Tonawanda News

Local News

June 24, 2009

EDUCATION: Mount Carmel may close and merge with Prince of Peace

By Rick Forgione<br><a href="mailto:forgioner@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Rick</a>

Students and staff at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School are heading into the summer recess this week not knowing whether classes will resume in the fall.

Board members on the Catholic Academy of Niagara Falls are considering a school reconfiguration and Greater Niagara Newspapers has learned the changes would involve closing down Mount Carmel School and merging it with Prince of Peace, the city’s only other Catholic elementary school.

Mount Carmel Principal Jeannine Fortunate referred all questions to the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. Diocese spokesman Kevin Keenan said Wednesday no announcement to close the school has been made and stressed that nothing has been approved by the diocese.

“There’s some discussions going on right now among board members about the Catholic school configuration, I can’t get any more specific at this time,” Keenan said. “The board has been discussing this since last September.”

However, a source who has a relative working at Prince of Peace said staff at that school attended a meeting last week and were told they all had to reapply for their jobs because the two schools are merging. Prince of Peace Principal Chris Hope is leaving the school to become principal of a Catholic elementary school in Orchard Park, Keenan confirmed.

A meeting to announce Mount Carmel’s closing was expected for Wednesday afternoon but canceled, according to the source, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Keenan denied the Diocese had scheduled any such meeting.

“Regardless of what’s been communicated, Bishop Kmiec has not signed off on any decision regarding the reconfiguration of these schools,” Keenan said.

The Catholic Academy of Niagara Falls oversees operations at Mount Carmel, Prince of Peace and St. Dominic Savio Middle School.

Located at 2499 Independence Ave., Mount Carmel has been open for more than 50 years, most recently enrolling students pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It advertises itself on its Web site as “an integral part of the parish community and neighborhood.”

Dwindling enrollment overall in Catholic education has led to the closure of several parochial schools over the past decade.

Contact reporter Rick Forgioneat 282-2311, ext. 2257.

Text Only
Local News
Featured Ads
AP Video
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington NJ Official: NYPD Muslim Surveillance Legal Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance Hurricane Forecast: 15 Named Storms Expected NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking Search Intensifies for Missing Louisiana Woman Bloomberg: Man Implicates Self in Etan Patz Case NYPD: Person Implicated in Etan Patz Death Raw Video: Fire on Nuke-powered Sub in Maine Illegal Burn Suspected in Nevada Fire Obama: 'We've Got More Work to Do' Astrologers Predict Outcome of Presidential Race Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
Seasonal Content
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com
Front page
Twitter Updates
Follow me on Twitter