Mount Alvernia students blindsided by decision to close school
NEWTON - Students were blindsided by the sudden news Mount Alvernia High School in Newton would close its doors at the end of the academic year.
"It's just heartbreaking to know that I won't be able to come back to where I've grown up," said student Anna Renehan.
Leaving many like sophomore Meghan Murphy scrambling for a new placement. "It's more of a family than it is a school, we're really small, and a lot of girls I got really close with," Meghan said. "It's something I could come to and really just enjoy every day."
Many believe it didn't have to happen, as the Franciscan Sisters who own the property are now selling the 22 acres to an undisclosed buyer and apparently didn't disclose their intentions to the school community for months, according to board member and alumna Kathleen Joyce.
"If they had brought it to the board and to the people involved in the school years ago, or even just started conversations with us a while ago, we could have come up with a plan where everyone was happy," Joyce said.
It's one of three Catholic schools in Massachusetts to close in recent days and weeks, leaving a void for many students and families.
This week Bishop Connolly in Fall River also announced its closing, and a few weeks ago, Saint Joseph Prep in Boston, both citing financial hardships.
"I think these schools turned out very well prepared, very well-educated young people and yet also with some real moral and spiritual formation," said Boston College theology professor Thomas Groome.
In the case of Mount Alvernia, enrollment and finances are said to be stable, but the sisters made a decision it was time to sell and students in good standing will be helped with transferring to another school.
"Knowing this was going to be the end at the end of this year, and allowed everyone to raise money, it's just a very confusing time, and it's distressing, and I think it could have been handled a lot better," Joyce said.
Now these students are trying to handle how to move forward.
"I don't know how they could blindside all these girls who need to apply to new schools now and all the girls going off to college," said student Marlene Carter.