TOWN OF TONAWANDA, NY (WKBW) — Families from St. Andrew's Country Day School in the Town of Tonawanda are now scrambling to find a new school.
Last Friday the Diocese of Buffalo told them the school will close in June, or even sooner as the school and parish face falling enrollment and tough financial times.
7 News Senior Reporter Eileen Buckley returned St. Andrew’s school Tuesday where she broke the story that this school would be closing and now, she's learning how school families are coping.
“I don't want St. Andrew’s to close. I want them to keep it open,” declared Alex Paulino, student, St. Andrew’s. “I don't feel good, and I don't like that it's closing.
I wanted you to hear the voice of St. Andrew's Country Day school third grader Alex Paulino as he shares his message to the Diocese of Buffalo of who he is most concerned about when his school closes.
“My friends and my teachers,” reflected Paulino.
“It’s very upsetting and you know, very emotional for him as well as for me and, you know, just upsetting all around,” described Alyssa Tyran.
Alex's mom Alyssa Tyran met with me in the school's parking lot, angry that the Catholic school would close.
“We were given hope we were told that we had time to do some things behind the scenes and our school board was working very hard to do that as long as well as our principal and there was a lot of community coming together to try and give us a second life basically,” Tyran replied.
RELATED: 'I've been crying all weekend': St. Andrew's Church members react to closure announcement
In a letter, the diocese said it can “assure” parents "there is room at all" at other local catholic schools. It is also recommending two specific Catholic schools if school families want to remain within the Family of Parishes, St. Stephen School in Grand Island or St. John The Baptist School in nearby Tonawanda. But parents tell me they are weighing their options.
“I don't really like our options within the diocese so I probably will end up having to put them in public school going forward. I really liked the family here at St. Andrew’s. But unfortunately, you know, we have to make changes,” Tyran explained.
"I'm very disheartened and ashamed is that how the diocese has handled everything in and around the St. Andrew's community,” described Brian Schlatterer, school parent.
Schlatterer has two children who attend St. Andrew's and he's concerned other Catholic schools will suffer similar fates.
“I don't want my kids to go through this again. I want to create an environment of stability for them. albeit, you know, catholic faith still provides them a beacon, you know, a compass for their internal well-being so, you know, we still have a lot to think about in that regard,” responded Schlatterer.
Both parents tell me they will remain committed to making their tuition payments to ensure the school remains open through June 30th.
“St. Andrew’s is really on their own to fend for themselves. and if we can't figure it out, then they're not there to help us through,” noted Schlatterer.
One parent I spoke with last Friday, who was very emotional about the school closing tells me she has not decided yet where to send her two children, but she said the principal is working on resources for her to make that decision.
