“When you have these times of day when students are being dropped off and picked up, and there are cars parked on both sides of the street, it creates a real hazard for the fire apparatus to try to get through.”
St. Joseph’s parishioner and Heritage Oil owner Abel Garraghan said he is very interested in seeing a win-win emerge from all this. “The community needs both [schools], and we need them both and they both offer a great education and to close either one would be a great mistake,” said Garraghan, who was raised in the parish. Garraghan is a past chairman of Mount St. Mary College, and said that’s why he has a high level of interest in education. In the event St. Joe’s needed to become a private school, Garraghan was still on board with full support. “It would still be wonderful as a private school,” he said. Garraghan said Uptown would be “dark” with the school building closed. “It’s not healthy for the parish or the Kingston community,” he said. “Lots of young families would be very disappointed.”
New York Archdiocese Education Communication spokeswoman Fran Davies said that McNiff is currently engaged in conversations with both schools and refused any further comment.
I couldn’t agree more! I think the title says it all. Having taken the KCS tour, I can appreciate the warm atmosphere, I know that that is incredibly important for my child. But also what is incredibly important is their safety. I did not like the thought of my child being in a very cramped basement classroom, little windows, little ventilation and the ability for any person/stranger to walk freely into that school. But this is not about KCS, this is about SJS and their ability to not just survive, but thrive in the community that loves and supports them. I say to Cardinal Dolan and Dr. McNiff ~ let St. Joseph School prove to you what they are truly capable of!
I wholeheartedly agree that the Kingston community can and should support both schools. As a parent of children who attended Kingston Catholic between the years 2000-2012, and with all due respect to “KS”, who commented on the article, I would like to clarify a misconception. I can assure you that no one … and I mean NO ONE (that includes parents, delivery persons, mail carriers and ‘strangers’) … can “walk freely into that school.” Kingston Catholic has had security measures in place long before the tragedies which are currently causing districts to ramp up awareness. The doors are ALWAYS locked. Security cameras have been in place for many years. Every single person is identified via the electronic surveillance system, at which point they must state their business and then a determination is made as to whether or not they are allowed inside. They are then monitored by office staff to assure that they go directly to the main office, where they are required to sign in. (They are also expected to sign out when they leave the building.) Kingston Catholic practices lockdown drills on a regular basis. Those basement rooms with small windows could prove to be advantageous in certain circumstances. The children and faculty are well versed in what to do in an emergency and there are ongoing assessments which include input from faculty, staff and parents, alike. Kingston Catholic is now and has always been proactive with regard to safety. And, given its proximity to Kingston Police Department Headquarters, there is often a watchful eye in the neighborhood as police officers travel to and from their appointments throughout the day. The bottom line is this: To anyone who might be considering Kingston Catholic, please rest assured that it is indeed a safe and sound environment, both physically and educationally.
I completely agree with Mr Guerin. Great and truthful article.