TOWN OF TONAWANDA, NY (WKBW) — Just as students and parents are dealing with the sad news their school will close in June, St. Andrew’s Country Day School families in the Town of Tonawanda now learned an after-school program will shut down later this month.
“It's an impossible situation,” declared Darcy Kennedy-Ellis, parent.
“It’s mind-numbing,” replied Sara Schumacher, parent.
St. Andrew’s school parents, who pay for their children to be in the Just for Kids after-school program received an email notifying them the program will end March 27.
“We’re really stressed. We first -- the school is closing and then on top of that, they're making it impossible for us to continue out the year because the school day ends at 2:15 p.m.,” Kennedy-Ellis reflected.
"So, stress is a very good word for it, especially since it's been put on us to stay here in order to keep the school even open through the remainder of the year. This just is quite a wedge,” described Schumacher.
In the email to parents, the after-school program stated the decision was "not made lightly", but realizes it's a "disappointment" to parents and children."
Just for Kids told the school the decision to end their contract was based on a number of factors including financial due to declining enrollment at St. Andrew’s. but this also caught school leadership off guard.
“It is totally unexpected. Just for Kids hadn't reached out with any of their concerns. They have shared with us that they can't be associated with a school that's closing. There has also been concern that they say there was financial issues and that they're running at a loss,” responded Pamela Giannantoni, principal. “But as I said, they never reached out until now to have this conversation to see if there was something we can do collaboratively to continue the service being provided for the parents.”
Principal Giannantoni tells me she's now working on a plan to provide their own after-school program to keep students at the school through June 30th.
“What has happened is staff has offered to provide support and giving care for those students that are in the program through the end of the school year,” explained Giannantoni. “It is now time for us to rally and see how we can support these families.”
The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo announced last month the school would close by the end of the school year, or sooner due to financial problems and low enrollment.
But parents I spoke with tell me they're hesitant to enroll their kids at other catholic schools.
“It feels like an enormous breach of trust with organizations that are telling you all along that your children are their priority and you're trusting them with that, and you're trusting them with that and you're happy with it. it clearly is not the goal,” commented Schumacher. “The trust is very pierced.”
“This was sort of our first foray into Catholic education. this was the first time we'd ever considered it and up until this announcement, we were going to continue keeping her here. This is just sort of soured us on any sort of Catholic education,” answered Kennedy-Ellis.
The school principal is working to help families find new school options as well as supporting teachers as they search for new jobs.
“Unfortunately, history's repeating itself instead of the diocese learning from past ways,” remarked Giannantoni. “There is there is a heavy doubt that sits there and unfortunately, they have to weigh that as part of making their decision with that doubt in mind.”
