November 17, 2019
Dear Parishioners,
We, the duly elected and appointed members of your Immaculate Conception/Saint Jude Parish Pastoral Council are responsible for assisting our Pastor in sustaining and growing our Parish Community. As good stewards to you, and faithful followers of God, we need to share information with you regarding discussions we have had concerning our parish school.
The Annual Parish Financial report for Fiscal 2019 was included in the bulletin the weekend of October 20, 2019. We hope by now you have been able to review this report, as it contains the central concern we have for the sustainability of our “Little School with a Big Heart”. We all recognize what an immense contribution ICS has and does make to our parish community and to the greater Elkton community. We take great pride in our school and have such profound gratitude for all who have served as principals, teachers, support staff, and students. They have all delivered over the years, a solid and Christian-based education.
Sustainability is our key concern. This has become a particularly salient issue for us within the last five years. Enrollment has been trending downward in our school since 2008. The decline initially was just a few each year but starting in 2012, the decline became larger, and by 2017 our enrollment was below 200. In the past three years, student enrollment has been 139, 128 and 115 respectively. In 2017, we partnered with the Healey Foundation to put incentives and marketing tools in place with the hope of increasing our enrollment. However, enrollment has continued to decline and we simply do not have enough students to keep the school running.
In 2008, the school reported a deficit of $47,692 and continued to report deficits of varying amounts through 2014 ranging between $39,548 and $86,202. 2016 was the last year we had an enrollment of over 200 students. Starting in fiscal 2015, the deficits moved into the six figure range. We have now been in a six digit deficit for each of the past five years with a deficit this year at $459,234. Deficits of six figures are projected for the next five years.
The following are some of the steps we have taken over the past few years. Our Building and Maintenance Committee increased the frequency of “in-house” repairs and our vetting of contracts. We cut back staff in both school and parish in the spirit of “economy of scale”. We also sought and received support from the Diocesan Office to help us with cash flow concerns. The school took advantage of state grants to support needed school improvements.
Thanks to the generous efforts of Mrs. Emily Murphy, our ICS development director, our fundraising chairs and volunteers for the parish and the school, our fundraisers were successful. Even with all that, we were unable to make up for the decline in school tuition income. Our parish deficits are now in the six figures. As a parish, we now face a very difficult decision concerning our elementary school ministry.
As we opened our doors for this school year, our goal was to provide another year of solid, Christian based education to our students. We intend to complete the 2019-2020 academic year. We are now seriously evaluating this ICS ministry and its sustainability. The ICS Board, the Parish Finance Committee, and the Parish Pastoral Council have been involved in the process along with the Diocesan Schools Office.
As good and faithful stewards, we the Parish Pastoral Council agree that without a substantial increase in enrollment and sustained school income, we must recommend to our Pastor the closure of our school in June of 2020. Our goal is to complete this evaluation and share the findings with our faculty, staff, and school parents and then all of you. We plan to complete this within the next three weeks. In the meantime let us pray together as a parish and school community in thanksgiving for the gift that is ICS.
Sincerely,
Father James Yeakel, OSFS Mark Guns
Pastor Parish Pastoral Council Chair
David Obarski
Finance Council Chair