Parents praise merger as chance for kids to complete Catholic education in Monroeville

The announcement that Monroeville's two Catholic schools will merge next year has some parents of students wary, but most are optimistic.

“We're just going with the flow,” said Susan Kusk while waiting to pick up her son at St. Bernadette School last week. “We try to have faith that leadership is doing the best they can to provide the best Catholic education.”

Beginning in the fall, North American Martyrs School and St. Bernadette — Monroeville's only Catholic schools — will become Divine Mercy Academy. Kindergarten through eighth grade will be housed at St. Bernadette; North American Martyrs will be a preschool only. Each of the schools are now pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade.

Kusk said she is used to change during these times of shrinking enrollment in parochial schools. This was her youngest son's first year at St. Bernadette after attending St. Bartholomew School in Penn Hills before it was closed abruptly in May. Kusk also taught pre-K at the shuttered school.

“At the end of the day, it's a business,” she said. “They're doing their best.”

The Diocese of Pittsburgh in a release cited declining enrollment and increasing financial challenges as the reasons for the need to merge or close schools.

The schools have not announced tuition prices for the next school year, which has Donna Egan, whose grandson attends St. Bernadette, worried.

“We have no idea about tuition for next year — we know nothing,” she said.

Sister Carol Arch, principal at St. Bernadette, said tuition rates increase every year and they are usually determined in January at registration. This year, because of uncertainty about which schools would remain open, registration did not begin until this month. Arch said tuition has yet to be determined.

Out of 268 students, around 75 have registered for next year. Arch said she expects more families to register their children now that plans of the merger are concrete. She does not believe the merger will cause a significant loss of students.

Amanda Kapp has two daughters enrolled at North American Martyrs in kindergarten and third grade. Although she will miss the school, she plans to move them both to St. Bernadette in the fall.

“I'll have to pass North American Martyrs everyday to take my kids to the new school. That's not going to be fun. But it is what it is,” Kapp said.

Still, Kapp is looking on the bright side.

“They're giving us the option to complete a Catholic education in Monroeville. I'm not looking at it as a negative thing,” she said.

Jennifer Speranza is also embracing the change. Her two daughters, in third and sixth grade, will attend St. Bernadette in the fall.

“This could be a positive if we all come together as Christians and make it a positive for our children,” she said.

Dillon Carr is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-871-2325, dcarr@tribweb.com or via Twitter @dillonswriting.