SAVE OUR SCHOOL! Please tell the Archdiocese of Newark that they need to keep Ironbound Catholic Academy open & consider how important Ironbound Catholic Academy is for our children, for the community and for the Catholic Church! Ironbound Catholic is one of the most sustainable Catholic schools based on its small size. Parents & children alike give this school an excellent rating. Catholic schools close yearly at an alarming rate and not only does this cause even more overcrowding at public schools but it displaces our children. Closing Ironbound Catholic is tearing apart a close knit school community where our children were getting an excellent education incomparable to any of the public school academics. And our children were learning to be part of a caring compassionate group that felt more like a family than just a school.

These children are the future Catholics and the Archdiocese is turning their back on these young Catholics by not seeking further help and a better solution. These kids are learning the teachings of the Catholic Church and suddenly that will no longer be part of their lives. The church will lose many of their little future parishioners because most parents will not take a gamble on a Catholic School again because of the uncertainly of its viability. The Archdiocese needs to put our school first! While Catholic Charities helps others, what about our very own children? Shouldn't they look to help their own Catholic School Children first? The Catholic Church needs to come together and help their own future Catholics all the money that Catholic Charities uses to help their fellow man should start with their own schools.

Why did they not reach out to the parents when the school was in danger of being closed? This pandemic left many parents without work or uncertain of what school would be like come fall and the low enrollment that is being blamed for the closure should have been discussed with the parents. Decisions about enrollment should not have been made during these very difficult times. Ironbound Catholic Academy should have been given a chance to run virtually, let the parents and community come together to save the school and the situation be revisited when things are more settled and we begin to rise from these awful times.

I urge you to ask that the Newark Archdiocese hear your voice!

The children of Ironbound Catholic Academy deserve better, they deserve the happiness and excellence they've known in their school. They deserve their school!