CAMDEN, N.J. - November 29, 2007 --
Action News - WPVI-TV/DT Philadelphia

In February, the Diocese of Camden closed two elementary schools in the face of shifting demographics. More changes and school closings were announced on Thursday.

The changes are designed to strengthen and revitalize catholic schools in six counties of the Diocese of Camden.

"To have allowed the status quo to continue would have left weaker, not stronger schools," explained Reverend Joseph Bishop Galante, who announced the merger of 16 elementary schools in the Camden Diocese and the closure of one, due to declining enrollment and escalating costs. That one is in Ocean City.

Story continues belowAdvertisement"In the face of this reality, in the interest of the common good and with the objective of strengthening Catholic school education for the entire cluster, the closure of St. Augustine school at the end of 2007-08 year is necessary," Galante said.

Shifting population in the six-county diocese has meant a drop in catholic elementary school enrollment from 15-thousand in 2001 to less than 11-thousand now.
Tuition no longer covers school costs and shrinking parishes cannot offer enough subsidies to make up the difference.

This fall, St. Augustine students can enroll in other schools. Displaced teachers will get priority hiring status and be offered severance packages.
While unsettling, the Bishop believes these tough choices today will help avoid what he fears would otherwise happen in the future -- the withering and failure of diocesan schools.

"With low enrollment, rising costs, we would not be able to continue in an effective way the education of as many of our children as possible," he said.
Camden is creating special governing body and creating a fund to assure low-income students in the struggling city have access to catholic education.
For more information about the changes, visit the Camden Diocese website by clicking here.