ARTICLES

Petersburg school to stay open

By Steve Neill
of The Catholic Virginian

The groundswell of publicity generated by the possible closing of St. Joseph’s School in Petersburg was the best thing that could have happened to the 132-year-old school in its valiant effort to remain open.

Principal Ruth Bonner said she also felt the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States and his strong message of support for Catholic schools added to the momentum of monetary support for the school. Gifts of money came from many different parts of the country, including as far away as Hawaii.

In the end, St. Joseph’s School has almost surpassed the $1 million it needed to convince the Diocese of Richmond that it should remain open. This announcement was made April 21 at the Diocesan Pastoral Center and then shared that afternoon with the 149 students and faculty.

“The kids erupted with cheers, just jumping up and down with joy,” Mrs. Bonner told The Catholic Virginian. “Some of the teachers were weeping with joy.”

The challenge of raising $1 million in about three weeks was a shock to the parents, students and faculty, but they felt they could accomplish it once they had a bottom line figure.

Mrs. Bonner, who has been with St. Joseph’s School for 29 years and is in her ninth year as principal, said she had been informed by Annette Parsons, Chief School Officer with the diocese, that St. Joseph’s parish had recommended to Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo that he close the school. The parish said it could no longer continue to subsidize the school and could not borrow any more money toward the subsidy.

When Bishop DiLorenzo asked pastors and lay leaders of other Region 5 parishes if they would want to support St. Joseph’s School as a regional Catholic school, they regretfully declined.

Bishop DiLorenzo also expressed concerns about the declining enrollment, the need for more maintenance of the school’s aging buildings and the need for a more viable marketing and development plan to attract more students.

“We had called the diocese and wanted a bottom line figure,” Mrs. Bonner said. “The parents’ task force wanted to know what it is that the bishop would accept?”

John Barrett, diocesan Director of Finance, gave a figure of $1 million which he felt was needed “to address some of the concerns the bishop had,” Mrs. Bonner said.

She pointed out that St. Joseph’s School did have a marketing plan “but it was not producing results in increasing enrollment.”

“The bishop wanted us to move into the future and not just use a temporary approach to just fix immediate problems,” Mrs. Bonner said.

“I really appreciate the bishop asking us to be visionaries as difficult and as shocking as it was,” she continued. “It helped us focus on the future rather than the immediate needs.”

Francis Stevens, the father of a child at St. Joseph’s, called USA Today which was preparing an article on the closing of many Catholic schools in American inner cities. When the editor heard St. Joseph’s story they decided to feature the school and news spread throughout the country. The Washington Post also featured an article on St. Joseph’s plight.

Reporters from both publications called the school and interviewed Mrs. Bonner and a few parents on the phone. This created a momentum of financial contributions in the school’s effort toward its $1 million goal.

The message Pope Benedict gave to Catholic educators during his visit to Washington was another boost to the school that inspired more givers to the school’s campaign.

“The Pope made a very poignant comment that our (Catholic schools) mission is to provide an affordable education for everybody,” said Sister Margaret Mary Scally, assistant principal.

Both Mrs. Bonner and Sister Margaret Mary said the cost per student of an education at the Petersburg school is about $7,000, far less than it is for public schools.

The cost was $9,944 in Petersburg public schools in 2006, Sister Margaret Mary said, citing figures from the Virginia Superintendent’s Report. The cost in Richmond public schools per student was $12,219 and $9,434 for Norfolk.

While only 20 percent of St. Joseph’s current students are Catholics, the Catholic religion is taught in every grade every day.

“It’s interesting that children of no church at all or of other faiths really hunger for what we have to offer,” Mrs. Bonner said. “They love the liturgy, they love the prayer.

“They really love what they learn in religion class and share it with their family.”

Christian values permeate the environment of other classes as well.

“Our PE teacher, Laurie Turner was just consecrated a deacon in her Baptist church and she begins every PE class with a prayer,” Mrs. Bonner said.

The focus on a Christian environment is important to parents like Ronique Jordan, who has two sons in the school. She and her husband had moved to Chesterfield County and looked for a Catholic school. They chose St. Joseph’s in Petersburg and enrolled the older boy, Rodney, in the pre-k class. He is now in the 3rd grade and his brother, Reece, is in the 1st grade.

“I’m pleased because they are getting the moral underpinnings they need as well as a rigorous academic program,” Mrs. Jordan said. “Those two things for young people are very important.”

With the challenge of raising a large sum of money in such a short period, Mrs. Jordan said it brought everyone together and they worked hard.

“All the parents came together, the community came together to participate in the process in whatever they could do,” she said.

“It was a lot of work and there was a lot of stress,” she continued. “The dollars are out there.

“It’s a matter of getting your message out to donors who will support your cause.”

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