St. James, Albany, set to close school

Due to declining enrollment, the Diocese of Albany has announced that St. James School in Albany will close in June.

The recommendation was made by the Diocesan School Board and approved by Bishop Howard J. Hubbard.

The decision was based in part on a study by Meitler Consultants, Inc., a national firm known for its work in developing long-range plans for Catholic schools.

Enrollment drop

This year, the school, with ten grades (pre-K to eighth), enrolled only 113 students, for an average of 11 per class. That figure is down from 192 five years ago.

Coupling those losses with the rising costs of operating the school, the Diocesan School Office said, it became impossible to keep St. James open.

Other schools have shown enrollment increases this year, including St. Augustine's in Troy, St. Mary's in Amsterdam, St. Mary/St. Alphonsus in Glens Falls and St. Thomas the Apostle School in Delmar.

Decision

"Every effort was made to secure the future of St. James," said a press release from the Schools Office, "but, in the end, the decision became clear."

Sister Jane Herb, IHM, said, "The decision to close St. James is a difficult one. We recognize the fine education in a faith-filled environment offered at the school. However, it is difficult to continue to offer a quality educational program with the declining number of students."

As an alternative for parents, the Diocese plans to maintain St. Casimir's Regional School, just two miles away. Other options include St. Teresa of Avila, just over one mile away, or St. Catherine of Siena, Blessed Sacrament and Holy Cross, which lie between two and three miles away.

Schools within the Diocese will be encouraged to give St. James teachers first priority as they fill vacancies for next fall.

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