Developed by parish leadership in conjunction with the Bucks County Advisory Council, the Office of Catholic Education, and neighboring parishes, the plan seeks to provide affordable and viable educational options for current school students.
Background Regarding Today’s Announcement
Reverend Jeffrey M. Stecz, Pastor of Saint Agnes Parish in Sellersville, Bucks County, and Reverend John D. Schiele, Pastor of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in Hilltown, Bucks County, have shared a transitional plan with all Saint Agnes-Sacred Heart (SASH) school families that is scheduled to take effect with the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year.
The plan was developed over the past several months by leadership from the school and its supporting parishes, the Co-Chairs of the Bucks County Advisory Council (BCAC)1, and the Office of Catholic Education (OCE). Working together, these entities studied a number of challenges faced by the school community over the past several years including steadily declining enrollments and rising educational costs.
They also sought to determine the best strategy to provide accessible, affordable, and viable Catholic education options for SASH school families in the face of those challenges. Currently, enrollment stands at 138 students and the in-parish tuition rate is $3,925.00 per pupil. The current projected enrollment for 2016-2017 is 106 students. In order to balance the budget next year, tuition would need to be raised and the multiple student tuition discount would have to be discontinued. Additionally, the sponsoring parishes would need to provide a combined subsidy in excess of $560,000.00 to the school.
As enrollment has declined, educational costs have risen due to fixed expenses such as teacher salaries, school utilities, and ongoing and deferred maintenance for the school building. The parishes have reached a juncture where they can no longer subsidize school operations without jeopardizing their own fiscal health. The transition plan for the school will provide for fiscal stabilization at the parishes.
Information Regarding Today’s Announcement
After much careful study and prayerful discernment, along with extensive consultation with the Co-Chairs of BCAC, OCE, and neighboring parishes, Father Stecz and Father Schiele have announced a plan to provide for continued Catholic education for SASH school families.
Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, current school families will have the option of transitioning to one of six stronger Catholic schools bordering SASH. Numerous options are being provided to give SASH school families the maximum amount of choice in furthering the Catholic education of their children. Those options are outlined below. All of these schools are firmly committed to working with families to make the transition as seamless and convenient as possible.
School Transition Options: N.B. Distances provided below are given from both Saint Agnes Parish (SA) and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish (OLSH).
SASH School is in close proximity to Saint Jude Catholic School (5 miles from OLSH, 10 miles from SA); Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Catholic School (6.2 miles from OLSH, and 12.4 miles from SA); Saint Isidore Catholic School (11.2 miles from OLSH, 5.5 miles from SA); Mater Dei Regional Catholic School (8.4 miles from OLSH, and 12.5 miles from SA); Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School (8.5 miles from OLSH, 15.8 miles from SA); and Saint Joseph-Saint Robert Catholic School (10.7 miles from OLSH, 16.2 miles from SA).
Transition Timeline:
Current SASH school families have already been provided with packets regarding each of the schools noted above, including tuition fees, contact information, maps, and other pertinent details. All of the welcoming schools will hold open houses or visitation programs for SASH families in the near future as they seek to make a decision about plans for their children for the 2016-2017 school year. Families have been asked to share their decision with their pastor by June 1, 2016.
Subsidies and Grants:
Saint Agnes and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parishes are committed to providing financial assistance during this transition. To support active parish families who choose a Catholic education, a $1,000 subsidy will be paid by the parish per student each year if they attend any one of the surrounding Catholic schools offered as a transition option.
The Foundation for Catholic Education which supports and funds the strategies of the County Advisory Councils throughout the Archdiocese is also committed to supporting this transition strategy for SASH. This foundation will provide a first year $1,000 Transition Grant to any families sending children to one of the local parochial Catholic elementary schools.
These combined financial aid efforts will result in tuition rates that are lower than what families had been paying previously.
Further Communication Regarding Today’s Announcement
Detailed information regarding the transition has already been shared with the faculty and all current SASH school families. Announcements were also made at all Masses at Saint Agnes and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parishes this weekend to inform the broader parish communities.
[1] The Bucks County Advisory Council (BCAC) works closely with all the Catholic elementary schools and pastors in Bucks County, as well as OCE. Within the Archdiocesan governance structure for elementary education, BCAC is one of six County Councils that are part of the Executive Board of Elementary Education (EBEE) that is chaired by Bishop Michael J. Fitzgerald, the Auxiliary Bishop who oversees Catholic Education. BCAC’s primary mission is to work at the local level to develop strategies and plans to sustain, and grow, Catholic school enrollment in Bucks County Catholic schools. BCAC’s other main objective is to provide Catholic education to as many students and families as possible.
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Editor’s Note: For additional information about Saint Agnes-Sacred Heart Catholic School, please visit http://www.sashschool.com.
For more information about Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, please visit www.aopcatholicschools.org.
Contact:
Contact: Kenneth A. Gavin
Chief Communications Officer
215-587-3747 (office)