St. John Neumann school in Lawrenceville to close
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St. John Neumann Regional Catholic School in Lawrenceville will close at the end of the school year, the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh announced Sunday.
The office of Bishop David A. Zubik said the pastors of the three churches that support the elementary school -- Our Lady of the Angels in Lawrenceville, St. Lawrence O'Toole church in Garfield, and St. Matthew church in Lawrenceville -- asked that the school be closed.
The bishop's office said the three parishes "face serious fiscal challenges" that make their support of the elementary school "impossible."
Enrollment at the school has decreased from 131 to 92 for next school year -- a figure that could drop further if tuition were to be raised to compensate for parish subsidy reductions.
The school's operating deficit for this year had been projected at $70,000, even supposing a 5- to 7-percent tuition boost and increased enrollment, according to the diocese.
"This is a sad and unfortunate decision for all involved," the Rev. Kris Stubna, secretary for Catholic education, said. He expressed a hope that the students will enroll in the nearby Immaculate Conception School in Bloomfield. Both schools serve students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
First Published May 3, 2010 12:00 am
