The Abridged version:
Families from St. Patrick Academy and St. Charles Borromeo School protested their schools’ impending closure during a community meeting Thursday. Tempers flared, as some audience members accused the Diocese of Sacramento of targeting lower income neighborhoods.
Diocesan representatives were at the meeting to share additional information about a new regional school that will open for the 2026-27 school year. Tuition rates, they said, will be revealed in March.
Community members also raised concerns about possible increased traffic around the site of the new school in Hollywood Park.
Tensions flared between families and the Diocese of Sacramento on Thursday night, as parents and students questioned the decision to close their South Sacramento school.
Last month, Bishop Jaime Soto announced the consolidation of three TK-8 schools at the end of this school year.
His decision, which Soto said followed challenges including declining enrollment, means the closure of St. Patrick Academy and St. Charles Borromeo School. These institutions will combine with St. Robert School to form a new regional school, located on St. Robert’s grounds in Hollywood Park.
At the time of the announcement, families said they were blindsided and heartbroken.
By the time the community gathered for a meeting on St. Patrick’s campus this week, they were incensed.
More than 100 parents and students attending a meeting at St. Patrick’s gymnasium on Feb. 5, 2026. (Savannah Kuchar)
Diocese tries to get ahead of concerns
More than 100 parents, students and staff filed into the St. Patrick gymnasium Thursday evening. Members of the diocese’s Catholic school department sat in a line up front, waiting, apart from the crowd.
A little girl holding an adult’s hand walked in carrying a sign. It read, “Save our Catholic School. We are God’s children too.”
Handouts with information on the new school, printed in English and Spanish, dotted the rows of black folding chairs.
The Rev. Jose Beltran began the meeting with prayer. Then, diocesan representatives kicked off a presentation, anticipating some of the concerns already swirling around the campus consolidation.
“We recognize that this alignment raises real questions about stability, identity and what this means for your children,” said Tosha Tillotson, associate superintendent for the diocese.
“None of us, on this panel, want to be in a position to close schools,” she continued. “We are passionate about Catholic education, and we would want nothing more than to maintain Catholic schools in every neighborhood.”
More than 100 parents and students attending a meeting at St. Patrick’s gymnasium on Feb. 5, 2026. (Savannah Kuchar)
Classes could have 40 students
Among the details shared: Leaders anticipate about 300 students at the combined school. Class sizes will likely sit between 30 and 40 students in a room.
The diocese website touts an average 13-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio, which marks a Catholic education as “personalized, relevant and conducive to the success of each individual.”
Tillotson said that ratio includes instructional aides in classrooms with teachers and that several of their schools have class sizes as large as 40.
Families currently enrolled in one of the three South Sacramento schools will get priority placement, as long as they are up to date on tuition and have no behavior issues.
Tuition for the new school will be announced March 15.
‘Is it because we’re in South Sacramento?’
By the time parents stepped up to podiums on both sides of the room, tempers in the room were simmering.
“Is it because we’re in South Sacramento that it’s OK to have a classroom of 40 kids?” Marisa Razo asked. Multiple generations of Razo’s family have attended St. Patrick, including her 3-year-old granddaughter currently in preschool.
“They’re not going to receive the attention that they need,” Razo pleaded.
Others in the audience questioned whether the decision to close their almost 100-year-old school was influenced by its surrounding lower socioeconomic neighborhood.
Sign Up for the Morning Newsletter
The Abridged morning newsletter lands in your inbox every weekday morning with the latest news from the Sacramento region.
“Jesus did not go to preach in big synagogues with beautiful places,” said one current St. Patrick student. “He let everybody in.”
At one point, the room grew so loud and the conversation so heated, the pastor called for a prayer.
A spokesperson for the diocese did not immediately return a request for comment Friday morning.
More than 100 parents and students attending a meeting at St. Patrick’s gymnasium on Feb. 5, 2026. (Savannah Kuchar)
Hollywood Park traffic worries raised
Parents at the meeting also flagged concerns about increased traffic around St. Robert’s current campus and site of the new regional school in Hollywood Park.
Two public schools, Leonardo Da Vinci K-8 and Hollywood Park Elementary, neighbor St. Robert. Community members said they worry that adding on three schools’ worth of families’ dropping off and picking up students will worsen traffic congestion for neighborhood residents.
“You’re going to drive their property values down,” said Sean Smith, an audience member Thursday evening. “(Adding) this many cars, they’re not going to be able to get out for work in the morning. They’re not going to be able to get home in the afternoon.”
Sacramento City Councilmember Caity Maple, who represents the area where the future school will sit, was at Thursday’s meeting at the invitation of parents and students. She told Abridged that city staff are looking into ways to mitigate traffic impact but that the municipal toolbox is fairly limited.
Maple said she hopes to work together with the diocese and explore solutions such as updated crosswalks with clearer lines and flashing lights, or additional staff outside to direct cars.
“Those things need to get ironed out, in my opinion, before the start of the new school year,” Maple said.
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.