FALL RIVER, Mass. (WJAR) — Parents in two different school districts received similar news this week, that the school their student enrolled in will be closing at the end of this school year.
In Fall River, the Diocese announced that Saint Stanislaus School would be closing at the end of the academic school year.
An email addressed to parents said the reasons included significant debt, declining in enrollment, and trouble collecting tuition. Fort Barton parents in Tiverton received a similar message the same week.
“At 9 p.m. last night, we received an email that said that they made a decision to close the school, just like that,” said Kathryn Mello, a Fort Barton parent. “This is a town problem because now parents don’t know what’s going on with their students, they’re going to take their kids elsewhere and now the town is funding and paying more taxes to these children to have some sort of consistency.”
Superintendent Peter Sanchioni said the building will not be closing, it will just have major adjustments.
“Our enrollment has declined significantly and then secondarily we’re facing a rather significant budget deficit well over a million dollars,” said Sanchioni. “It’s not going to close, it’s going to be an educational institution, we’re going to have some classes over there, but a lot of people are going to get laid off, but this changed the people who are going to get laid off.”
The Tiverton School Committee will meet on Feb. 25 to discuss school consolidation plans, and the Diocese of Fall River will schedule a parent meeting soon with school leaders.