Austintown Catholic Schools Merger
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Diocese of Youngstown
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This past January, the Diocese of Youngstown announced that St. Joseph's and Immaculate Heart of Mary Schools would merge into one for the 2009-2010 school year. In a letter to parents, teachers, and staff, the Diocese announced that a building committee would be formed from members of each Parish to decide which building would best be suited for the new school.
During this entire time, many questions from parents to the Diocese and Pastors of each Parishs were ignored. Parents became angry that they were being left out of such an important process. Tempers flared because the process was being handled so unprofessionally.
On March 11, 2009, the Diocese announced that Immaculate Heart of Mary School would house the new school. In the letter to parents and staff, the Pastors of the two Parishes stated the committee came to a 52-48\% decision in favor of one school building, which was not mentioned. The letter went on to say an architect decided which building was the most feasible financially. The architect chose Immaculate Heart of Mary. Never in the meetings and letters sent to parents in the prior weeks and months did it state that an outside architect would decide which building would house the school.
After months of meetings, the building committee that was chosen to decide which school building to use did not decide the outcome like the Diocese informed parents it would.
Members of the building committee made it known that they never decided on the Immaculate Heart of Mary Building; many were in favor of splitting the grade levels between the two school buildings for one additional year, to allow more time to make a wiser decision. As one parent stated, why should we rush into something that is so important for our children? Some members of the building committee believed that Pre-K through the Fourth Grade should be housed at St. Josephs, while grades Five through Eight should be housed at Immaculate Heart of Mary.
I urge those that have read this to sign this petition against the Diocese of Youngstown. In all the letters sent home from the Diocese, never did they state an outside architect would decide which building was more feasible to house the new school. I urge those to sign this petition in favor of splitting the two schools up for one additional year as mentioned above, giving the building committee the much needed additional time to make their decision. This petition is not against a merger, it is against merging the schools in such an unprofessional way as the Diocese has done.
During this entire time, many questions from parents to the Diocese and Pastors of each Parishs were ignored. Parents became angry that they were being left out of such an important process. Tempers flared because the process was being handled so unprofessionally.
On March 11, 2009, the Diocese announced that Immaculate Heart of Mary School would house the new school. In the letter to parents and staff, the Pastors of the two Parishes stated the committee came to a 52-48\% decision in favor of one school building, which was not mentioned. The letter went on to say an architect decided which building was the most feasible financially. The architect chose Immaculate Heart of Mary. Never in the meetings and letters sent to parents in the prior weeks and months did it state that an outside architect would decide which building would house the school.
After months of meetings, the building committee that was chosen to decide which school building to use did not decide the outcome like the Diocese informed parents it would.
Members of the building committee made it known that they never decided on the Immaculate Heart of Mary Building; many were in favor of splitting the grade levels between the two school buildings for one additional year, to allow more time to make a wiser decision. As one parent stated, why should we rush into something that is so important for our children? Some members of the building committee believed that Pre-K through the Fourth Grade should be housed at St. Josephs, while grades Five through Eight should be housed at Immaculate Heart of Mary.
I urge those that have read this to sign this petition against the Diocese of Youngstown. In all the letters sent home from the Diocese, never did they state an outside architect would decide which building was more feasible to house the new school. I urge those to sign this petition in favor of splitting the two schools up for one additional year as mentioned above, giving the building committee the much needed additional time to make their decision. This petition is not against a merger, it is against merging the schools in such an unprofessional way as the Diocese has done.
11 Signatures
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Stan Johnson
- Your School
- IHM in the 70s
- Comments to the Diocese
- It is upsetting that parents are going to be leaving Catholic Schools due to the terrible job you have done merging these two schools. If you stay in power much longer, we'll be forced to send our kids and our grandkids to Public Schools. I am dismayed by your actions.
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Carrie Montgomery
- Your School
- St. Joseph
- Comments to the Diocese
- I am so sad by the way this merger was handled. Dr. Skube has lied to us and been caught. We feel like we've been deceived by the people we are supposed to trust the most!!
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Michael Metzinger
- Your School
- St. Joseph's School
- Comments to the Diocese
- The Diocese rushed a decision that should not have been rushed. I strongly urge the Diocese to reconsider their decision or things will get even worse. Merge the younger grades into St. Joseph's and the older grades into Immaculate Heart for a year. By doing so, you give the building committee the much needed time to make a responsible, feasible, and professional evaluation of what building is best suited to house this new school. I am 100\% for the merger, but I am 100\% against the way the merger has been handled.
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Carolyn Kirchner
- Your School
- St. Joseph's Austintown
- Comments to the Diocese
- I am not against the merger and putting two financial resources together only makes sense. But one of the reasons my family chose a private school was the small class sizes. It has been proven neither buidling can accomodate the current student enrollment without a 40\% reduction. And if the "trend" is correct and we loose 40\% of the current enrollment the class sizes will still be unacceptably large. I propose that the two buildings remain open so the classroom sizes may remain at a lo:wer teacher to student ratio. And IF and when enrollment drops to where the students can be comfortably housed in a single structure, the situation can be addressed at that time.
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Joseph Chepke
- Your School
- St Joe's
- Comments to the Diocese
- A true merger woulb be to follow what the committee's suggestion and use both schools for a year and see what happens. With half of IHM going to St Joes and visa versa then all going to IHM the following year would be a true merger. I am not against the merger I believe it's the best thing for all children involved but lets make it a true merger . You can sugar coat it all you want but one school is being CLOSED.
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charles housteau
- Your School
- st. joseph
- Comments to the Diocese
- try harder
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Mary Ellen and Paul Shiller
- Your School
- St. Joe's
- Comments to the Diocese
- Why is this type of merger being forced on the parishes. There are other solutions that are more beneficial to the children and would still meet financial goals. But, we weren't even allowed to consider alternatives.
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Nicole Fryfogle
- Your School
- St. Joseph School
- Comments to the Diocese
- Please consider urging the pastors to do what is right for once. It is time to truly consider the children.
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Svetlana Rella
- Your School
- St. Joseph
- Comments to the Diocese
- As a member of St. Joseph's parish (especially) - I agree with this petition. I know families that have children in the school & what they are proposing by splitting the grade levels totally makes sense. I pray the Diocese will reconsider closing St. Joseph School and will take what the Committee is proposing seriously. That is what they were chosen to do in the first place & we are all about Faith & Family, aren't we? Thank you.
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Craig Ziobert
- Your School
- Youngstown State University
- Comments to the Diocese
- I think more time is needed to make a more wiser decision. The future of Catholic education in this diocese should be priority. We don't need upset parents, we need a Catholic school system parents can trust!
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Catholic Schools Supporter
- Your School
- St.Joseph/Diocese of Steubenville
- Comments to the Diocese
- I have signed your petition and wondered if you had any luck with your situation. We are facing a similar issue in the Diocese of Steubenville. Our school is closing and our questions have been ignored and we have been lied to. I have left my e-mail available if anyone would be willing to give us any suggestions.
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