Two church schools will merge this fall

AUSTINTOWN — The St. Joseph and Immaculate Heart of Mary elementary schools will be merged into a single school this fall.

Michael F. Skube, superintendent of the Youngstown Diocese schools, said Monday that the parish councils and finance committees of the two churches recommended that the two schools be consolidated into one building for the 2009-2010 school year and Bishop George V. Murry has approved the plan.

“This has been in the works for some time,” Skube said, noting that the Diocese has excess pupil capacity.

Joint concerns of declining enrollment and rising costs were key factors in the consolidation recommendation, according to a letter sent to pupil parents and guardians by the pastors of both churches.

Read more in Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com