Marked For Closure, There Is Now Hope For Nazareth High In Brooklyn
NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A Brooklyn high school which boasts both an accomplished athletic and academic track record is now fighting to stay open beyond this year.
The Board of Trustees at Nazareth Regional High School in East Flatbush said in February that it would close its doors for good in June, citing financial problems and sluggish enrollment.
1010 WINS' Terry Sheridan With More On The Story
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However the school, which touts a 98 percent graduation rate and sends 96 percent of its graduates to college, may have a glimmer of hope, 1010 WINS' Terry Sheridan reports.
The board has laid down three conditions to keep the school open, including:
- Get 80 kids into the freshman class -- which it has already done.
- Develop a business plan to go forward -- which is currently being undertaken.
- Raise $700,000 by April 15.
Woody Crowe, the alumni leader at Nazareth, said the stipulations are certainly within reach, adding that it would be "horrible" if the school he dubbed "one of the more positive things in the area" was closed down.
"We're very optimistic -- in the short period of time we've raised over $100,000," he told 1010 WINS on Friday.
The principal of the school, Providencia Quiles, also spoke with 1010 WINS on Friday and said her school holds a very special place in the hearts of teachers, students and the greater community.
"Nazareth is a place where everyone feels comfortable and we're at home at Nazareth. Our students in the inner city need schools like Nazareth," Quiles said.
After alluding to the school's hefty academic prowess, Quiles said other schools in the area were "trying to find the model that we already have."
"No one has those statistics in our neighborhood. This school is a beacon of light and hope for these kids," she said.
Many said they will continue to hold onto the hope that Nazareth High School will be able to survive.
"We're trying to keep our eye on the prize and keeping the school open," Crowe said.
If You Would Like To Make A Donation, Please Click Here For More Information.
A fundraiser will also be held this Saturday, details below:
Latitude Bar & Grill
783 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10019
(212) 245-3034
7 p.m. Saturday March 24
$60 open bar and buffet -- $50 goes to the school, $10 to the bar.
