The Diocese of Lafayette announced today that Redemptorist Catholic School in Crowley will close at the end of the 2018-2019 school year.
The school enrolls students in grades Pre-K through eighth grade, and has been educating students in the Crowley community for the past fifty-nine years.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church pastor Father Jason Vidrine says that the closure is due to low registration numbers for this year. The school cannot operate financially according to Father Vidrine.
Neighboring Catholic Schools including St. Michael in Crowley, Rayne Catholic, St. Francis in Iota, and Maltrait Memorial in Kaplan will be accepting students from Redemptorist Catholic. Registration fees for the 2019/2020 school year will be refunded.
The Diocese’s Office of Catholic Schools will be helping find placement for faculty and staff affected by the school’s closure, according to Vidrine
Below is a letter sent to Redemptorist Catholic parents and guardians.
In my previous communications, I explained that after consultation with Bishop Deshotel and Deacon Jeff Trumps, our Diocesan CFO, I was able to open registration for the 2019-2020 school year at Redemptorist Catholic School.
I consulted with the Advisory Council and its Finance Committee to discuss ways we could raise revenue and cut expenses, and each of the budgets we considered would require at least 165 students. Despite our best efforts to bring that number down, including raising tuition, the lowest it could be brought down to was 158.
However, the actual number registered by February 28, 2019 was 79, far short of our goal. Unfortunately, our school cannot operate with such a low number both educationally or financially nor can its long-term viability be assured.
With this in mind, we have had to make the painful decision not to open for the 2019-2020 school year.
This announcement is being made at the present time because as many in the school community had expressed, it was necessary in order to allow adequate time for Teachers to find other employment and for parents to have the opportunity to enroll their students in other schools. Neighboring Catholic Schools such as St. Michael in Crowley, Rayne Catholic, St. Francis in Iota, and Maltrait Memorial in Kaplan are ready to accept students. St. Michael’s and Rayne Catholic have both graciously offered to allow the Parents of the RCS students they accept to pay the RCS tuition amount for their first year to allow an adequate adjustment on the part of the families. The Diocese’s Office of Catholic Schools will help find placement for faculty and staff affected by the school’s closure.
All registration fees collected for the 2019/2020 school year will be refunded.
I know it is a decision neither you nor I wanted to hear. Redemptorist Catholic School will always hold a sacred place in the hearts of all who have benefited by its rich tradition of Catholic education in our community. I would like to sincerely thank all who supported RCS throughout the years. It would not have been possible for us to make it this far without it. Your support will remain a testament to Redemptorist Catholic School.
This present challenge will present us with the opportunity to strengthen the catechetical program of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. We look forward to working with students who will enroll for our CCD classes.
We trust in God’s will. Through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we ask Our Lord’s compassion, mercy and blessings upon all impacted by this difficult decision.
-Rev. Fr. Jason Vidrine
