Diocese to keep St. Bernard's High open this year

FITCHBURG - The Diocese of Worcester will keep St. Bernard's Central Catholic High School open for the upcoming school year because more than 100 pupils have enrolled, the Catholic Free Press reported on Thursday.

The school's declining enrollment has been at issue for some time, and explorations got underway last month to study whether the school should become private, which would absolve the diocese of responsibility for its finances and operations. While the diocese is still working with a team to privatize the school in the school year starting in fall 2020, Bishop Robert J. McManus this week agreed to keep the school open this year, the Free Press reported.

Over the last decade, enrollment at the school had dropped from 434 to 133, and a six-figure deficit was projected, school officials have said.

"In addition to the pledged support of the Diocese during this transformative year, we have initiated a steering committee, staffed by business and finance experts in our community and fueled by the insights of faculty, staff, and our many partners in Catholic education," school Principal Linda Anderson wrote in June, adding that the group would work to create an educational model that would be sustainable for years to come.

Reactions on social media to the news were positive. A comment from Ms. Anderson praised the community for their work and noted that there is still "Plenty of work left to do, but we've got this."

Diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools David Perda told the Free Press that much work has been done during summer break and he's hoping the momentum, which has increased enrollment, will continue.

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