Our Lady of Mercy Academy on Long Island to close in June
The seal of Our Lady of Mercy Academy.
LONG ISLAND - Our Lady of Mercy Academy, an all-girls Catholic High School that has been open since 1928, announced Tuesday that it will close its doors for the final time in June.
In an email, school officials said that the school was closing due to declining enrollment.
"It is with great sadness that we announce the closing of Our Lady of Mercy Academy at the conclusion of this school year," the school said in a statement. "This difficult decision was made because of changing demographics and lower enrollment."
"Our Lady of Mercy Academy has been a cornerstone of academic excellence and spiritual formation for countless students for nearly a century," the school continued. "The decision to close the school was made with a heavy heart but guided by a commitment to responsible stewardship."
"I assure you that the decision was not made lightly. It came after thorough consideration of the challenges facing many education institutions today: changing demographics and lower enrollment which radically affected our viability," said Margaret Myhan, the school's President. "Over nine decades, the faculty and staff of OLMA have played a pivotal role in shaping the lives of generations of students, instilling values that extend far beyond the classrooms so that they make a difference in our world. Our legacy was built on providing academic rigor, character formation, and personal and professional development in a nurturing faith-based environment."
The school said that it will work closely with local Catholic schools and educational partners to ensure students have a smooth transition to new schools, and will support their faculty and staff as they look for new professional opportunities.
The school has also released a FAQ for students detailing what they can do when the school closes in June.