Parents and students of two long-standing New Jersey Catholic elementary schools are reeling after learning both institutions will permanently shut their doors this June. Visitation Academy in Paramus and Aquinas Academy in Livingston, with histories dating back to the early 1950s, will join more than 30 other Catholic schools across the state that have closed in recent years, continuing a troubling trend for parochial education.
The announcements came through letters to families, catching many off guard despite nationwide patterns of Catholic school contractions. Both schools have served generations of students, with Visitation opening in 1953 as Our Lady of the Visitation Elementary School and Aquinas Academy beginning in 1952 as Saint Philomena, according to 94.3 The Point .
The Latest Trending Headlines in Your Area:
- Luxury Heist Victims Reunite: Kardashian Testifies In Paris
- Toledo Teen’s Murder Sparks Child Services Reform Push
- U.S. Bitcoin Reserve Plans Falter As Schiff Celebrates
- Body Image Debate Erupts Over Sweeney’s Body Measurements
- Crumbl’s Spoilers: Carrot Cake Headlines Easter Week Cookies
The Hidden Crisis Behind the Classroom Doors
The closures reflect a broader existential threat facing Catholic education nationwide. Since 1970, the number of Catholic schools operating in the United States has plummeted from approximately 11,000 to just 5,905 during the 2023-24 school year, according to the National Catholic Education Association…