By Nate Leskovic
Times Staff
3/6/08
As some Boston Archdiocese schools gear up to close and others find themselves in an ambitious reorganization and consolidation, the Catholic schools in town are thriving.
Principals from both St. Mary of the Hills and St. Agatha schools are optimistic about the future and say it is strong community support and commitment that keeps their students at desks and their schools open.
St. Mary’s
St. Mary’s Pam Vasta, principal of the 400-student St. Mary’s, says one of the reasons why parents seek out her school is because of its diversity.
“We pull students from over 20 communities, and we are 50 percent diverse,” she says. “We teach the Catholic religion, but we accept students of all faiths. I have children who are doctors’ kids and I have children who don’t have anything. I feel like I’m living in the real world.”
Many students come from Brockton, Stoughton and Canton, or from city neighborhoods like Hyde Park, Mattapan and Roslindale.
“I feel the climate in the school is very, very positive,” says Vasta. “It’s obvious, the sense of community. It’s a safe, warm environment.”
In addition, she says PTO support is outstanding and tuition costs are kept down through fundraising efforts.
Once a month, St. Mary’s students attend Mass. Vasta says the addition of a Christian rock band and liturgical dance makes kids “really look forward to going to church.”
St. Mary’s location on Brook Road near Boston is attractive for parents who commute, Vasta says. A before-school program starting at 7:15 a.m. and an after-school program lasting until 5:30 p.m. is another perk for parents and students alike.
Vasta says when the busing controversy hit Boston in the 1970s, enrollment in Catholic schools spiked. But the numbers in schools and parishes have recently been dwindling.
“I just think that there were so many schools (in the region) and resources are limited,” she says. “They want to build stronger, healthier schools and share resources. A lot of schools need repairs and you’re not going to fix up seven or eight schools if they’re not at capacity.”
Vasta says the Archdiocese’s goal of strength for the city schools can already be found at St. Mary’s.
Only 25 percent of the student body is from the parish, according to Assistant Principal Lisa Fasano, and enrollment has remained steady over her 12-year tenure.
“We’ve been stable as long as I’ve been here, and we’ve held onto those unique characteristics throughout those years.”
St. Agatha
In contrast, the St. Agatha School is close to 70 percent parishioners. While the demographics are different than St. Mary’s, Principal Maureen Simmons says the strong bond among the school’s community is the same.
“Not only are we supported by the prayers of our community,” she says. “We have a very strong leader in Father (Peter) Casey. He asked to be assigned to a parish with a school because he believes so much in Catholic education.”
Simmons says many resources that support city schools are not available in the suburbs, but the St. Agatha community steps up.
“As long as we have a parish supporting us, there is no reason to close or merge,” she says.
Enrollment at St. Agatha has been about 450 for the past three years, according to Simmons. She says some students move on—the recent addition of seventh and eighth grade to B.C. High and other schools is one example—but for each student lost, there is always someone new to take their place.
“The reconfiguration of the (Boston) parishes has created a situation where the schools are no longer supported by the parishes but by different communities,” she says. “We’re still very united with our parish.”