Diocese of Camden closes another school

Citing declining enrollment, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden has decided to close Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Regional School in Barrington after only one year of operation.

The school was created in September through the merger of St. Francis de Sales Regional School in Barrington and Annunciation Regional School in Bellmawr.

The diocese had planned to keep the new school open for the 2009-2010 school year, but Bishop Joseph Galante said in a letter to parents yesterday the decision was reveresed after regional pastors voiced their concerns about enrollment.

He said that while in May, 97 students were registered for the 2009-2010 school year, the number had now dropped to 79.

Galante said the Office of Catholic Schools agreed with the pastors that "such severe under-enrollment makes it impossible to assure a stable situation for our students and families and that it would be a disservice to both school families and the parish communities to allow conditions to continue for another year."