...Moved by the Holy Spirit, we willingly share our time, talents and treasure to perpetuate the work of our Lord and to facilitate the teachings of the Catholic church to God's children of all ages.
...
Through our school...
With the Holy Spirit on one side of the scales, we have on the other the pastor, Father Kenneth "Augustine, noting that the subsidy for St. Luke students was above the 45% share recommended by the archdiocese."
St. Luke parent Maureen Bopp blamed the school's enrollment declines on recent changes in school and church leadership.
Might be a story there, but there was nothing further in Amy Hetzner's article in Sunday's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It linked to an earlier report by Isral Debruin in BrookfieldNow, St. Luke Parish School to close at end of school year.
Fewer than 70 students were enrolled for the 2009-10 school year, down from 239 seven years ago. Currently, 114 students attend the 4-year-old kindergarten through eighth-grade school. St. Luke School employs 16 staff and faculty.
That kind of decline does look like the result of something driving people away.
It was a combination punch.
ReplyDeleteSome parishioners were very unhappy with the previous pastor, Fr. Malloy, and threatened to leave the school/parish if he did not get out of Dodge.
So Fr. Malloy DID get out of Dodge.
In comes Fr. Augustine--and a lot MORE folks pulled their kiddies and left the parish.
The parents were driven away. There does not seem to be a whole lot of truth to what Father Augustine is saying. The numbers for next year were higher until they sent a letter to the parents with two models for next year...neither one clear or appealing. The parents wanted answers, so waited to register. Then, they announced the closing. My two would have been enrolled. So would a lot more.If you notice, Father Augustine doesn't ever seem to have any regrets. This is a wonderful school with wonderful families.The recruitment process seems to have been designed to fail. What better way to generate money than turn it into a day care and not have to pay teacher salaries, benefits, etc. For him to say that the demographics of the church are causing the decline in enrollment should cause great concern. 1000 members, prime location for Brookfield, New Belrin, West Allis, Waukesha. Someone doesn't want it to work. It's not economics. As far as parents sending their children to Public schools, if the only choices left are Catholic schools with 500-600 students and not as much religion, why bother with Catholic schooling. That should alarm everyone.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much that needs to be told and so much that needs to be looked into.
If you want real answers, talk to the parents and the teachers and find out how closed off from everything they have been.
Someone doens't want the school. Period.
Return the endowment fund, Fr. Augustine, to the rightful donors.
ReplyDeleteThe monies were donated to benefit the school..not the church. But then again, any monies donated by a particular cause were often misappropriated to satisfy whatever cause you wanted.