We, the alumni, friends, parents and supporters of Benedictine High School would like to voice our opinion against the move of the school to the Abbey.  Previously, alumni were polled and asked if moving the school would be a viable option for the success of the school.  The vote was taken and the result was no, thus moving the school to the Abbey would be to directly disregard the opinions of a majority of the alumni. 

The physical location of the school on Sheppard Street serves as a convenient place for students and parents.  Parents who work within the city of Richmond can drop their young men off at the school which is conveniently located in the fan.  These parents often have their daughters to go to St. Gertrude’s; if the school were to move then the parents would have to find alternative ways of transporting their children.  In addition, the close location to St. Gertrude’s provides a social connect for the students, moving the school would clearly impact the interaction between these two institutions.

We, as alumni and supporters of the school, understand that Benedictine is a school that is steeped in tradition.  Many of the men who attend or have attended the school walked the same halls that their fathers, grandfathers, and even great grandfathers walked.  Many have left physical signs of their presences in the school such as the framed pictures that don the halls or the signature of their names on the rafters in the gymnasium.   Some of these marks are not so obvious, but exist only in the memories of the students.  Their first figure dance, the grandparents Christmas party, their graduation day, basketball games; to destroy a place where these memories occurred would be devastating.  While the building may be worth $7.8 million, no price can be put on the century of tradition and memories tied to the original building.

The “Vision 2012” strategic plan, whose members consisted of school trustees, alumni, parents, students, faculty and staff and the Monks of Mary Mother of the Church Abbey, recommended that we “Invest in the school’s rich history by renovating facilities at Sheppard Street.”  By signing this petition we agree with what the committee passed and are in favor of keeping the school’s historic location on Sheppard Street.

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