CANARSIE — Parents and faculty of a Catholic school for special needs students are hoping for a miracle to keep their doors open, despite declining enrollment that the diocese says is forcing its closure.
The Catherine Laboure School opened 50 years ago on Pacific Street in Canarsie with a mission of serving students with learning disabilities and intellectually disabled students ranging in age from 5 to 21.
The school is named for Saint Catherine Laboure, who is believed to have received a message from the Blessed Virgin Mary to create the “Miraculous Medal” — one of the most popular sacramental medals for Catholics.
But current enrollment has dwindled down to 40 students, and the Diocese of Brooklyn announced they’ll be closing the school by the end of August.
“They told us about the closing really last minute,” Elizabeth Bisciello, 32, a teacher at the school, told DNAinfo.
“They kind of just waited, waited, waited, [until] the least amount of time we could have given.”
Bisciello created an online petition last week calling on the diocese to spare the school, which has netted nearly 800 signatures as of Monday.
Parents of students and alums wrote heartfelt notes about their experiences on the petition site — wondering how the diocese “can justify taking this away from these children."
“My son was a student at LaBoure, and it was the best, most rewarding time of his life,” Santo F. wrote.
“It would be a horrible shame if others didn't have the same opportunity he did. Christianity demands that we help those that can't help themselves, those who need our help the most.”
Bisciello — whose family also works at the school — said the program’s small size is what helped students grow.
“Teachers and faculty were able to understand these kids inside and out,” she said.
“Parents love that their children are given the attention they’re receiving now because they thrived and flourished and accomplished things they were told could never physically be possible.”
A spokeswoman for the diocese said the majority of current students can be served by the nonprofit educational facility Heartshare, which is affiliated with the Diocese of Brooklyn and works with children and adults that have special needs.
The school will hold a meeting on Wednesday for parents who have more questions about the closure, officials said.
