After the last day of classes in June 2007, the Catholic Archdiocese closed the doors of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School, citing lack of enrollment due to demographic changes in the City of Poughkeepsie. Parents had to find new schools for their children, staff began writing new resumes – while others began fighting for a solution.
Mt. Carmel School has a long history in the Catholic community in Poughkeepsie. At one time, it was the second largest Catholic school in the country, producing generations of former and current students.
Recently, a small group of parishioners, parents, former teachers and administrators met at Milanese Restaurant in Poughkeepsie to discuss the outcomes of the closing and potential re-opening of Mt. Carmel School. “It’s been rough,” said Debra Hosier, a former after-school coordinator. “We have a petition going right now that we are sending to the Archdiocese to see what their thoughts are.”
Beyond the petition, there have been meetings with the Archdiocese, letters, phone calls and plans presented since the closing of the school – all in hopes that it can be re-opened. Gabe Ponte is one of the leaders of the effort to revive the school, as he served as principal there since 1990. He was told that the Archdiocese saw Mt. Carmel School as a “viable part of the educational future in this area,” and is not taking that statement lightly. In fact, the recent petition is based on that statement.
“Based on what we know, we think we could have been afloat this year,” he explained, “I began to sense that there wasn’t total commitment (in keeping the school open).” Holding the petitions in his hand, he went on, “If there was no need for Mt. Carmel School, then fine, but when we see no initiative from the Archdiocese, it’s upsetting.”
But the Archdiocese seems to be taking an initiative. Brendon Montessori School in Lagrangeville experienced the tragedy of a fire in October that rendered its space unusable. The students and staff needed a place to hold classes, administrative officials needed offices and everyone needed to continue their day-to-day educational activities. This is when the Catholic Archdiocese offered Mt. Carmel School as a temporary educational respite. Brendon Montessori has been renting the space from the Archdiocese ever since, and has a lease agreement until June of 2008.
Left wondering what happened
In the meantime, families and students of the recently closed Mt. Carmel School are wondering what went wrong. “They told us the school would not be rented – and three months later, Brendon Montessori School had a fire and the Archdiocese started renting to them,” said Mike McPeck, former president of the parent’s association for Mt. Carmel School.
“They’ve completely written us off as far as I’m concerned,” said McPeck. “They asked me to be the liaison between the Archdiocese and the community, and they’ve completely dropped the ball.”
Over 400 people have signed the petition, and the group plans to present it to the parish and the Archdiocese before Catholic School Week in February with hopes of reconvening in the fall of 2008. “We have no animosity toward the Montessori school at all – it’s the Christian thing to do,” said Ponte, but these few steadfast individuals want their school back. “We have no problem sharing with them,” McPeck added, “but it’s the fact that the Vicar pushed to get them in there and he wouldn’t even fight for our kids.”
Hope is still strong, but faith may be wavering. “My son was very upset,” said Rich Breightfeller, who served as basketball coach for the school for the last nine years. “He went there from Pre-K.” Breightfeller is among the group of parents and former staff who is not taking the closing and rental of the space lying down.
Recently, he wrote a letter to the superintendent of schools, Sister Marie Pappas, expressing his distaste in the closing of Mt. Carmel, and the rental of the property to Brendon Montessori. Pappas did not return calls from the Beat seeking comment, but Breightfeller presented her response to his letter. In the letter, Pappas states that, “Under the circumstances, I am sure you agree that being responsive to another’s needs is appropriate. The responsiveness does not negate the hope that Mt. Carmel School could be revived in the future. I assure you there has been no bad faith in what was communicated to you.”
Father Peter Kihm, the pastor at Mt. Carmel, said he was unaware of a petition being circulated in the Mt. Carmel community, and said, “None of them have been in contact with the parish.” When asked about the re-opening of the school in the near future, Kihm said, “It would be nice to have a parish school,” but “I don’t think so.”
Furthering Pappas’ letter about hope, Kihm added, “There always is some hope that changes in the city will lead to demographic changes to bring more families,” to Poughkeepsie.
While the Archdiocese plays the part of good Samaritan to Brendon Montessori School, and the parish leaders pray for demographic changes in the city, parents, students and parishioners are being left to find new means for their own needs. In the meantime, Breightfeller is helping the athletic director at St. Peter’s in Hyde Park, and like many parents and former staff, he seems to be feeling lost and misguided. “They’re telling me to pray fervently, that God has a plan,” he said, “but it all comes down to the kids – one of my sons was scheduled to graduate this year.”
Since the closing, some dedicated community members of Mt. Carmel are feeling put out, but hope still lingers that one day they can resurrect the school they once held dear. “There is a feeling amongst parishioners and parents that the school was a thorn in the archdiocese’s side,” said Ponte. Now, with a petition circulating, and the school being rented, parishioners and parents will have to wait patiently in the pews to see if hope still abounds.