ForImmediateReleaseFriday,January17,2025
AmorethancenturyoldCatholiceducationalinstitutionintheSouthBronx,justblocksfromYankeeStadium,will graduateitslastclassattheconclusionofthe2024/2025academicyear.
AllHallowsHighSchool,foundedin1909bytheCongregationofChristianBrothers,willpermanentlycloseits doorsonJune30,2025,theschool’sBoardofTrusteesannouncedtoday,citingdecadesoffinancialdistressandan agingbuildinginneedofsystemicrehabilitationandupgradesamongthereasonsforclosingtheschool The ArchdioceseofNewYorkhasbeeninformedofthisdecision
Familiesofstudents,andmembersofthefacultyandstaff,werenotifiedyesterdayofthe“painful,butnecessary” decisiontoclosethe115-year-oldcollegepreparatoryschoolonEast164thStreet AllHallowsisthefirst,and oldest,educationalinstitutionthattheChristianBrothersestablishedintheUnitedStates.
Awareofthefinancialfragilityofthephysicaloperationsoftheschool,theAllHallowsBoardofTrusteesand Administration–andtheBoardofDirectorsandSponsorCouncil,whosemembersaremostlylaypersonswith backgroundsineducation,finance,construction,andotherprofessions–hadbeenengagedoverthepastthreeyears inintensiveeffortsofexploringnumerouspossibilitiesandscenariosforaplanthatwouldensuretheschool’sfuture viabilityandsustainability.
ButtheTrusteesreachedtheunanimousconclusionthattheschoolcouldnotpromisethecurrentfirst,secondand third-yearstudents,letaloneanewincomingclass,completionoftheirfour-yeareducationatAllHallows
Ceasingoperationshasbeenaloomingpossibilityforquitesometime,accordingtoofficials,whowereabletoavert thisinevitablefateformanyyearsthroughsubsidizedfundingfromtheChristianBrothersandthegenerosityof individualbenefactorsandAllHallowsFoundationendowments,whichprovidescholarshipsandunderwritetuition costs.
Thedecision,officialssay,wasbasedonseveralfactors:
•Seven-figureoperatingdeficit:Thecurrentoveralloperatingdeficitof$1.7millionisprojectedtoexceed$2 millionbyJune2025
•Anagingbuildinginneedofsystemicupgradesandrehabilitation:Thenearly100-year-oldschoolbuilding wouldrequireacompleteoverhaulofitsmajorsystems–electrical,plumbingandroofing–andotherrehabilitation andupgradestoitsinfrastructure,aswellasmodernizationofmajorfacilitiessuchasthegymnasium,cafeteria, classroomsandsciencelabs
•Constantlyincreasingeducationcostsperstudent:TheeducationcostsperstudentatAllHallowsis$11,000, farmorethanthecurrentannualtuitionof$7,500perstudent.WithAllHallowslocatedinoneofthemost income-insecurecongressionaldistrictsinthecountry,manyfamiliesareunabletosupporteventhissignificantly discountedtuition,accordingtoofficials,whohavelongaddressedthefinancialneedsoffamiliesthrough scholarshipandotherfinancialassistancetohelpthemprovidetheirchildrenwithanAllHallowseducation
•Plummetingstudentenrollment:Therehasbeenacontinuousandsignificantdeclineinstudentenrollment–especiallysincetheCovid-19pandemic,duringwhichmanyfamiliesrelocatedduetolossofemployment.All Hallowshasexperiencedamorethanone-thirddeclineinenrollmentoverthepastsixyears Whiletherecent innovationofchangingtheschoolfromanall-boystoaco-edinstitutionresultedinnewenrollees,thecurrent studentpopulationof325remainsfarbelowtherobustnumberof514in2018
•Decreaseinfinancialsupport:Therehasbeenasignificantfall-offinfinancialsupportduetorecentyearsof economicuncertaintyanddownturn;fundraisingeffortswerecurtailedbythepandemicandneverrecovered,andan oldergenerationofbenefactorshasthinnedout
Officialsarehopefulthatbymakingtheannouncementwellinadvanceofthenextacademicsession,familieswith childreninthe9th,10thand11thgradeswillhaveampletimetoexploreenrollmentinotherCatholicschoolsinthe NewYorkArchdiocese–andthatthiswilloffertheleastdisruptiveandmostseamlesspathtoresetandplantheir future Overtheseveralmonthsremaininginthecurrentacademicyear,inadditiontoprovidingthecontinuityof thehigh-qualityCatholiceducationrootedinthetraditionandvaluesoftheChristianBrothersandthe Congregation’sfounderBlessedEdmundRice,allschoolpersonnel–includingthestaffoftheAdministration, Advancement,GuidanceandAdmissionsoffices–willprovidefamiliesandstudentswithsupportandresourcesto helpnavigatetheenrollmentapplicationprocessforotherschools
Thetimingoftheannouncementalsoprovidesschooladministrators,facultyandstaffwiththeabilitytoidentifyand pursuefutureemploymentoptionsforthe2025/26academicyear.
“Itiswithaheavyheartthatweannouncethispainfulanddifficult,butnecessaryandpractical,decision,”said BrotherPatrickMoffett,CFC,ChairoftheBoardofTrustees “Thisdecisioncameaftermuchfrankdiscussionand measuredandprayerfuldeliberation.Weconsultedwitheducationandfinanceprofessionalsandtappedthetalent andexpertiseofthosewhoserveontheAllHallowsBoardofDirectorsandSponsorCouncil Wecontinuallyand collaborativelyexploredanddiscussedanumberofpossibilitiestoremainoperational,butnoneofthemprovideda financiallyviablepathway TheTrusteescametotheconclusionthatclosingtheschoolistheonlywayforwardfor thegoodofourcurrentstudentpopulationandschoolpersonnel.”
SisterMaryGraceWalsh,ACSJ,Ph.D.,SuperintendentofSchoolsfortheArchdioceseofNewYork,said,“All HallowsHighSchoolhasbeenabeaconoffaith,excellence,andopportunityintheBronxforoveracentury,shaped bytheunwaveringcommitmentoftheCongregationofChristianBrotherstoBlessedEdmundRice'smissionof service,faith,andeducation Whilethedecisiontoclosethisremarkableinstitutionisdeeplysaddening,wehonor itslegacyofcultivatinggenerationsoffaith-filledleaderswhohavepositivelyimpactedourcommunitiesandworld. Throughoutthetransition,theSuperintendentofSchoolsOfficeintheArchdioceseofNewYorkiscommittedto supportingimpactedstudentsandfamiliesbyhelpingthemfindneweducationalhomeswithinournetworkof Catholichighschools WestandreadytowelcomethesestudentsintoourbroaderCatholicschoolfamily,where theywillhavetheopportunitytocontinuetogrowinfaith,knowledge,andcharacter”
TherichhistoryofAllHallows,andthestandardofacademicexcellenceandfaithdevelopmentthathasproduced leadersinfinance,technology,law,media,education,religiousvocation,businessandotherprofessions,madethis decisiondifficultandemotionalforeveryoneinvolved,accordingtoBr Moffett However,theeconomicrealitiesof enteringthefallsemesterwithamajordeficit,compoundedbythefinancialinabilitytorehabilitateandupgradethe building’sagingsystemsandinfrastructure,madethedecisioncrystalclear
Br MoffettsaidthatwhileitisnaturalfortheAllHallowsfamilyandbroaderSouthBronxcommunitytogrievethe lossofthisiconicinstitution,it’salsoatimetoacknowledgeandcelebratetheachievementsofthestudentswho havetraveledtheschool’shallowedhallsandoccupieditsclassrooms,aswellasallthosewhotaughtwithpassion anddedication,andthosewhohavegenerouslysupportedAllHallows.
MindfulofthedeepfeelingsoftheAllHallowscommunity,Br.Moffettconcludedhismessagewithaprayer:“Let ustransformoursadnessanddisappointmentintoprayerfulthanksgivingforthemorethanacenturyofexcellent CatholiceducationinthespiritofBlessedEdmundRiceandtheChristianBrothers.”#