By Katie Vasquez
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy has been serving Sunset Park, Brooklyn, since 1903.
The school has educated the youth of the Diocese of Brooklyn for 122 years and celebrated thousands of graduates. But now the class of 2025 will be its very last, creating a harsh reality for current students like Tiffany and Edison Jing.
” It’s sad,” Tiffany told Currents News, “because I like this school.”
“Just sad,” echoed her brother, Edison.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help has a long history in Sunset Park, first opening its doors in 1903 as St. Alphonsus Catholic Academy. Now, the surrounding community is gearing up to say goodbye.
“It’s a shocker because, you know, it’s been here for a really long time,” Sunset Park resident David Kelly said in response to the announcement of the school’s closure. “My whole life I’ve been seeing it around.”
It’s also been a few couple of days for students and staff.
“I know there was a great deal of tears. I’m sure that the tears continued as the children were home with their families,” Kristen Lavelle, the school’s principal, explained. ” I know that the staff and other people involved have been very upset. But I think this is something that has brought us together and made us even stronger and sort of further proves the resiliency of this community.”
Enrollment at the school declined 36% over the last five years. Only 85 students were registered for the upcoming school year.
“I think that the staff has done a really good job of preparing lessons and making sure that they were able to facilitate good conversations with the students,” noted Lavelle.
Activities and events will continue through the end of the school year, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy’s doors will close permanently at the end of August. Until then, those involved with and in the school will lean on each other to get through.
“I know in the face of such sadness they’ll continue to come together and and help each other through this time,” said Lavelle.
The diocesan schools office is hoping to ease the transition for students by transferring them to a local Catholic school.