The Abridged version:
Three Catholic schools in south Sacramento will combine into one at the start of next school year. The Diocese of Sacramento said the decision comes amid declining enrollment challenges.
Parents say they were blindsided by the news and are now scrambling to figure out where they want to send their students next school year.
Tuition costs and class sizes are among their concerns, as well as the loss of community.
Three Catholic schools in south Sacramento will soon combine into one, the Diocese of Sacramento announced Thursday. The news came as a heartbreaking shock to many parents.
In a video message to families, Bishop Jaime Soto cited challenges including declining enrollment, a nationwide issue for Catholic schools and schools at large.
Two institutions — St. Charles Borromeo School and St. Patrick Academy — will close at the end of this semester. They, along with St. Robert School, will unite under the banner of one new regional school, located at St. Robert’s campus, according to Soto.
“This is not about one school remaining while others end,” he said, promising to preserve all three schools’ traditions and identities.
Still, Kristina Ponce said she and other parents felt blindsided by the decision. Their children were also left devastated.
“My daughter didn’t come to school today … she threw up,” when learning the news, Ponce said.
Families uncertain about next steps
Shona Pikula, a single mother, commutes from Antelope to take her third-grade son to St. Patrick. When asked if she would consider moving him to the new school on the St. Robert campus, she shook her head.
“My son is so sad. He’s like, ‘What do you mean? Where are we all going?’” she said.
Parent Shona Pikula speaks with Abridged at St. Patrick Academy on Jan. 23. (Martin Christian)
Pikula’s son is classmates and friends with Maricela Tranberg’s son. Both women were among the parents gathered in front of St. Patrick Friday morning, after receiving the official notice.
Tranberg said she was caught off guard given how little time parents now have to decide where to send their children next school year.
“If it was something we were told a year ago, I would have been a little bit more prepared,” Tranberg said. “But, as of right now, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
One of her concerns is larger class sizes, as three student bodies compress into one. The Diocese said they do anticipate class sizes growing, in an FAQ document shared with families.
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Consolidation brings affordability concerns
Generations of Jane Carrillo’s family have attended St. Patrick, she said. Five of her grandchildren either attended the school or are currently enrolled.
“I’m upset because they’re displacing all the minorities,” Carillo said, through tears. “They’re displacing the people that can’t afford elite schools like St. Robert.”
St. Patrick Academy sign. (Martin Christian)
Of the three institutions, St. Patrick has the lowest annual tuition, starting at $5,551 for one student in 2025-26. St. Charles and St. Robert each start at about $7,500 for non-parishioners, or members of the church.
Representatives for the Diocese did not immediately respond to questions about the new regional school’s tuition or why Robert’s campus was selected to stay open.
Savannah Kuchar is a reporter covering education. She came to Sacramento to be a part of the Abridged team and contribute to a crucial local news source.