After years of financial insolvency and declining enrollment, the difficult decision to close St. Francis de Sales School was made by parish pastor Father Alvaro Palacios Arregui, I.M.C. in June.
The oldest Catholic school in Riverside County, St. Francis de Sales School was located in Riverside between Lime Street and SR-91, having once served the commuter population of downtown business and government employees.
But enrollment at the school had been in steady decline since 2020 and dipped below 100 students this past academic year. Generally, a Catholic school in the diocese should have a minimum of 150 students enrolled in order to be financial solvent – meeting its expenses through tuition revenue. Instead, the school has required more than $500,000 in subsidies from parish reserve funds and from the diocese.
“This decision has been painful for everyone,” Fr. Arregui wrote in a June 6 letter to the school community. “As much as we love the great tradition and wonderful memories of our parish school, we must be mindful of our commitment to quality Catholic education for our children today and in the future. An important part of that commitment is ensuring that we have resources in place for students to succeed and thrive.”
All of the kindergarten through eighth grade Catholic schools in the diocese, with the exception of St. Jeanne de Lestonnac School, are ministries of the parish where they are located, meaning that the parish pastor holds the final authority on their operation.
Parish, school and diocesan leaders convened two community meetings in April and May to announce the intention to close the school. After the first meeting, concerned parents were provided with an accounting of the school’s long-running financial difficulties and presented two scenarios necessary to keep the school open – double its enrollment or nearly double the tuition paid by each student. Following the May meeting, a small group of school supporters presented a proposal to open the school next year with 50 students, but that option involved a significant monthly financial shortfall without any clear source of funding to pay for it.
“I have concluded that this proposal does not respond to reality of Saint Francis de Sales Catholic community,” Fr. Arregui wrote.
Following the initial announcement of the school’s closing in April, efforts were made to coordinate with the three other K-8 Catholic schools in Riverside to enroll students from St. Francis de Sales who wish to continue in Catholic education next year. At press time, 57 of the 97 students who attended St. Francis this past year were enrolled in either Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, St. Thomas the Apostle School or St. Catherine of Alexandria School. The Human Resources Office of the diocese also worked to place six members of the St. Francis faculty in jobs at other local Catholic schools or parishes.