BANGOR -- Some families in the Poconos are now scrambling to find a school for their children for next year.
The Diocese of Allentown says both a Catholic high school and an elementary school in the Bangor area will close after this year.
More than 200 students will have their Catholic school close at the end of this year. The Diocese of Allentown made the decision to close Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Roseto and Pius X in Bangor due to declining enrollment and financial issues.
The parents were notified last week.
It's a decision many families, students, and staff are taking, "Not very well. They are disappointed," said Our Lady of Mount Carmel School Principal Joseph Yannuzzi. "A lot of the people who have students here went here themselves."
In all, more than 250 students, teachers, and staff are impacted.
At Our Lady of Mount Carmel, second grade teacher Lucyann Greggo says she would have taught her grandchild here next school year.
"It isn't a school. It's my life. I went to school here and I've been teaching here for a little over 30 years," said Greggo.
But the Diocese of Allentown says both schools are dealing with a massive operating debt and enrollment has declined more than 40 percent over the past several years. Greggo agrees.
"I've gone from 39 sixth graders at one time. I've had 23 three years ago in here, 27, and only 12 this year," said Greggo.
About half of the students who go to Our Lady of Mount Carmel School are actually from Monroe County and come the end of this school year, they'll be looking for a new place to go.
Students have several other Catholic schools they could transfer to in the diocese.
First grader Alessandra Ilardi is still upset.
"Sad, because then you don't see your friends or anything," said Ilardi.
"They feel safe. They know all of the teachers. All the teachers know the students, so it's probably one big, happy family," said Yannuzzi.
Those families will now likely split between the Diocese of Allentown schools and Catholic schools in the Poconos, which are run by the Diocese of Scranton.
The bishop of the Diocese of Allentown said in a statement he understands this decision to close two more schools is painful.
Both schools will close in early June.
