St. Joseph’s again on Archdiocese’s at-risk list, but school soldiering on

Photo by Phyllis McCabe.

Having factored in the recent enrollment boom; waiting lists for both kindergarten and fifth grade; generous tuition assistance and scholarship programs; recent renovations; employment in Kingston and the Town of Ulster; a reasonable proximity to 17 different districts and communities; and a capacity for 590 students, St. Joseph’s Principal Jeanne Dolamore said Wednesday she is confident enough to keep her eyes locked on the horizon and move forward with enrollment for 2013-14 school year. “Our responsibility is to keep this upbeat and view this as another challenge,” said Dolamore, who was principal for less than months when the school was listed as at-risk in 2010. “This is another opportunity to tell our story and share all the good stuff we have done here over the past two years.”

The school employs 10 full-time teachers and 10 employees and has an enrollment of 208 students. In the 100 years of St. Joseph’s tenure, it has never been on Diocesan financial support. Despite the unfortunate wave of radical school budget slashings, closings and public school district reconfigurations, St. Joe’s has managed to expand their programming to include a brand-new library media center, sports teams, theatrical productions, National Junior Honor Society, Spanish and ESL, after-school academic support and enrichment programs, Hispanic Catechism classes and an 82-student orchestra.

“Three new people registered this week alone,” Dolamore emphasized, and pointed out that more and more families dissatisfied with ongoing public school transitions are looking for alternatives, adding that the school’s new approach of accepting non-Catholic students into the fold will help to bolster potential enrollment even more. She was uncertain how specifically St. Joseph’s will proceed this time around to drum up awareness and support within the school community as well as the community at large.

St. Joseph’s mom Kelly Levine, who was born, baptized and confirmed in St. Joseph’s Church, felt it was a misunderstanding. “I was in shock because when it happened two years ago we weren’t supposed to be on that list,” she said. “The school went above and beyond what the Archdiocese asked them to do, but apparently the Archdiocese has not received that information.”