Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Academy to close this summer
See this story at TimesLedger.com.
By Naeisha Rose
TimesLedger Newspapers
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Academy in Queens Village will be closing its doors this summer.
The school — located 92-80 220th St. — is set to close on June 30 due to a budget deficit totaling $200,000 and is also in need of massive repairs, which cost $1.5 million, according to a letter for parents and guardians of the Catholic academy.
“This difficult decision was reached, following extensive consultations, due to the continuing economic challenges faced by the Academy and a rapidly decreasing pool of students choosing Catholic school education in our area,” the letter said.
Along with a decline in enrollment, the lack of funds to subsidize students also played a factor.
According to the school, 75 percent fewer students applied to attend the school in a five-year period and there are only 170 students enrolled in classes from kindergarten to eighth grade.
The average class size for this school year is 18, which led to staff reductions.
The cost to educate each child is over $6,000 annually, but the tuition has been approximately $4,450 over the years, and the school has not been able to raise enough funds to make up the difference.
The Catholic school does not have the funds to repair the school and subsidize the students, so it will close at the end of the summer and relocate its students to other institutions.
The academy opened in 2013 to service students from sixth to eighth grade and was an extension of the Our Lady of Lourdes School, which has served students from kindergarten to fifth grade since it opened in 1932.
Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.
Source: Times Ledger
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