The following is a statement from Board of Trustees & Cornelia Connelly School of the Holy Child.
After years of diminishing enrollment, increased debt, and shortfalls in fundraising efforts, on October 1, 2019, the Board of Trustees of Cornelia Connelly School of the Holy Child voted to close Cornelia Connelly School at the end of the 2019-2020 academic year. With deep regret and sorrow, the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus accepted the Trustees’ vote on Wednesday, October 2, 2019. Connelly parents and students were notified of the news on Thursday, October 3, 2019.
The Board of Trustees of Connelly School of the Holy Child agreed that the operation of Cornelia Connelly School was unsustainable beyond the 2019-2020 school year. According to Board Chair Priscila Forbes, the Trustees’ decision to close was made with heavy hearts and sadness: “The Trustees are heartbroken to be closing Connelly School, and every effort has been made over the years to establish a sustainable future for Connelly. We feel the loss and pain of students, alumnae, faculty, staff, administration, and the larger community.”
Under the leadership of Head of School Jacqueline Quiñones Sienkowski, J.D. Cornelia Connelly School’s faculty and staff remain committed to providing the current student body with an excellent education as well as continuing the programs, activities, and traditions that are reflective of Cornelia Connelly School. Furthermore, the School’s administration and faculty are working with area high schools to transition students as seamlessly as possible.
Mrs. Sienkowski shared: “Our focus continues to be on our students, especially during this difficult time. The faculty, staff, and administration are dedicated to making sure that the joy of Connelly is part of this final year so that our girls remember who they are and where they came from, all the days of their lives. Once a ‘Connelly Girl,’ always a ‘Connelly Girl.
Full story at OC Catholic.
From the school website: “Connelly is blessed with a vibrant faith community, where Catholic Christian principles are taught and modeled. This lived faith is evident in activities that promote spirituality, respect for all faith traditions and social justice.”
“Spirituality” check
“Respect for all faith traditions” check
“Social justice” check
All the left-wing boxes are checked.
So another phony Catholic school is closing. Big deal. Good riddance.
So if it’s ‘good riddance to this school, what should replace it?
Interesting that the prior head of school jumped ship last year to become principal (lower-title) at Santa Margarita Catholic High School. She saw the writing on the wall and may have been responsible for the decline of Connelly during her tenure as head of school. She got out while the getting out was good.
Oh, and “celebrating diversity”. Amen, Mary. It turns out these schools were developed by genuine women of faith. These women are gone now over fifty years and we witness the endless wreckage.
Wondering what others think of the school voucher idea? I love the concept for many parents cannot afford our private schools even with both parents working. I know some homeschooling parents that are doing everything they can to keep their kids out of public schools that teach against the Church.
My real concern in writing and getting on the ban wagon for school vouchers is the concern some of our Catholics schools will continue to hire non-Catholics or lukewarm Catholics who do not love and understand the faith to work there. I do not want these other doctrines in our kids schools, especially since most do not still understand their own faith (the adults and kids). Is there a way to make and keep them Catholic and have room for Catholic students if vouchers were approved. I would love to hear solid Catholics discuss this.
A voucher system would be similar to what happens in Canada and many other countries — there is full government financial support of all religious [separate] schools at all grade levels. I’m not an attorney, but I think a US voucher system would face substantial First Ammendment challenges.
As usual, I’m taken aback! When I attended a Catholic boy’s school back in the ’50, the nuns, stick as all-get-out, taught us to welcome everyone. Our small school was filled with French, German, Irish, Canadians, and likely a few Slavs. We were diverse and were taught that the Catholic faith welcomed everybody because it was a universal church. We were taught that the way to Christ was through the Church, and therefore we must be nice to everyone because our behavior might make the difference between others joining the Church or not. We were spiritual too. Every feast was celebrated with high Masses, rosaries each day, weekly confessions even if only for the near occasion of sin. Those aren’t liberal teachings to be checked off, they are in part what it means to be Catholic.
You don’t understand what code words are in academia. You don’t understand the leftist infiltration and perversion of education. You don’t understand that Catholic administrators use ambiguity to seem Catholic while being leftist.
Anon, you may be right, sort of anyway. 1. What code words do I not understand? I’m naive enough to not understand what you mean. 2. By today’s definitions and standards, Catholic teaching is very much leftist, don’t you think?
Bob One it is satanically leftist by not louly and proudly teaching the Truths of the Faith. They are always cowering so not too offend….
Sir Francince was head school for 99% of the time the school was in debt and growing. My class of 98 was never informed, obviously it was kept secret until the very end. This is what happens when people don’t know how to operate a school yet are too prideful to ask for advice amd help. Once again, the Catholic system drops the ball on its people. Good job.