Saint Jude Closes Suddenly In Waltham After More Than 50 Years

WALTHAM, MA — For more than 50 years, Saint Jude School a Catholic school educating hundreds of children from pre-k through eighth grade has been a strong presence in Waltham. This week, the school announced an abrupt end to that.

The superintendent of schools for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston told teachers and parents Wednesday night during an emergency meeting the school was closing immediately, according to Meghan Conneely, who has three children who attend the school.

"We are devastated by this news," she wrote on social media.

The news comes as dozens of Catholic schools around the country have announced similar abrupt closures. In May after 53 years, Pope John XXIII high school in Everett announced it was closing due to deep debt. Several schools in New York and New Jersey also recently announced closures. Saint Jude, meanwhile, has been battling flagging enrollment.

"The enrollment decline was so severe and despite every effort by the parish and school leadership, became an insurmountable issue," said Meghan Stellman Of Catholic Schools Office in Boston. "Debt was increasing and because it is a parish school that puts the ministry of the parish at risk."

The office projected an enrollment of 80 students next school year, down from 130 in the 2014-15 school year.

Still, parents and teachers said they had been hopeful about a turnaround after recent efforts.

Last year Father Adrian Milik took over as administrator for the parish, he held a meeting for parents and said that the Archdiocese was willing to give the school two to three years to work to boost enrollment. Then a week after the school got a new principal described as having fresh ideas and enthusiasm for the school, the Archdiocese made the announcement.

"We were hopeful and optimistic that between Father Adrian, Jane O’Connor, and our supportive parent and parish communities, we had a solid team of dedicated people to make SJS a thriving, vibrant school," said Conneely.

Now parents are scrambling to find a place for their children to start school in less than two months.

"We are all reeling. And we feel like our voices are not being heard by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston," said Conneely.

But she's hoping to change that.

Conneely and other parents are asking for the community's support in sending emails to the Archidocese to urge them to reconsider.

"Maybe your kids went to the Pre-K program and had Sister Judith. Maybe Miss Cox was your fourth grade teacher and you still know all the prepositions in alphabetical order and can write them in cursive. Maybe you never went to Saint Jude but met Sister Katherine during her 34 years of service to our school," she wrote.

The Catholic Schools Office in Boston said there are 112 elementary and high schools throughout the City of Boston and the surrounding towns and communities, according to its website. It still lists both the Everett school and Saint Jude on its website.

Patch has reached out to school officials.

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).