By Ivan Pereira
As thousands of Catholic grammar students prepare to begin their new school year, two longtime Queens parochial schools will not be opening their doors for classes this fall.
The Brooklyn Diocese announced Our Lady of the Cenacle School in Richmond Hill and St. Gerard Majella School in Hollis were forced to close due to declining enrollment and rising costs of operation. Dr. Thomas Chadzutko, superintendent of the Office of Catholic School Support Services, said principals have a benchmark that states that if overall enrollment at kindergarten to 8th grade schools drops below 225 students, the school is in danger of closing.
Our Lady of the Cenacle, located at 87-25 136th St., had a total enrollment of 179 students during the last school year while St. Gerard Majella, located at 188-04 91st Ave., had an enrollment of 177 students.
The class sizes had seen significant decreases over the years, according to the diocese.
At Our Lady of the Cenacle, which opened in 1950, the number of students decreased by 35 over the last two school years. St. Gerard, which was going to celebrate its 75th anniversary this fall, had a drop of 27 students between the 2003-2004 school year and 2007-2008 school year, the diocese said.
The dwindling student population added to the rising education costs at both institutions.
While tuition at Our Lady of the Cenacle was $3,340 per-pupil, the actual cost was $4,644, according to the diocese. St. Gerard's tuition was $3,725 per child, but the cost was $6,848.
In a statement, the diocese said other area parochial schools would have seats for the displaced students this year and it would work out plans to place the grammar schools' teachers at other Catholic schools in Brooklyn and Queens.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
