EAST HARTFORD – The two Catholic elementary schools in East Hartford, St. Rose and St. Christopher, will become one next school year.
Because the larger of the two, St. Christopher, at 570 Brewer St., can accommodate the current St. Rose student population, its location and name will be retained.
The combining of the two schools is designed to strengthen Catholic school education in East Hartford, which has been threatened by such issues as financial instability, decreasing parish resources and declining enrollment.
St. Rose students are being encouraged to attend another Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Hartford, particularly St. Christopher School. To encourage these transfers, current St. Rose students who remain in a Catholic school of the Archdiocese will receive $250 tuition scholarships during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years.
The Office of Catholic Schools will place the St. Rose administrative and instructional employees on a priority hire list, and St. Christopher will give first priority for teacher hiring to St. Rose faculty members.
A number of activities have been planned to ease the transition of children from St. Rose to St. Christopher and to establish a new school community, including student visit days, a field day, a visit to Wickham Park and a Mass.
The St. Christopher School Board will be enhanced by the addition of three current St. Rose board members and Father John P. Rohan, Pastor of St. Rose.
Father Vincent Curran, Pastor of St. Christopher, stressed the importance of creating a warm reception for St. Rose families.
"We want to ensure that St. Rose students and their parents know that there is a place for them here at St. Christopher School, where they will be welcomed, supported and smoothly integrated into our educational community," Father Curran said.
The decision to close St. Rose was made at the recommendation of the two pastors and Dale R. Hoyt, superintendent of Catholic schools, who consulted the trustees, school boards and parents of children at both schools. Archbishop Henry J. Mansell approved the move.
While acknowledging that it will be a difficult change, particularly for the St. Rose community, Mr. Hoyt said, "We are committed to maintaining a Catholic school presence in East Hartford and to providing a broader community with the academic excellence, faith formation and safe environment offered by our schools."
