Prayers answered

Relief, joy mix with sadness as St. Joseph’s will remain open as pre-K through 5 school,By Linda Smith Hancharick Florida — It was sheer delight for some and a bittersweet end for others last week after the Catholic Archdiocese of New York announced St. Joseph’s School in Florida would be spared and kept open, but as a pre-K through fifth grade school instead of through eighth grade. Priscilla Van Aulen, an active volunteer at the school where her daughter attends first grade, said she is pleased with the outcome and isn’t giving up on getting back the higher grades. “Essentially we have been given approval to combine the fifth and sixth grades,” said Van Aulen, who is an education professional. “We know for sure we will be keeping sixth grade. Our long-term plan is to definitely continue pre-K through eighth grade, not to cut it off after sixth.” Father Joseph Tokarczyk, who has been at St. Joseph’s Church for the past eight years, said he is happy with the outcome but also believes there is a chance the Archdiocese may keep or add the upper grades. “Basically we are pleased,” said Father Joseph. “Dr. (Catherine) Hickey said they would think about combining some upper grades. The majority of people are happy with the decision.” Hickey is the superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of New York. The school held a rally on Tuesday morning celebrating its victory in being spared from the Archdiocese’s biggest realignment in over 150 years. St. Joseph’s was one of 14 schools earmarked for closing and the only school mentioned in Orange County. Fifteen parishes also are set to close, and 16 parishes will be changed into mission churches. Another eight mission churches will be closing as well. Final decisions on the parishes is expected next week. As things stand now, St. Stanislaus’s Church in Pine Island is set to become a mission church of St. Joseph’s in Florida; St. Edward’s in Florida, a mission church of St. Stephen’s in Warwick, is set to close. Maryann Sieczak is one of the parents who has mixed emotions about the decision. Sieczak has three children currently in the school. Her oldest is graduating from eighth grade in June and will go on to S.S. Seward Institute in the fall. That leaves her sixth grader and her kindergartener. Another child attends Golden Hill Elementary School. “This is bittersweet for me,” said Sieczak. “I’m really happy they are keeping the school open. I’ve been in the school nine years.” But she will probably pull her youngest child from the school if there is no seventh grade for the older one. “I will take my younger child out if my older one can’t continue here,” said Sieczak. “It would be crazy. My kids would be in three different schools.” Sieczak said she loves St. Joseph’s. The teachers are wonderful, she said, the community is supportive and the atmosphere is just what she wants. But, if there are no upper grades for her older child, both will probably leave. Most of the enrollment at St. Joseph’s is concentrated in the lower grades. Father Joseph said that is basically the reason for this decision. “We just cannot afford to have six or seven students in a class anymore,” he said. “We have excellent teachers. Our education is wonderful. But that’s what it comes down to.” There are currently about 150 kids enrolled. Van Aulen said there has been a big marketing push over the past two years to sell the school. Last year, Van Aulen said 50 new students came to the school. The year before, 25 new students enrolled. Now that the school has been given another chance from the Archdiocese, Van Aulen is confident the school will continue to grow and prosper. “Our principal, Mrs. (Kim) McGinness, is highly motivated,” said Van Aulen. “And so are the parents. I don’t think this story is over.”