St. Paschal’s to remain open

Parents at St. Paschal Catholic School heaved a sigh of relief this week.

Fears of a potential school closure were allayed Tuesday night when officials gave them the good news: St. Paschal will stay open after all.

“I think we have found a way out,” Frank Cheyney, a member of the parish’s finance committee said. “People have made a commitment to support the school well into the future.”

Cheyney said he couldn’t comment on the specifics of the school’s plan at this point but wanted to assure people that a viable, long-term solution is now in the works.

“This is the dawn of a whole new day for St. Paschal’s,” Kelly Bundy, a parishioner and strong advocate for the school. “We’re rolling and ready for enrollment.”

More than 100 parents and parishioners attended the meeting Tuesday to express their concerns to members of St. Paschal’s finance and pastoral committees. Many in the audience made a commitment to work on fund-raising and other strategies to increase enrollment and shore up funding.

This small, private school on North Park Road in Spokane Valley has been struggling for years to stave off closure.

Its biggest challenge is the decline in enrollment. Five years ago, as many as 100 students attended kindergarten through eighth grade at St. Paschal; now, the total is only 64.

Until the meeting, some parents feared that talk of a potential school closure was fueled by the Spokane Diocese’s bankruptcy and the bishop’s proposed $45.7 settlement offer to 75 victims. Officials, however, told them that St. Paschal’s financial problems existed long before the diocese’s Chapter 11 filing.

“This school issue has absolutely nothing to do with the bankruptcy,” Cheyney said.

Several parishioners who attended the Tuesday meeting said they were relieved to learn that St. Paschal School will remain open to students.

“I feel hopeful,” said Greg Williams, a parent and member of the church since 2002.

The community reaction at the meeting – from both parents and parishioners – “felt like rebirth to me,” he said. “There was definitely a renewed commitment.”

Bundy, whose three children are all graduates of St. Paschal’s, said the parish is exploring new ways to support Catholic school education as a result of Tuesday’s meeting.

“It was absolutely beautiful,” she said. “Everyone came out with total support for all things St. Paschal’s.”