St. Vincent’s De Paul to close in May
- Thread starter MC415
- Start date
Yea...they got too good. 🙄
(4-6) Montgomery 37
SVDP 35
CN 54
Monty 7
The "State championship " that SVDP won was a Competitive equity special.
Keep dropping a team far enough down the Competition ladder eventually they will find a level they can win at.
Don't blame CN for SVDP administrative incompetency.
Look this SVDP closing situation sucks.
As someone who had sisters and close family friends that graduated from Ursuline High School only to have it shut its doors after a 100 yrs also.... I know the pain that this closing will bring for the graduates.
But to even point a finger at CN as cause is just flat out stupid.
Point the finger at administrative shadiness? Incompetence? Or just maybe a few wealthy donors have been keeping the doors open the last few years and they just got tired of footing the bill with no resolution in site?
As someone who had sisters and close family friends that graduated from Ursuline High School only to have it shut its doors after a 100 yrs also.... I know the pain that this closing will bring for the graduates.
But to even point a finger at CN as cause is just flat out stupid.
Point the finger at administrative shadiness? Incompetence? Or just maybe a few wealthy donors have been keeping the doors open the last few years and they just got tired of footing the bill with no resolution in site?
What's ironic here is that they just won a state championship in football and had a tremendous season in basketball too...not that sports is the only thing that matters in this situation obviously. And yes, CN to blame is dumb. It will be interesting to see where the kids end up, probably some at CN but also Petaluma, Casa Grande, San Marin and Marin Catholic.
If you want to send your child to a private "christian"? "catholic" ? institution the options have certainly been limited recently that's for sure. Rincoln Valley Christian shut its doors a few yrs back also.
Other than CN and Marin Catholic what other schools are out there in the North Bay?
Sonoma Academy in Santa Rosa is increasing enrollment. Nondenominational but school for the elite.
Rincon Valley is now Victory Christian but is just a tiny fraction of what it was.
Sonoma County school age population is mainly working class Hispanic, although Catholic, it’s too pricy in 2024. CN or SV never captured the working class family like SHC or Riordan or Salesian did/does.
SV used to get students from Novato and Rohnert Park. Now all Novato kids stay at San Marin for free or make the drive to MC. Tough for Rohnert Park people to afford SV now. Sonoma is close but those families go to Justin Siena. Enrollment was 400 about 15 years ago and 170 now, that’s not sustainable. St Bernard’s in Eureka can survive 170 because they have 50 international students paying the big bucks.
Marin has San Domenico Boys and Girls grades 9-12 now, plus the nondenominational Branson, Marin Academy, ect…
SVDP's championship win isn't the issue, it's that they pull just enough good athletes from Newman to make it where Marin Catholic is now dominating that key rivalry. Imagine if that one lineman and the running back from SVDP were playing for Newman instead, then the Marin game gets instantly competitive again. That's the goal here. Just a shame it had to be done in a shady way like this.
That's not irony, it's the literal reason they're closing the school. Newman sees themselves slipping and wants to keep up with Marin Catholic, and they need SVDP's athletes to do it.
The running back from 2 years ago is from Santa Rosa and his Mom is the Mayor of Santa Rosa. Went to public school up to 8th grade in Santa Rosa. His family led the change of a few Santa Rosa athletes bypassing CN to SVDP Petaluma.
Sad. I miss St. Elizabeth's HS as well. Not to mention Holy Cross HS. St. Lawrence HS and Marello Prep too. Not to mention Mercy-SF. St. Rose-SF. Presentation-SF. It's been a long, tangled papal boulevard of broken dreams. Other Catholic outfits are barely hanging on. Female single-sex schools are especially at risk. Hence Notre Dame-Salinas and Palma. Mercy-Sf and Riordan.
Last edited:
Over the years in the North Bay Cardinal Newman has been accused of alot of shi* by the fellow high schools in the North Bay League. But to be accused of going behind the scenes to shut down SVDP has to be the All-Timer!!!
A school that playes exclusively in the Deuce... and with whom there's not a single sport that SVDP is even on CNs radar..
Cant argue with ignorance...although apparently im trying 🤷.
A school that playes exclusively in the Deuce... and with whom there's not a single sport that SVDP is even on CNs radar..
Cant argue with ignorance...although apparently im trying 🤷.
Mustang families,
The Transition Board will be sending out weekly updates through separate email from this day forward, in lieu of having a section in the weekly Mustang Update, to ensure that parents are receiving up to date information from the board directly.
This week we wanted to address a SF Gate article that was posted to their website yesterday, March 5th. The information from this article was not based on any conversations with anyone from the school or the diocese and is completely false - SVHS is not closing. The article was based on the teachers at SVHS receiving WARN notices last week. These notices are required when shutting down one institution in order to transfer to a new institution. It is clearly explained by Dr. Peterson in the article by the Argus Courier(lined below); "While we are transitioning from a diocesan Catholic School to an independent institution, it's important to understand that the school is not closing its doors. There are legal requirements for giving notice to employees, the city of Petaluma, and the state of California. Out of an abundance of caution, the Diocesan Department of Catholic Schools and I are making this announcement a month (or two) before it is absolutely required."
"Notice of Intent to offer annual teacher contract" letters have already been provided to the faculty at SVHS and are due back at the end of the day Thursday, March 7th for the 24/25 school year. Teacher contracts for 24/25 will be presented to faculty, targeting the first week in April.
See below for more information from Argus Courier and KTVU articles:
Here is a recent story that KTVU did about our efforts and transition. KTVU Article
This is an article with more specifics on the WARN Notices and transition too. Petaluma 360
Finally, the Transitional Board Update Parent meeting has been scheduled for March 25 at 6:30pm in TillmanHall. At this meeting, the 24/25 budget, the Lease, and governance updates will be provided along with answering pre-submitted questions.
Thank you for your continued support of our students and staff.
Sincerely
The Transitional Board of Directors
The Transition Board will be sending out weekly updates through separate email from this day forward, in lieu of having a section in the weekly Mustang Update, to ensure that parents are receiving up to date information from the board directly.
This week we wanted to address a SF Gate article that was posted to their website yesterday, March 5th. The information from this article was not based on any conversations with anyone from the school or the diocese and is completely false - SVHS is not closing. The article was based on the teachers at SVHS receiving WARN notices last week. These notices are required when shutting down one institution in order to transfer to a new institution. It is clearly explained by Dr. Peterson in the article by the Argus Courier(lined below); "While we are transitioning from a diocesan Catholic School to an independent institution, it's important to understand that the school is not closing its doors. There are legal requirements for giving notice to employees, the city of Petaluma, and the state of California. Out of an abundance of caution, the Diocesan Department of Catholic Schools and I are making this announcement a month (or two) before it is absolutely required."
"Notice of Intent to offer annual teacher contract" letters have already been provided to the faculty at SVHS and are due back at the end of the day Thursday, March 7th for the 24/25 school year. Teacher contracts for 24/25 will be presented to faculty, targeting the first week in April.
See below for more information from Argus Courier and KTVU articles:
Here is a recent story that KTVU did about our efforts and transition. KTVU Article
This is an article with more specifics on the WARN Notices and transition too. Petaluma 360
Finally, the Transitional Board Update Parent meeting has been scheduled for March 25 at 6:30pm in TillmanHall. At this meeting, the 24/25 budget, the Lease, and governance updates will be provided along with answering pre-submitted questions.
Thank you for your continued support of our students and staff.
Sincerely
The Transitional Board of Directors
I've read some absurd things over the years on this site but this has to take the cake.
I'm a newman alumni and trust me there is no conspiracy against SV. Not to take anything away from SV but we fear Windsor and losing kids to that school. SV doesn't play Newman nor competes with them really at any level. Sure there are a few kids every year that would help CN but you can say that about anybody.
Heck I was just at SV honoring the great Tom Bonfigli and his remarkable 42 year career. Nothing but love for SV and hope it works out. We are rooting for future success!
With all due, respect, the fact that you are a Newman alumni proves that you are biased in this particular discussion. Everyone in the North Bay knows what time it is.
So the fact that I've donated to help save SV makes me bias as well? You make no sense.
I hope the school survives and the kids thrive. It would be a shame if they had to close.
You do realize there isn't one kid on SV hoop team that would crack top 7-8 at CN. (and CN was almost all Frosh/Soph). I'm not being disrespectful either. Just compete at different levels generally. SV football team was outstanding at smaller school level. Very good QB. He could transition almost anywhere to be honest.
This has absolutely zero to do with athletics. Ever since Bishop Vassa has taken over the Santa Rosa diocese it has been no secret he has not been particularly fond of having two high schools that close in proximity. And with SV being a parish and not a diocese school, yes, Newman is going to be the flagship school for the diocese.
And watch what school he "magically" ends up starting for next year.
Okay and watch what school the athletes "magically" end up at and revisit this at the start of the season. I'll be here.
Interesting, sounds like March 25th meeting will be huge. Hopefully they can make it happen. Faculty members can’t be feeling confident at this point, though I’d imagine.
Interesting, the whole Sonoma/Napa area school age enrollment is dropping fast.
The “closing” sounds procedural to reopening as an independent. There is a GoFundMe going around stating that 500k is needed by 3/30 or the school will cease to exist. That fundraising/scheme seems sketchy to me. Also as an independent I would assume tuition will be raised substantially. Independent schools are pricy (50k+) case in point Branson or Sonoma Academy. I know St Bernard’s is able to make it work because of international boarding students. Riordan in SF keeps tuition low (for SF) by doing this as well. I think Salesian is backed by the diocese but I took a tour recently and the students are much more “working class” than CN, MC, or SV.
170 students x 20k is 3.4 million. Is that enough? Seems quite low to run a HS. I wouldn’t want to see families lose their money on the gofundme or be told false information.
I hope they find a way to make it work but I’m skeptical at this point.
If they were smart they would rebrand the school as an athletics academy. Consolidate all the talent in the North Bay from Vallejo on up and become the IMG of the west. There's a ton of money that can be made and opportunities for kids.
The demographics in the north bay just aren't present anymore to support all of the schools & districts. This was happening and was further accelerated by the deadly fires that hit the area the past decade. Many families moved out of the area and state after this. If SV was in Elk Grove they would probably have 500 kids. But, they are in Petaluma which is a great town but aging. I think Maria Carrillo was last HS built in SR and that was damn near 30 years ago. You had El Molino closed a few years ago and fold into Analy. I see further consolidation.
Petaluma USED TO be a great town, unfortunately it has turned into a disaster zone these past few years. Most places in Petaluma are like a worse version of Oakland, which shouldn't even be possible.
