Byzantine Catholic Central School will close

BOARDMAN — Byzantine Catholic Central School had a good economic base when it opened its doors in 1955.

It was supported by five local Byzantine parishes, not by a single parish as were other schools in the Byzantine Archeparchy of Pittsburgh.

At one time there were 10 of those schools, but all but Byzantine Catholic Central have disappeared over the years as their parishes were no longer able to support them financially.

Byzantine Catholic still has its five parishes — St. Nicholas, St. Mary and St. George in Youngstown, Infant Jesus of Prague in Boardman and St. Michael in Campbell — but it’s not enough.

The school will close its doors permanently with the end of this school year in June, said Bernie Kosar Sr., school administrator for the last two years.

The school was in debt when he took over and has been unable to recover, he said.

“Economics made the decision for us,” he said, although the final word came from the archbishop in Pittsburgh.

The school on Youngstown-Poland Road had more than 400 students in kindergarten through the eighth grade during the 1960s and 1970s.

The enrollment has gradually declined over the years as demographics changed and families moved away as jobs were lost in the Mahoning Valley.

Read more in Saturday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com