Vandergrift's Cardinal Maida Academy says goodbye to its last students

Vandergrift’s sole Catholic school is closing.

The Cardinal Maida Academy, formerly St. Gertrude School when it opened in 1922, held its last day of school on Friday.

Low student enrollment led to the closure, formally effective June 30, 2019, according to a news release from Greensburg Diocese spokesman Jerry Zufelt.

Cardinal Maida enrolled 54 students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in 2018-19.

As of April 30, only 32 students had registered for next school year.

Greensburg Bishop Edward Malesic accepted the school board’s recommendation to close the school. The decision was explained to the school community during two meetings at the school May 7.

For parent and school advisory council volunteer Todd Sterlitz, the news of the closing was one of resignation.

“I expected it — that it was eventually coming due to declining enrollment,” Sterlitz said. “It breaks your heart. My two children loved their school, and it provided a wonderful Catholic foundation.”

Sterlitz said his daughter’s sixth-grade graduation ceremony at Cardinal Maida this week recognized four students who comprised the entire sixth-grade class.

Sterlitz’s daughter will continue her parochial school education in the fall at Mary Queen of Apostles in New Kensington.

It was one of three schools, including Divine Redeemer School in Ford City and Mother of Sorrows School in Murrysville, recommended by the diocese for parents left searching for an alternative.

Cardinal Maida’s tuition for the 2018-19 year was $4,475.

The actual average tuition per student, after eligible financial aid, ran about $2,400 per student, according to data provided by the diocese.

“I am surprised, sad and shocked,” said parent Chelsea Generelli of North Apollo. “I had enrolled my daughter for fall and I thought business was ‘as usual’ because I was filling out paperwork.”

Generelli said her daughter, a second-grader, loved her friends and school. She’ll attend public school this fall.

“She has been very upset,” Generelli said. “She wanted to continue there.”

Mary Despotakis of Allegheny Township, who graduated from St. Gertrude School in 1979, said she is sad to see her alma mater close.

“I expected it. It’s a sign of the times — the low enrollment,” Despotakis said.

A letter sent to the Cardinal Maida community by the trust administrators cited the low enrollment forecast for the next year, stating “such a small population would not provide sufficient academic or social opportunities for the children.”

And with a declining population in the area, board members wrote, “it has become apparent that the enrollment of The Cardinal Maida Academy would continue to decline despite the efforts of an energetic and passionate school community who have been dedicated to maintaining a dynamic Catholic school in Vandergrift.”

Sterlitz noted school volunteers were “all very involved with fundraising, and substantial annual fundraising” occurred each school year.

The school’s 15 full- and part-time employees will be eligible to apply for an unemployment assistance package from the diocese, Zufelt said.

Anita Kilgore of Franklin Avenue lives across the street from the academy. She watched the buses depart for a final time on Friday.

“It’s sad because it was a good school for the children. It had religion, discipline and I would see the kids eat lunch at the park.”

Vandergrift resident Diane Troya reflected on hearing the news of another Pittsburgh-area Catholic school closing.

“It’s sad to see it leave — something that’s been a staple in the community for so long,” Troya said. “It’s the end of an era.”