ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (WXYZ) — Just weeks after announcing its closure, the fate of St. Germaine Catholic School in St. Clair Shores may not be over just yet.
The Archdiocese of Detroit is now giving the community a chance to save the school but to pull it off, they have to reach a minimum enrollment and raise thousands of dollars by the end of the month.
Inside the St. Germaine gym on Friday night, hundreds of people came out for the weekly fish fry during Lent. People young and old supported the grade school at the center of the parish community.
“It's just a very unique community and it's somewhere we all feel like we belong,” parent Mike Kaddis said. "You drop your kids off, you know they're going to be safe. You know someone is there who's going to love and care for them."
Kaddis is passionate about the school he says is a second home to his two kids. So, you can imagine why he and many parents were devastated to learn the school they love, is set to close.
"We basically got an email. No one had any idea the school was going to close,” Kaddis said. "It really was a shock because the school is actually growing.”
“It was a big shock," added Timothy Defever, a parent of a recent alum. "I don't think anybody was truly aware of the situation.”
“When we heard the news, it was devastating because it's a whole part of our lives," parent and basketball coach Jennifer Jones said. "What would we do without it?”
In a letter to parents, the church supporting the school said a lack of financial resources led to the decision. But, parents said not so fast.
“When we heard what the numbers were, we started looking for a fix,” Kaddis said. “We've identified here's what we need to do, here's what we need to do to move forward, and were working on it.”
Kaddis began spearheading an effort to save the school, presenting the archdiocese with a detailed plan. They now have until March 1 to show sustainable enrollment and raise $150,000.
"The archdiocese has given us some benchmarks, and we're really in a sprint,” Kaddis said. "If by March 1 we don't hit our goals, it's really no risk. The archdiocese will refund those donations.”
Kaddis says unknown to many parents, the school had been operating at a deficit every year. The church was stepping in to cover those losses. However, the church can no longer afford to pick up that expense.
Kaddis is hoping to raise roughly $300,000 to give the school more time to reach an enrollment level that will allow the school to be self-sustaining on tuition alone.
“It's not that we're looking to pay old bills,” Kaddis explained. "There's a point where if we get to a certain number of students, the tuition pays for the school, and we've been given some time to get there... I think the more we can fundraise, the more time we can buy to break even.”
Many at the Friday fish fry, including sixth grader Angelo Harder, wore shirts that read "St. Germaine Strong."
“The shirt was made as like a symbol that we're not going to go down without a fight,” Angelo said. “Mr Kaddis, he was like coming up with a game plan and that was when I was like, we've got a big chance.”
“This school is like a second family to me. It's a very friendly environment,” Angelo added. "It would be difficult transition to another school.”
With the archdiocese giving this community a chance, students and parents have hit the ground running. They hope the plan will keep St. Germaine alive for generations to come.
“We're trying to make it so it's a viable plan to stay open more than just one year,” Defever said. “St. Germaine has been here for a long time and I think a lot of people here in St. Clair Shores value that Catholic school education.”
“There's a lot of great schools out there and if we have to make a decision we will, but this is where we want to be,” Jones said.
The archdiocese is collecting the funds to save St. Germaine. You can learn more information and find a link to donate on the school's website.
