Citing declining enrollment since 2021, the St. Nicholas Catholic School in Jersey City will not reopen in September, with a spokeswoman noting that “remaining open was neither feasible nor responsible.”
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Located at 118 Ferry St. in the Heights, the school had served kindergarten through 8th graders for at least three decades, adding that closure was the only option possible due to operational costs and teaching vacancies that had not been filled.
From September 2021 to June 2024, school enrollment declined by 30 percent. In late July 2024, registration for the coming school year declined an additional 12 percent, officials said.
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of our school, recognizing the profound impact this decision will have on our students, families, and staff,” Archdiocese of Newark spokeswoman Maria Margiotta.
“However, it became clear that remaining open was neither feasible nor responsible. Our goal is to provide our students with quality, faith-centered education within a vibrant Catholic school community. Moreover, we are committed to using our resources responsibly to offer excellent and affordable education to the families we serve.”
St. Nicholas Catholic School will remain operational until August 31st to facilitate the transfer of records and refund all paid registration fees and tuition for the 2024-25 school year.
Special tuition assistance will be available for families currently registered at St. Nicholas School for the 2024-2025 school year to help them transition to local Catholic schools.
This assistance is for families whose new tuition at a Catholic elementary school in the Archdiocese of Newark is higher than their 2024-2025 tuition at St. Nicholas School.
If they addressed the issues pointed out by parents the decline never would have happened. The problem falls on those who ignored the requests and advice of the parents. You don’t fix a problem by pretending it doesn’t exist. They did and now a wonderful part of Jersey City is gone forever. Responsible started at the listening stage. They didn’t. Goodbye St. Nick’s.
We’d know nothing w/o your reporting John so thanks for keeping us informed! St. Nick’s has been educating JC’s youth since 1886- started by the Sisters of Christian Charity. We learned so much more than math & reading. The students learned about charity, volunteerism, and leadership. In 8th Gr., myself and another girl were assigned to assist a grandmother with late stage MS. We ran many of her errands like food shopping, dry cleaning…. Every year at Christmas & Easter we collected money for the impoverished children in 3rd world countries. We lifted one another up and included everyone, we protected the weak from bullying, we were taught to be selfless, spread love and joy. Now kids learn to be selfish, bullying, mass shootings, consumerism, vanity…. There are too few schools left that teach children real charity. The Archdiocese hopes your article doesn’t get out because it’s another terrible headline that they closed a school thats been educating JC’s youth and speading light & joy for 138 years. This was the archdiocese plan for a few years now. Archdiocese chose money by selling the property/renting it out to a charter school over investing in our youth. What a shame!
Horrible that families in mid-August now have to scramble to find a new school. It’s also an enormous shock and adjustment these children will need to make. And if staff wasn’t told ahead of time, they also now will be looking for new employment. The school had to have known this was coming for months.