(FALL RIVER, MA) – The Diocese of Fall River announced today that Bishop Connolly High School will cease operations at the end of the 2022-23 academic year.

 

 Despite the Diocese’s best efforts to maintain the operational and financial viability of this school, the continued decline in enrollment and substantial financial impact of the pandemic and current economic environment have proven unsustainable.  

Over the past many years, the Diocese of Fall River has worked very hard to maintain educational excellence, expand enrollment and recruitment activities, and bolster financial aid opportunities at Bishop Connolly High School.  

 

Despite these efforts, Bishop Connolly has experienced a significant decline in enrollment and, as a result, the Diocese has spent over $1 million to sustain the school over the past five years.  The Diocese no longer has the resources to continue to keep Bishop Connolly operational. 

“While we sincerely regret having to close Bishop Connolly, our ultimate goal is to strengthen Catholic education in the Diocese for the future,” said Daniel S. Roy, Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Fall River.  “We are committed to helping families transition to other Diocesan Catholic high schools and to make the process as seamless as possible.”

“We continue to experience very challenging times that have put an even greater financial strain on many families,” stated Bishop Edgar da Cunha, S.D.V., of the Diocese of Fall River. “So many people have extraordinary needs amidst this economic uncertainty, and the Diocese needs to leverage its precious resources to an even greater extent.  We are confident that our Catholic school leadership will provide both pastoral support and educational guidance to all affected families so that their children can transition and be welcomed into a new Catholic school family.”

Parent Zoom meetings with the school leadership have been scheduled to address the following:

?      Admissions to other Diocesan high schools
?      Tuition and financial aid
?      Transportation
?      Additional family questions  

For over a century, Catholic schools have educated thousands of children in the Diocese of Fall River.  Today, there are over 5300 students from six weeks old through 12th grade in 19 Catholic schools from Attleboro to Cape Cod.  Catholic education continues to be recognized for its rigorous academic education, while providing the moral and faith formation according to the teachings of Jesus Christ.