Archdiocese Announces Appeals Process for Schools Recommended to Close, Merge

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced a review process Tuesday for parish and school administrators who want to appeal the recommendation of a closure, partnership or regionalization for their school, according to an archdiocesen press release.

The 16-member Blue Ribbon Commission, appointed in December 2010, announced .

Four high schools and 44 out of the 156 elementary schools in the archdiocese were recommend to close or merge at the end of the school year.

In Northwest Philadelphia,  in Manayunk in East Falls.

The , in Andorra, was not on the list and is, therefore, not being considered for closure. Holy Cross in Mt. Airy could merge with Our Mother of Consolation in Chestnut Hill.

It has also been reported that West Catholic High School, Archbishop Prendergast and Monsignor Bonner were all on the list to close.

The recommendations come after a yearlong in-depth analysis of all programs related to Catholic education throughout the archdiocese—elementary, high school, special education and parish religious education programs (for Catholic children who attend public schools), a release from the diocese stated.

Archdiocesean high schools, Monsignor Bonner, Archbishop Prendergast, West Catholic, St. Hubert and Conwell Egan were recommended to close at the end of the school year.

The archdioceses has established two review committees, one for high schools and one for elementary schools to deal with appeal requests. Pastors, elementary school principals and high school presidents seeking an appeal have been asked to contact the Office of Catholic Education to request a meeting with the appropriate review committee, according to a press release.

These committees, which consist of members of the Blue Ribbon Commission and archdiocesan administrators, will hold review meetings beginning Jan. 12 and continue through early February.

At these meetings, the review committee will present the school representatives with all the facts used in reaching the school's recommendation and school representatives will be given the chance to present a reasoning as to why an appeal should be granted using facts and documentation, according to the press release.

The review committees will then present all of the information to Archbishop Charles Chaput for his consideration and he will make a final decision.

A final listing of the schools affected will be made public by mid-February.