May 16, 2022

Dear Families of St. Mary’s Explorer Academy,

I am saddened to break this news to you and I wish I could be there in person, but I wanted you to hear it from me. After careful assessment with finance professionals and members of our parish leadership team, we have made the very difficult but necessary decision to permanently close St. Mary’s Explorer Academy when the current academic year concludes on June 17. The process involved others in parish leadership roles, among them those who have signed this letter supporting the decision. If you have already enrolled your children for the summer program and the fall session, your registration deposit, of course, will be refunded. All reports about your children’s progress will be distributed by their teachers at the end of the school session.

Unsustainable budget deficits and weak enrollment have forced us into this painfully difficult outcome. Rather than wait until August, we are making this announcement in May so that you have sufficient time to enroll your children in another early childhood development program well before the start of the 2022/23 academic year, and in a program for the upcoming summer.

I hesitate to use numbers when talking about the education and care of children. Statistics can sound callous; however, they also provide clarity and understanding. All of us are painfully aware of the cascading effect that certain obstacles have had on the Academy’s enrollment and revenue. We had to push the opening from Sept. 2021 to Feb. 2022 because of government delays in expediting certification permits. Despite the setbacks, we opened the Academy with 22 registered children – far short of the projected start-up goal of 80 students that was necessary to make this program economically sustainable.

As a result of low enrollment, the Academy had a first-year operating budget deficit of $137,000 – which we managed to mitigate through the generosity of parish funding. Our finance professionals projected a $225,000 operating budget deficit going into the second year, and with inflation showing no signs of retreat, it is not beyond the realm of possibility for this projected deficit to eclipse a quarter-million dollars, or more, during the 2022/23 session. As wonderful as the Academy has been during its short tenure – with the presence of your children breathing new life into our community – this program cannot be sustained at the expense of the parish and survival of other vital ministries of our faith community. 

Everyone involved gave this their best effort – especially you, our good and faithful families that offered support and encouragement throughout this short-lived journey. We are grateful for your involvement, confidence and commitment, and for entrusting the Academy with your children’s education and development. We are profoundly grateful to Cathy Feld, Karen Connelly, Allison Chorba, and Nicole George, whose gift for teaching, and whose commitment and love for the Academy and the children in their care, turned a vision into a reality. Wise and learned people follow through on their dreams even when the outcome is unknown. We were blessed to have these remarkable educators establish a strong foundation for your amazing children. Closing the Academy is not the product of failure, but rather an unfortunate economic reality.

With every ending, there is a new beginning. I will pray that this transition to a new beginning is a joyful and easy one for your children and your family. In the time you have been with us as part of the St. Mary’s Explorer Academy family, we have been blessed to have you and your children in our lives. Thank you for being part of our community, and we hope to see you involved in St. Mary’s Parish life and ministries.

In peace,

Fr. Frank Critch, OFM

Pastor

Fr. John Aherne, OFM      Anne Silversey                              Chris Brillante               Jane McEwen

Parochial Vicar                Director of Ministry                          Trustee                             Trustee