CNB ARCHIVES : Why Are Catholic Schools Around the State Disappearing?
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
CNB ARCHIVES posted Thursday, December 24, 2009
RELATED CATEGORY ST.MARYS GRAMMAR/PARISH
by Jen A. Miller
The Forsatz children, one in first grade and one in pre-K, are not having exactly the same experience as their mom. That’s because her elementary school, St. Paul’s in Clifton, and her high school, Newman Prep in Wayne, no longer exist. Nor do Pope John II School in Clifton, St. Christopher’s in Parsippany, Blessed Sacrament in Margate, St. Bridget in Glassboro, St. Aedan School in Jersey City, All Saints School in Burlington, Blessed Sacrament in Newark, Holy Assumption School in Roebling, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Highlands.
Since 2001, 97 of New Jersey’s Catholic schools have closed—282 since 1971, according to the National Catholic Educational Association. Total enrollment has dropped from 275,012 students in 609 Catholic schools in 1971 to 106,797 in 327 schools today.
While declining enrollment is a critical issue for the Church, it is also a concern for the state and for local municipalities, which often must bear the burden of educating additional students. Church officials estimate that, since 2001, some 40,000 students entered New Jersey’s public school system instead of attending Catholic school. New Jersey, with the nation’s highest property taxes, spends nearly $16,000 per year on each public school child, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s the second highest price tag in the country behind New York.
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Comments
Still an abbott district. Probably could not afford good academics without the funding
Boy did you open up a can of worms...
Don't even compare the two high schools.
Dear GHS Forever,
What issue of MAD magazine was that? Your post contained enough grammatical errors to make Sr. Ann Leo roll over in her grave.
Best High Schools Search
U.S.News & World Report-in collaboration with School Evaluation Services, a K-12 education and data research and analysis business that provides parents with education data-analyzed academic and enrollment data from more than 21,000 public high schools to find the very best across the country. These top schools were placed into gold, silver, bronze, or honorable mention categories.
Show Less Detail | More Detail Sort Alphabetically | by Award Award
Dover High School
Morris County, Dover, NJ
Silver
Dr. Charles E. Brimm Medical Arts High School
Camden County, Camden, NJ
Silver
Dr. Ronald McNair Academic High School
Hudson County, Jersey City, NJ
Gold:
#43 of 100
Emerson High School
Hudson County, Union City, NJ
Bronze
Gloucester City Junior Senior High School
Camden County, Gloucester City, NJ
Bronze
Highland Park High School
Middlesex County, Highland Park, NJ
Silver
High Technology High School
Monmouth County, Lincroft, NJ
Gold:
#11 of 100
Hoboken High School
Hudson County, Hoboken, NJ
Bronze
John F Kennedy Memorial High School
Middlesex County, Iselin, NJ
Bronze
Madison High School
Morris County, Madison, NJ
Silver
That's great! Hey, GCHS grad, have you heard of the national news publication U.S. News and World Reports? Do you know that for over a decade they have rated colleges and universities? Now they have been evaluating American high schools searching fro the "Best of the Best." Just because Gloucester High was named one of the top three high schools in Camden County (and Gloucester Catholic wasn't), there'e no need to be a hater. It's Christmas time! Don't you folks consider yourselves Christians? USN & WR isn't someone with an ax to grind. It's an objective evaluation. New Jersey Monthly is also lauding the vast improvement in Gloucester High. Don't fret. You can still boast that you're the second best high school in Gloucester City
Bronze Medal:
either do not offer AP or IB or do not achieve a college readiness index of at least 20 but successfully meet the other two key performance indicator criteria
Look at the haters scrambling to try to rearrange the facts. The fact is that a national magazine of great repute has named Gloucester City HIgh School one of the top high schools in South Jersey. Period. Gloucester High School offers an array of AP courses. It's a public school; anyone can access the course selection bulletin and see for themselves. One senior last year aced four AP exams: Calculus, Biology, English and History. And, oh yeah, she was a starter for the South Jersey Group 1 basketball champions and scored 2200 on her SAT's. It's time that we acknowledge what national and state magazines are applauding: Gloucester City has one of the best high schools around.
People cannot afford tuition.
I was born and raised in Philadelphia; my parents had no choice but to send me to Catholic school...the public schools, even back in the early 1960s were dangerous. Same reason I sent my kids to Catholic schools.
When we moved to Gloucester in 1997, my kids went to public school. They're both Gloucester High graduates.
With mortgages to pay and the economy in the shape it's in, people cannot afford Catholic school tuition.
Isn't Gloucester Catholic scheduled to abandon this city for Gloucester County?
It IS all about money, isn't it?
I believe hardheartedly or not that all of the Catholic Schools & Churches in the world are shrinking faster than ever. Let me explain in some detail without pulling any punches, I'll just tell the ugly truth how it is, ready;
One of the major "Problems" that has plagued the Catholic Church & Catholic Schools are "Gays" and I don't just mean the stance that the Catholic Leaders would like you to believe that it is a sin to be Gay or what have you. I'm talking about the stone cold FACTS that Catholic Priests engage in the Homosexual Rape of Young Boys!
And YES, let me finish! They are totally against Gays/Lesbians when the Catholic Priests are at their pulpit however, when they get down & not just with the alter boys either. I think that with all of the lies, deception, Gay Rape of Little Boys & Financial Thefts, Misdeeds & Misdealing of Church Donations, working capital etc. that some of these Priests go out so far on a limb to testify how wrong it is to be Gay or Lesbian, while that same Priest hides the FACT that he is engaging in Illegal Homosexual Molestation of young Catholic School Boys. We have all heard the stories, the lies, the cover ups & the relocation of child molesting Gay Priests from the Arch Diocese on down to the local Church & Catholic Schools.
This kind of stuff that these Gay Priests do on a daily basis is why none of my kids will ever attend a Catholic School or Catholic Church because I know I need to be a good parent. Gloucester High has made strides over the years, and has never had any kind of allegations such as these in the school system.
Merry CHRISTmas Gloucester City!
Gloucester City has one of the best high schools around? When did you graduate? I was there a few years ago and it wasn't anything close.
I have no idea if these Gay/Lesbian liaisons are occurring now at GHS but they have occurred in the past.
They were very public secrets.
You must watch out for your kids at all times.
this one says 190
G.C.H.S. and all other catholic schools aren't on the list because they aren't public schools. If you throw all schools in together the ranking would be different to say the least. Vast improvements have been made at G.H.S. and everyone should be proud of the ranking. I don't see where the animosity comes from. I'm a G.C.H.S. grad and I'm happy G.H.S. received such a high rating. It puts our school system and city in a positive light. Bottom line is G.C.H.S. was not included in the evaluation so its like comparing apples to oranges. Congrats to G.H.S.
they don't rank Catholic or Private schools, only Public
no reason to believe in faith anymore. Science is killing every aspect of a higher god.
Here come all the good Christans celebrating higher SAT scores than the second poorest district in Camden County. I notice they're not bragging so much about how they compare to Haddongield or Cherry Hill. The fact remains that per capita income DEFINES your ranking. How'd GC do against Eustace? Eastern? Paul VI? Why not do something "Christian" on this holiday and just say "nice job" before your school flees to "greener" pastures.
considering the fact that 90% of the schools population is from Gloucester county (and has been for the last 25 years), it's surprising they're still here
i would like to take this time to thank shirley cleary and tim tobin for their work with the toys for gloucester program. their work is not over looked by these special needs children. i feel you both embodied what all schools should strive to produce as positive productive adults. thank you very much.i had the pleasure of speaking to one of the mothers this morning and was told you guys made the child's Christmas.
Well how un-Christian of you to point fingers and make accusations. GHS has nice new facilities on the backs of the taxpayers of the rest of the state of NJ. God forbid GCHS students should have classes in new facilities, or room around the campus for athletic fields, or state of the art technology paid for by other people's money. Where exactly in town would you build those? Plus, if GCHS does move who will pay? Not the state!
pssst. We could sell you a cheap lot of land over by Rt 130.
Hawker,
You'll need about 5 more sites that size. Those new houses the PSEG site and Highland Park should do it!
Abbott
Gloucester is no longer an Abbott District. It is one of the top high schools in New Jersey according to both national and state media--most recently cited as such by U.S. News and World Report. Gloucester Catholic is not moving anywhere. It is forever stuck being known as the second best high school in Gloucester City.
They jumped 86 spots from 280 out of 390 something Public High Schools (which is brutal) to 194 out of 390 something Public High Schools. Give them credit for that but the percentages dictated that they had to go up. Certainly nothing to be stickin there chest out over either; Nonetheless, keep on improving for the betterment of the City.
Real issue is now that Gov Elect Christie will be in charge he is against Abbott District Funding...anyone care to take a guess at what Gloucester City's taxes will go up after that gets pulled (and it will).
not on the football field they aren't
You do not even know me and you call me a hater? Nice of you to show what four years of GHS has done for! I am a christian not a hater, I will not go down to your level. Yes, I have heard of U.S. News and World Report and NJ Monthly magazines. I am also a reader of Time Magazine and the NY Times. It is nice to see that Gloucester City gets positive press but unfortuately you have turn a positive into a negative. Gloucester Catholic was not ranked in the two articles you speak of because no catholic high schools were scored. Again, I am not a hater but I am a Christian and proud of it. Have a happy new year.
- See more at: http://www.gloucestercitynews.net/clearysnotebook/2009/12/why-are-cahtolic-schools-around-the-state-disappearing-we-investigate-wwwnjmonthlycom.html#.dpuf
Catholic schools are closing for numerous reasons: often the local public school is better. Gloucester CIty High School was named one of the top high schools in New Jersey yesterday by the national magazine, U.S News and World Report. Gloucester High School was ranked above ever suburban high school in this area. New Jersey Monthly recently named Gloucester High as one of the 10 Most Improved High Schools in New Jersey. Mr. Don deserves a lot of credit for the great academic strides that Gloucester High has made during his tenure.