FUTURE PLANS

CSO weighs options for Albany Catholic schools in public meeting

School supplies

The Diocesan Catholic School Office held its first public meeting on Feb. 25 at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Albany to share plans with teachers, parents and community members about the potential future facing three Albany Catholic schools. 

Principals at Mater Christi, Blessed Sacrament and All Saints Catholic Academy have been in talks with the Catholic School Office since November about operating challenges the schools are facing after submitting a letter to the Catholic School Office proposing necessary, sustainable changes.

A strategic planning committee was formed to draft a plan that could best meet the needs of staff and students while maintaining a long-term presence of Catholic education in the city of Albany. All three principals of Mater Christi, Blessed Sacrament and All Saints were a part of the strategic planning process.

It became clear that changing nothing by the September 2025 school year would most negatively impact all three schools. 

“We’re not here to sugarcoat anything,” said Christopher Bott, Superintendent of Diocesan Schools. “We’re here because some difficult decisions have to be made.”

A PowerPoint presentation breaking down the problems and potential solutions drafted by the committee was delivered to a packed worship space, with some attendees standing in the back for the 90-minute session. A few families from All Saints sat in the front pews, holding signs reading “Keep All Saints” and “Don’t Close ASCA.”

The biggest issue facing all three schools is financial: an over $1 million combined operating deficit is being run between All Saints, Blessed Sacrament and Mater Christi Schools, with each school’s deficit ranging between $300-$500K. 

A handful of reasons caused each deficit: declining enrollment, rising costs to educate (teacher salaries and health insurance), an increased need for financial aid for students and limited outside revenue streams. 

The deficit is coupled with inefficiency in operating three pre-K- Grad 8 buildings, as some of the schools are running at about 60 percent capacity.

“This year, it became apparent that if we don’t change, we would lose all three schools,” Bott said. 

“We wanted a solution that could be achieved for the 2025-26 school year, and as three educators, what do educators do best? They make things happen in a short period of time,” said Traci Johnson, principal of All Saints Catholic Academy. 

Two proposed solutions were presented, but feedback and community input will continue to be considered until the anticipated deadline of March 15. A link to offer feedback was emailed to all the schools and available via a QR code at the meeting.

The first proposal is to keep all three schools operating but restructure the buildings into two Pre-K-to-Grade 5 elementary schools and one middle school (6-8). 

The option could consolidate students, maximize staffing and provide another middle school option to Albany families, which could then offer more academic and sports options for middle schoolers, but would eliminate the option for a K-8 school in Albany. 

The second proposal is to close one school entirely and transition to two elementary schools, one a Pre-K-to-Grade 8 and another as a Pre-K-to-Grade 5. This offers the greatest cost savings and increased efficiencies by streamlining resources directly into two schools but also has the largest community impact and would leave one parish responsible for the upkeep of a closed school. 

It was not said which of the three schools would potentially close. 

Some parents were disheartened that the presentation didn’t include specifics on each school’s deficit and enrollment, wondering where that might put them in the ranks. 

But Diocesan leaders repeated that all the schools faced nearly similar issues, which added up to the same thing: if they remained divided, all three schools could not be sustained. 

“If we point fingers at each other, I know we will not be able to preserve what we want,” said Father Robert Longobucco, Vicar for Education for the Albany Diocese and pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Schenectady. “We need more children in each classroom.”

Diocesan leaders reassured attendees that every comment submitted to them would be reviewed before moving forward. The committee will then format a suggestion to the Albany Catholic School Board, which will then make a recommendation to Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger, who will make the final decision. 

“You all have concerns,” said Bott. “You’re worried about the schools, teachers are worried about jobs, so the concept here is we’re committed to working through all of this by March 15 so everybody knows what is happening.”