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ALSO COVERING AUBURNDALE, COLLEGE POINT, DOUGLASTON, GLEN OAKS, FLORAL PARK
• LITTLE NECK LEDGER
• WHITESTONE TIMES
Jan. 22-Jan. 28, 2021
St. Agnes Academic High School in College
Point to close, citing fi nancial hardship
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
St. Agnes Academic High
School, an all-girls private Roman
Catholic School in College
Point, is permanently closing
its doors at the end of the 2021
school year.
The Sisters of St. Dominic
of Amityville sent a letter on
Jan. 13 informing parents of
the school’s closure, saying
that the “financial realities
during the past several years”
have made it impossible to
sustain the school and that the
COVID-19 pandemic had complicated
the previously existing
difficulties.
“After considerable thought
and discussion, we announce
with great sadness that Saint
Agnes will close its doors at
the end of this 2021 academic
year,” Sister Peggy McVetty,
OP, Prioress, and members of
the leadership council said in
the letter. “The decision to end
112 years of excellent education
has been most difficult.”
St. Agnes Academic High
School, located at 13-20 124th
St., was founded by the Sisters
of St. Dominic. It is a culturally
diverse Catholic high
school for young women that
develops a strong foundation
for lifelong learning. Its mission
is to graduate women who
are open to growth, intellectually
competent, socially aware,
morally discerning and committed
to being women of integrity
and truth, according to
its website.
A plan is in place to enable
students to discover their best
options in the future, according
to McVetty. If desired, the
school administration will
assist in the placement of students
in Catholic high schools,
as well as create an academic
St. Agnes Academic High School, located at 13-20 124th St. in College Point, is a culturally diverse Catholic high school for young women
that develops a strong foundation for lifelong learning. Photo via Google Earth
program which will allow for
accelerated graduation for
present-day juniors.
“Know that the administration,
faculty and staff are
working hard to ease the transition
for our young women
and to provide a good path forward,”
McVetty said.
To respond to parents’
concerns and questions,
Zoom meetings began on Jan.
13 and will continue through
Jan. 14-19.
The Sisters of Saint Dominic,
as well as the members
of the board of directors,
extended their profound
gratitude to parents and the
school community for its
many sacrifices and commitments
to St. Agnes.
Saddened and heartbroken
by news of the school’s
closure, St. Agnes alumni
are starting a movement to
save the school.
Alumni Robin Loesch
says she feels blessed to have
attended St. Agnes that made
her the woman she is today.
“When I hear my alma
mater’s name, I feel a sense
of pride, joy, wisdom and
the spirit of God St.,” Loesch
said. “My alma mater helped
me achieve success and build
the confidence to break myself
out of a familial situation
that was no fault of
my own. As a teacher who
was inspired by my teachers
from Agnes, I know not
every student has the stability
and support they deserve
academically and spiritually.
Young women like myself received
this needed stability
and support during our time
at St. Agnes.”
Loesch said she started to
think about what funds she
could personally pull together,
whether it was downsizing
her upcoming wedding
or taking from her savings
account. There have also
been talks about starting a
GoFundMe campaign.
“If we all pull together to
fight for our school, I am sure
we can perform a miracle,”
Loesch wrote on St. Agnes’
Facebook page.
Loesche and many alums
are planning to contact highprofile
individuals to spread
their mission, she said.
“I pray to God we can be
successful so other young
women can receive the same
experience and benefit from
what St. Agnes has to offer,”
said Loesche, who is feeling
hopeful that a miracle can
happen to keep the doors of
St. Agnes open for future
young women.”
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718) 260–
4526.
Vol. 87 No. 4 28 total pages
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