that has what we’re looking for.”
Eric Olivo, 36, said the school’s fate is hard to accept. “I know the teachers and I’m comfortable with the teachers, down to the people that serve lunch,” said Olivo. “My child was crying. I was trying to keep it away from him.”
The school is one of three Bronx Catholic parishes set to close by the end of the school year. “St. Ann School, Visitation School, and St. Mary School students will have the opportunity to continue their Catholic education at St. Brendan School, St. John’s School in Kingsbridge, and Our Lady of Grace, respectively, or at other neighborhood Catholic schools,” read the message.
In August 2015, diocesan officials announced the church would close after 88 years. Church members wishing to continue the faith were offered to go to St. Brendan’s Church at the corner of Perry Avenue and East 206th Street. The two parishes immediately merged to form St. Brendan and St. Ann. Meantime, the school portion of the parish is found on the second floor with children from preschool to eighth grade matriculating there. Instruction at St. Ann School varied, with students offered a robust curriculum ranging from drama club, intramural sports and art classes.
For now, parents will have the remaining school year to decide into which new school they will enroll their child.
Some of the parents were very reluctant to consider public school as an option since they value the teaching of faith in St. Ann School. Many parents believe that a faith-based program is essential for the education of the children. “That’s why the parents bring their kids here,” said Martinez, whose 4-year-old is in pre-K. “You want to implement faith values not just at home, but also in their education.”
Renee Wilson, 30, believes that faith and education go hand-in-hand. “Faith is a strong factor when it comes to education, it makes them have empathy.” Chris, her 12-year-old son, is in his first year at the school and has seen a drastic change in his attitude toward school, according to Wilson. “Religion in an everyday setting is more relatable. I think it is necessary for all these children. I mean, look at the neighborhood we live in; look at the world we live in.”
However, religious affiliation is one aspect to these parents’ loyalty. The quality of the classes, they note, is more personal since parents have become acquainted with the staff. “He is doing so much better here than in public school, he actually tells me he loves school,” said Wilson. “In public schools the classes are bigger, and here they’re smaller.”
Many of the parents are saying that they would consider public school as an alternative, but others will be seeking different options. “I’ll send my child to charter school,” said Clifton Bruno, 40, unflinchingly about his 5-year-old son, Giovannni.
“I don’t want to send my child back to public school. I am strongly against it,” said Wilson.
A few of the parents like Dominga Vazquez, 40, are ready to see the schools that will be offered to them. “It’s a very drastic change to go into another school,” said Vazquez. “They have an open house next week especially for us.”
In a message posted on its website, the Archdiocese of New York announced the Bainbridge Avenue school at the corner of Gun Hill Road will “cease operations at the end of the current academic year,” citing a cost-saving analysis.The Archdiocese has ensured students of closed Catholic schools will be given a seat elsewhere.
News of the closure also comes a week after National Catholic Schools Week, an initiative intended to bolster the benefits of Catholic school education. A message on the school’s official Facebook page read, “As another unforgettable National Catholic Schools Week comes to a close, we thank our students and staff for all they do to make our school a great place. We look forward to another year of offering an invaluable Catholic education!”
The secretary answering the phone at the school said its school principal, Ajeia Beebe, declined to comment.