By Anthony Dimattia
The sound of school bells and children scurrying to their classrooms at Holy Trinity Catholic School in Morrisville was a scene that many feared wouldn’t happen this school year or ever again.
After celebrating its 60th anniversary the prior year, some major changes were in order.
When students arrived back to school on Sept. 5 for the 2012-13 school year, they were met with a new state-of-the-art computer lab.
The pre-kindergartens were moved to the old convent that was transformed into a colorful two-classroom cottage surrounded by a beautiful English garden.
And enrollment is up to 18 students from last year.
But earlier this year, it wasn’t all smiles and school renovations. A black cloud seemed to hover over the small Catholic school in January, when Holy Trinity was set to close.
Another 44 Catholic elementary schools, as well as four high schools in the five-county Archdiocese of Philadelphia, were also set to close, due to a Blue Ribbon Commission recommendation.
The culprit: low enrollment. And the archdiocese no longer could continue to sustain financially strapped schools.
The threat of the closure has put the onus on the Rev. John Eckert and Principal ElaineMcDowell to create a core curriculum while simultaneously finding funding for the school.
Fortunately, the community has stepped up in a big way financially since the schoolclosure threat, giving the administration the means to spruce up the school building, add equipment and work on offering more programs that make the elementary school more attractive for potential students.
A Sunday mass collection – held soon after the appeals decision – raised $35,000 that helped pay for the new computer lab.
More donations – from parents and the community – led to the garden. And there’s also a plan for a new playground on the horizon with the help from donations.
“There was a big spike in interest in the school, support both financially and volunteerism after the appeal. (The closure scares) provided a shot in the arm to Catholics,” McDowell said.
Over the summer, the school created a committee to brainstorm revenue options, such as fundraisers, and works closely with McDowell, whose goal is to raise $100,000 within the next three years.
One of its main sources of income comes from the Educational Improvement TaxCredit Program, which uses tax credits from businesses to provide tuition breaks for students. Last year the school collected approximately $24,000 from this program.
In addition to fundraising, Holy Trinity will continue to apply for grants, which are vital to keeping the school affordable and sustainable going forward, McDowell said.
As for educational programs, the school has also spread its wings with help from grants, such as 21st Century. This year, students participate in after-school clubs such as blowing, pottery-acrylic painting, golf, history, forensics and flag football.
McDowell understands that it’s not only money that runs a school, but also student participation.
“If you want programs, everyone must be involved. It takes more than just financial support,” she said.
Even with new features and programs, the “small school with a big heart” is committed to remaining affordable, accessible and sustainable – the archdioceses’ motto.
Provided with donations from businesses and parishioners, Holy Trinity has also been able to help struggling families access a Catholic education. “Many people have come forward to say they want this opportunity for their children,” McDowell said.
In January, Morrisville was on the brink of not having a Catholic school within walking distance.
The Blue Ribbon Commission’s recommendation involved the merging of schools. Holy Trinity was set to merge with nearby St. John’s the Evangelist in Lower Makefield.
After undergoing an appeals process, Holy Trinity was to remain open, while St. John was advised to close in June after the 2011-2012 school year.
“I was devastated by the news of the school’s closing. Where would I send my kids if I didn’t have the (financial) help?” said Lorie Morath, a mother of Holy Trinity students.
She also serves in the Home and School committee, which helps devise ways to raise funds for the school.
Before the commission’s recommendations were released, Holy Trinity was making changes for the better since the arrival of McDowell four years ago.
Under her leadership, enrollment has increased from 209 students in her first year of leadership to 234 to start the 2012-2013 year.
That’s a rare occurrence in the five-county archdiocese. Of the 156 Catholic elementary schools, 34 had enrollments under 200, with 14 possessing fewer than 150 students, according to the Blue Ribbon Commission’s January 2012 report.
The commission also noted that approximately 40 to 45 of the schools cannot be sustained, burdened by serious annual operating deficits often in parishes with heavyaccumulated debts.
Holy Trinity did not fit into these parameters. According to McDowell, Holy Trinity has annually operated in the black since her arrival.
“I always wanted (my kids) to come here, and it seemed okay, but I was blown away by Principal McDowell’s vision. I can’t put it into words McDowell’s impact,” said Morath, who became motivated to get involved after the threat of losing their school sunk in.
Although McDowell works hard to keep the school successful, she says that the Catholic school system needs restructuring.
“There was a need for a renovation of the education system in the dioceses. Clearly (the threat of closure) was an opportunity for that,” McDowell said.
In August, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced that starting this school year that the strategic and operational management of the 17 Catholic high schools andfour special education schools would be the responsibility of the Faith in the Future Foundation, a private and independent entity.
McDowell said she hopes that such restructuring will eventually trickle down to the elementary level.
The work isn’t done for the little school that could. The Holy Trinity family hopes that with the continual leadership of McDowell, the non-stop support from parents, students, parishioners, and businesses, the school will continue its transformation from a school on the brink to a community on the rise.