With such low numbers, the average class would have had 10 or fewer students, officials said. Our Lady of Charity's sixth grade would have had three students.
"This was an extremely difficult decision to make because of the impact on students, families, and teachers," Mary E. Rochford, superintendent of archdiocesan schools, said in a statement. "We waited as long as possible in the hope that reregistration numbers would increase and that our schools could remain open next year."
Administrators from the Office of Catholic Education told parents that officials would work to find spots for displaced students at nearby parish schools.
Our Lady of Charity will partner with St. Joseph in Aston. St. Philomena students will be encouraged to enroll at St. Andrew in Drexel Hill or St. Laurence in Upper Darby.
In recent years, the archdiocese has announced the closings and mergers of several parish schools throughout the region because of declining enrollment caused by population shifts and rising costs.
Contact staff writer Martha Woodall at 215-854-2789 or martha.woodall@phillynews.com.
