The landscape of Catholic education in Harlem has been hit with yet another blow, as two historic schools announce their imminent closure. St. Mark the Evangelist School on West 138th Street, a staple of the community since 1912, dedicated to welcoming Black and Indigenous communities, will shut its doors, leaving many families and alumni in a state of shock and sadness. According to an ABC7 New York report, Marcus Wilson, whose family saw three generations pass through St. Mark's, said "I've grown and raised my child in Harlem. The principal that is here now is actually my fifth grade teacher. I definitely love the school."
Despite a boost in enrollment after absorbing students from another closed school, there seemed to be no room for negotiation with the New York Archdiocese, leaving parents like Arnyce Foster-Hernandez feeling snubbed, "It's almost hypocritical and contradictory. You're supposed to be inviting the community in, not shutting a community out," she told ABC7 New York, parents complained about not being given a specific reason for the closure or the opportunity to rally behind their beloved school, some suspect there might be plans to rent the St. Mark facility to a charter school.
Similarly, the impending shuttering of Mt. Carmel-Holy Rosary School in East Harlem, despite valiant efforts by the school community to demonstrate its viability and hike up enrollment, has been confirmed and students are being offered seats at other Catholic institutions. As part of the Archdiocese's ongoing School Viability Study, Mt. Carmel-Holy Rosary was struggling to meet sustainability benchmarks and the current enrollment for the upcoming school year simply did not hit the necessary numbers, states the school's official announcement on the Catholic Schools of New York website.
The Archdiocese has expressed their intention to nurture and strengthen Catholic education in spite of these closures, with Sr. Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York emphasizing the decision "was made with much prayer and discernment," and recognizing how difficult this is for everyone involved. To ease the transition, enrollment Director Christopher Quito and Regional Superintendent Anthony Biscione will be standing by to assist families, and a School Fair is planned to help parents navigate the future educational paths for their children, this is happening when families are already dealing with the upheaval of the closing schools, and now they have the added pressure of securing new educational environments for their kids, as noted by the Catholic Schools of New York website.
As the final day of classes approach and the Harlem community grapples with these significant losses, the legacy of Catholic education in the neighborhood is reflected upon by alumni like Chante Lewis who credits St. Mark with her progressive educational journey, stating in the interview with ABC7 New York, "I've traveled to Ghana to study African dance. I've traveled to Oxford to study Shakespeare. If it wasn't for the foundation that I got here, I don't think I would have made the entry ways and pathways I did." The voice of the youth is also echoed in the sentiments of Nyleya Slater, a 6th grader at St. Mark, who expressed, "It just makes me feel sad. I wish I could finish because I really love this family."
