Importance of Catholic Schools in Youngstown

[ytowner]

Oh there is no doubt it has 10 years at LEAST Left in it. The enrollment can't get that much lower.

I mean if they can be around 500 from here on out it won't close at all. Now if we annexed Austintown and Boardman into it both Catholic Schools will see a nice increase in enrollment if you no what I mean! HAHA

[kitten44505]

I don't recall any talk on the news about any suggestion that Ursuline may be closed. If that was being considered you'd think that the news media would be talking about it.

If there are plans to close Ursuline, would someone please site sources?

[ytowner]

Ok. Now I go to a bunch of Ursuline's football games, in the program it says the enrollment is 510. On Mooney's website it say 600. But 300 boys like it says it has would then have Mooney in DIVISION III In football, not IV like Ursuline.

Secondly the enrollment is about 4800 for Catholics. But I think most people pay 6000. The actual cost is about 7000 to educate a child there.

Now this past year from January to today they had this Shamrock Raffle. 10 BUCKS A ticket and you win either a Chevy Cobalt or 10,000. Your Choice. I was talking to a student and about 55-60% of the school turned in their assigned 10 tickets.

Um now this year is its 100th operating year... In 2008 the 100th graduating class will graduate. A lot of events should be planned then.

The URSULINE RAFFLE Brings in about 100,000. Now it used to be the URSULINE-MOONEY RAFFLE. They still make about the same so that $$$ doubled. Which is great..

Um but I heard they're is under 100 kids this senior class. and about 130 for all the others. Now I mean unless this class of 2009 enrollment is at 100 or less they will have a great enrollment next year.

Some big athletes are coming to Ursuline next year too I heard. And almost all there teams have great shots of winning the SVC.

And now this school is split I heard. The DRAMA vs the ATHLETES. And the drama at the school is great. The Deibol Morley Arts Center is UNREAL MOVIE LIKE PLAY House for the school. ALL NEW  FROM ALUMNI. Also a whole new library from the alumni..

Finally this senior class is almost 50% above 3.5.. That is unreal! It is by far one of the top academic classes in History!

I went there and I am doing great now. My buddy went from Ursuline To FITCH and back to Ursuline. He had a 3.1 here at UHS. A 4.0 at Fitch and back to a 3.0 at Ursuline.

The EDUCATION IS COLLEGE PREP! I did great every year in college! ANYONE CAN GET THE HONOR ROLL THERE IF YOU APPLY YOURSELF. The amount of time the kids get for homework is great. I knew kids who had D'S and C'S in catholic grade school and got Honor Roll at Ursuline.

URSULINE IS NEEDED IN THE AREA!

YTOWN NAV

[Sharonite]

I don't see any reason why the Mahoning Valley can't support two Catholic high schools.  It would be a shame if Ursuline died out, but at least it has one advantage over Mooney: a great location on Wick Avenue, where we're sure to see a lot of activity over the next several years.  And according to www.greatschools.net, which is updated annually, Ursuline currently has 560 students and Mooney has 626--not a huge discrepancy to me.

Meanwhile, there are some things that Ursuline can do: organize alumni and establish more scholarship funds (maybe set up a fund for Youngstown City School students who couldn't afford it otherwise), advertise more aggressively in the Catholic parishes and primary schools as well as the charter schools of both Mahoning and Trumbull counties, and build upon the wonderful student activities it offers--not just athletics, but academic and artistic ones as well (for example, Ursuline's fine arts program blows Mooney's out of the water).

Hopefully, the redevelopment of Smoky Hollow and the growth of the downtown employment base will renew interest in Ursuline, which is conveniently located near both.  I foresee some great things happening on that side of town.

By the way, is Ursuline's tuition higher than Mooney's?  Just curious.

[ytowner]

I Created a Column on this on my site.

LINK:http://youngstown.rr.nu/index.php?showtopic=29



Importance of Catholic Schools in the City of Youngstown and Mahoning Valley

We need Catholic Schools in the City of Youngstown. The rich Catholic faith of the city has made them possible for everyone in the Mahoning Valley. In this column we will talk about 2 schools, arch-rivals, URSULINE and MOONEY.

Ursuline began back in 1905, yes this year is its Centennial Celebration. In 2008 the 100th Graduation Class will walk through St. Columba to represent the great Catholic filled education of Ursuline High School.


Word around town is that 4 Ursuline Teachers will be getting laid off come the end of this 2005 school year. That brings on the question. How Long Will Catholic Schools Survive in Youngstown? St. Brendan's {THIS YEAR}, Holy Name, St. Dom's, St. Edward's, St. Anthony's are just a few Catholic Schools that once were in business in the city limits. Today they are all closed. Sure the population has fallen but the number of Catholics in the area hasn't. The only Youngstown Parochial Elementary Schools open come Fall 2005 will be St. Christine's {500 students}, Immaculate Conception {Under 100 Students}, and St. Matthias{Under 175 students} That begs the question, will two Parochial High Schools in a city of 80,000 people survive much longer?

Ursuline's enrollment as of this year is just about 500 students. Down from the near 600 in 1998. Down from the 2,000 in the 1950's. The cost of tuition here is about $6,000 and truly that isn't enough for the school. From their website they have 34 staff and it looks to be 30 come next year. Well you wonder when Ursuline's Graduation Rate is near 100% and alll of their test scores are at or above 98% there isn't more teens going there especially with the awful Youngstown City Schools. They have a pathetic Graduation Rate of 50%! 50% is just AWFUL!

Now Mooney on the other hand according to their website has about 600 students with some 49 staff. How could that be? How could one school like Mooney be doing so much better than Ursuline? Well lets see. Mooney grabs kids from Canfield-Boardman-Poland. Home of tons and tons of doctors and lawyers. While Ursuline grabs pretty much from everywhere north of Midlothian. That is scary. Ursuline has 2 to 3 times more townships covered but they have 100 less kids.

It has come to me that Ursuline's time looks to be coming to an end. It will last for at least 10-12 more years then from outlooks and graphs it looks like it just won't be able to survive.

Now would that mean Ursuline and Mooney, the greatest rivalry in the area, would Combine? Or would it mean Ursuline and Mooney would split funds and tuition and become one school like Youngstown Catholic Central. An Ursuline and a Mooney.

It looks to me it would be best if they just split funds. Mooney has taken away a ton of Ursuline prospects since opening up.

I will have more on this and the other local Catholic Schools in the area soon.

YTOWN :: Youngstown News and Views Editor

[ytowner]

Well here is what I don't like. Our now FORMER Bishop spent a lot of the diocese money into these lame retreat and pastoral centers; and to top things off he owns two homes worth a combined 1 million dollars. He also hired Mexicans I beleive to clean his home.

But here is how it is.
Ursuline has the feeder schools from Newton Falls {1}, Jackson-Milton, Austintown {2 schools. 200/245}, Girard {1 school 350}, Youngstown {3 Schools. 500/98/150}, Hubbard {1 school 300}, Campbell {1 School. 200} BCC {Split with Mooney}

Now when you hear Mooney's you wonder why they are in great financial times and those going to St. Christine's are choosing Mooney over Ursuline. You only have the BIG 3... CANFIELD-BOARDMAN-POLAND. Home of so many doctors and lawyers.

 Just take Boardman and Poland together you have over 1400 Catholic Grade School Students.

Now the CAPITAL CAMPAIGN Is currently going on in the diocese. They are striving to raise 34 million in 3 different parts of 2004-2005. Some will go to Catholic Schools.

I do think within 15 years they will combine the two schools into YOUNGSTOWN CENTRAL CATHOLIC or something of that nature and decide whether they should use Ursuline or Mooney or simply equally split funds so it would be YOUNGSTOWN CATHOLIC NORTH and YOUNGSTOWN CATHOLIC SOUTH.

I mean you have to realize it will happen. If I had the money I would do all I can to keep Ursuline open. They have had 4 or 5 major improvements in the last 10 years like a new library and about 50 new computers with 3 computer labs.

It will be hard to see it go when it does.

[jay]

Urban decline not only affects neighborhoods, it hastens the demise of both public and private institutions.  Your concern for Ursuline High School should also take into account the decline of the neighborhoods in which the feeder schools once thrived.  St. Anthony's in Brier Hill, St. Edward's on the north side, Holy Name and St. Brendan's on the west side are all victims of our changing neighborhood demographics.  As neighborhoods decline, the stable and more affluent families are displaced by transient newcomers who are generally poorer and less likely to share the Catholic faith.  It is a known fact that most public and private Youngstown school teachers do not live in the community where they teach.  There are also many other professions whose members have left the city.  How many doctors, engineers, bankers, attorneys, and other upper class professionals still live in the city?  My guess is there are very few.

I wish I could say that this decline could be reversed.  I have no example of a neighborhood revitalization that has saved a local parochial elementary school.  If you have a plan to save the Catholic school system of Youngstown, please share it with this board.

[ytowner]

I really want to start a big discussion on this. As a product of Ursuline High School and 15 years of Catholic Education I was hurt to hear that 4 Ursuline teachers will be laid off this upcoming summer. From the once 2,100 students who used to go there to about 500 now.

Also Cardinal Mooney looks in a lot better financial situation. 14 More staff with supposedly 600 students.

With the awful YOUNGSTOWN CITY SCHOOLS. What can we do to get kids to go to these schools with GRAD Rate of 99%.

IOWA TESTS: 98%
OHIO PROFIENCY: 99%
OGT: 98%
% in Highest in the State. These schools need to be used more and have more kids. 6,000 For High Schools and 2,000 for grade schools. Parents in the Valley need to take the sacrifice!

So I mean compared to the 50% grad rate of YTOWN CITY SCHOOLS. I wish people would use this strong education.


THOUGHTS?
I will write a column on this coming up this week.