Mercy SF to close

[colhenrylives]

Sad news. The announcement was made Friday. Mercy, with a slumping enrollment that has plunged to just 220, cannot continue due to severe financial issues. The all-female school, located on 19th Avenue near San Francisco State, opened in the early 1950s. Its closure, set for June, follows the shuttering of other all-girls SF Catholic high schools like Presentation, St. John's Ursuline, Star of the Sea, St. Rose and Cathedral, among others. There was a time in the 1980s when the Skippers featured a strong girls' hoops program. They played for a Division III state title in 1989. Those days are long-gone. Once Mercy shuts down, the City will have just two all-girls Catholic schools left: Immaculate Conception Academy and Convent of the Sacred Heart.

 

[Streak One]

It is always sad to see a school close. A lot of history.

What was their usual enrollment before the dips started to happen?

 

[colhenrylives]

Back in the day, enrollment was 700 to 800.

 

[colhenrylives]

The major money issues for a lot of Catholic girls' high schools, past and present:

1. No more nuns (free labor) on the faculty.
2. Low donations/endowments _ no interest/reserve to tap.
3. Commitment to low-income students.
4. Not enough full-pay pupils.
5. Relatively modest tuition that cannot make up for all of the above.

Add it all up and it's a formula for failure.

Not that far away from Mercy's campus, all-boys Riordan has seemingly solved the nagging dollar problem by creating a boarding component which essentially double-charges foreign kids for room, board and extras. For Mercy (land rich and income poor), however, it's apparently too late for such a move.

 

[iamgearyblvd]

Was it impossible for the Archdiocese to explore the scenario of merging Riordan and Mercy together? There may not be anymore nuns here in the states like in the past but I know there are a healthy number abroad.

 

[Norcal_Fan]

Was it impossible for the Archdiocese to explore the scenario of merging Riordan and Mercy together? There may not be anymore nuns here in the states like in the past but I know there are a healthy number abroad.

I may be wrong, but I thought it said it was an independent Catholic school and Riordan was under the SF Diocese. Independent, usually meaning that it has it's own board and while catholic, not affiliated with a diocese or church. I could be wrong on that...San Domenico is the same way...

 

[shcguy92]

I may be wrong, but I thought it said it was an independent Catholic school and Riordan was under the SF Diocese. Independent, usually meaning that it has it's own board and while catholic, not affiliated with a diocese or church. I could be wrong on that...San Domenico is the same way...

Not wrong at all about Mercy. There are only 4 official Archdiocese High schools: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Archbishop Riordan, Serra and Marin Catholic. The rest of the schools are Catholic private schools.

As for Cathedral closing, it never did, it actually merged with Sacred Heart to keep Sacred Heart open. If that merger had not happened, Sacred Heart might have closed.

 

[iamgearyblvd]

Not wrong at all about Mercy. There are only 4 official Archdiocese High schools: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Archbishop Riordan, Serra and Marin Catholic. The rest of the schools are Catholic private schools.

As for Cathedral closing, it never did, it actually merged with Sacred Heart to keep Sacred Heart open. If that merger had not happened, Sacred Heart might have closed.

Good info.

My early money is a Charter school will take over the Mercy property. Stern or Stratford would be my presumed leading candidates.

Dont forget St. Rose was part of that Cathedral/SH merger. Wow thats only 30 years ago.

 

[Barking Dog]

Sad. My mother and 1 aunt are Mercy grads. My other aunt St Rose. Grandparents Poly Tech.

 

[Scott2138]

Not wrong at all about Mercy. There are only 4 official Archdiocese High schools: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Archbishop Riordan, Serra and Marin Catholic. The rest of the schools are Catholic private schools.

As for Cathedral closing, it never did, it actually merged with Sacred Heart to keep Sacred Heart open. If that merger had not happened, Sacred Heart might have closed.

I was there when it merged, I never heard that SH boys' were in danger of closing, it was the girl schools starting with Cathedral and St. Rose.

 

[shcguy92]

I was there when it merged, I never heard that SH boys' were in danger of closing, it was the girl schools starting with Cathedral and St. Rose.

Scott I know it was that SH was about to close as both my parents were board members at the time of the merger. SH was the more recognized name so they obviously took the front but if you look at the history since merger, you will see the Daughters have put much more into the school rather than the Brothers. Those are the facts. Many feel it was Cathedral on the brink nm of closing but in reality it was the other way around. Even now, the Daughters are putting more into the school than the Brothers.

 

[shcguy92]

Good info.

My early money is a Charter school will take over the Mercy property. Stern or Stratford would be my presumed leading candidates.

Dont forget St. Rose was part of that Cathedral/SH merger. Wow thats only 30 years ago.

St. Rose happened 2 years after the official SH and Cathedral merger. SH and Cathedral merged in Fall 1987, with the first class graduating in 1988. Saint Rose did not come into play until Fall 1990, when the school closed after the Spring of 1990.

 

[shcguy92]

St. Rose happened 2 years after the official SH and Cathedral merger. SH and Cathedral merged in Fall 1987, with the first class graduating in 1988. Saint Rose did not come into play until Fall 1990, when the school closed after the Spring of 1990.

I put money on Stratford as they are looking to open a high school in the Bay Area. Mercy would actually be perfect for grades 6 - 12

 

[iamgearyblvd]

It will be interesting to see in this next decade what the enrollment will be across all the Catholic schools especially here in SF. Last tally for 2017-2018 school year, SHC was at 1,322. Thats a healthy number and has been around that number for the last 25 years.

 

[colhenrylives]

Is the old Cathedral campus still being used by the Archdiocese as a high school?

 

[shcguy92]

Yes it is part of Sacred Heart Cathedral. It houses mainly Social Studies and Visual Art classes as well as the school's theatre

 

[shcguy92]

The thing with SI and SHC enrollment is not numbers really. How much of the Student Body does not live within the City limits. Both schools now bus kids in from the Peninsula and North and East Bay. So as long as their bussing programs are strong. I think these account for 25 to more than 50% of the students those schools will be fine. The problem with Mercy and girls schools in general.in SF, is there is no real demand for within the City for these schools. And as much as they try to recruit outside the City, many parents want their girls closer to home. Also because of its location so far away from other schools there was no way to merge logistically. I mean the only cases where it really worked were up North withnCardinal Newman and Presentation, SH and Cathedral and Convent and Stuart Hall.

The last remaining girls school just li lkk evt gf e last remaining all boys school in SF will remain because of cultural reasons.

 

[colhenrylives]

There is a report that Riordan is considering ways to house Mercy students next year. Details are not clear.