April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
NEW LOCATION FOR SCHOOL

MAGINN WILL MOVE

Bishop's decision: Bishop Maginn High will remain open -- in new location
On March 24, as The Evangelist went to press, the Albany Diocese announced that the current campus of Bishop Maginn High School in Albany will be sold or leased and the school relocated to the former Cathedral Academy building on Park Avenue in Albany.

A diocesan press release stated that the Diocese "remains committed to continuing Catholic high school education in the city of Albany and will support a re-envisioned Bishop Maginn High School at a new, downtown location.

"To continue to support the school, which has been plagued by more than a decade of declining enrollment and operating deficits, the Diocese will sell or lease the school's current property after the current school year, and use a portion of the proceeds to relocate Bishop Maginn to the former Cathedral School on Park Avenue, a block from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and adjacent to the New York State Museum," the press release continued.

"The new building, most recently used by charter schools, is wired for a high-tech learning environment that will take advantage of new opportunities, including the expanded use of iPads donated last fall for use by all students.

"The decision, announced by Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger, was made in consultation with the Diocesan School Board, which is charged with maintaining a vibrant Catholic education program across the Diocese.

"The school board conducted its own assessment before making its recommendation to the Bishop, including reviewing an independent task force report on the future of the school, and gathering input from the community via email and a public meeting in February."

The press release quoted Bishop Scharfenberger as saying, "Catholic education is an important mission of the Church. This solution provides the best opportunity for long-term success for Bishop Maginn High School. The new location will also offer students expanded educational options not available at the current location."

The release reviewed Maginn's financial struggles, noting: "After 15 years of providing loans to the school to support annual operating deficits ranging from $17,000 to $472,000, the Diocese notified the school a year ago it was unable to provide further extraordinary support beyond the $3 million in loans already granted.

"The Diocese looked at all options to ensure the continuation of the school, including recommendations put forward by a volunteer Bishop Maginn task force.

"Among the recommendations evaluated for generating new revenue was a partial lease of the current building to a third party, with the school remaining at its location.

"That potential revenue source was lost when the third party withdrew its interest. Other possible revenue sources identified by the task force relied on assumed enrollment growth and development of new programs that could not ultimately be supported by historical trends and current demographics.

"With no other new, viable revenue streams, the sale or lease of the current property was the only option to continue the school.

"In addition to the new location, a new governance model will be adopted for the school, reflecting a recommendation made by the Bishop Maginn task force.

"The school's current organizational structure with both a head of school and associate head of school, adopted five years ago, will transition back to a traditional one principal model at the end of the current school year.

"The diocesan Catholic Schools Office is also being directed to look at new school board governance models as Bishop Maginn moves forward. A reconstituted school board will be in place at the start of the 2015-16 school year, overseeing the school's future at its new location."

"These are significant changes, and change can be difficult, but financial obligations cannot be met by sheer will alone," Bishop Scharfenberger said in the press release. "We all share a responsibility to be good stewards of resources and find sustainable ways to continue our goal of providing quality Catholic high school education in the city of Albany.'"

Regarding the new location, the release said: "A review by diocesan building experts found that the Park Avenue location, at approximately the same size as Saratoga Central Catholic High School, will not require significant structural changes to accommodate high school students.

"The Diocese has committed to cover the costs of necessary renovations, such as modifications for food services, adding lockers and converting existing rooms into science labs and media rooms.

"Because the new building is owned by the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception parish, the parish will remain responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the building, while Bishop Maginn High School will pay annual rent to the parish.

"The Slingerland Street site is owned by the Diocese, and though Bishop Maginn did not pay rent, it was responsible for building maintenance and repairs, including any structural repairs such as replacing the roof or repairing heating systems.

"If a major repair were to be required, the school has no reserve funds, and, as such, it would likely have led to the closing of the school.

"The Park Avenue location will also provide new opportunities for enhanced learning programs that are not currently offered by Bishop Maginn, including partnering with state agencies to allow students real-world learning opportunities afforded by the proximity of the building to the Empire State Plaza, including the state museum and archives."

Bishop Scharfenberger noted in the release that "providing students a front-row seat to state government will be an invaluable learning opportunity.

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