Ryan Director of Admissions Pam McPeak discusses the school's shadow program with students, junior Christopher Gatton (left) and freshman Julio Polanco (center).

Patrick Boylan and Tom McGowan, both juniors at Northeast Catholic High School, would have ruled the school as seniors next year – McGowan as a National Honor Society member ranked fifth in his class and Boylan as a legacy student, following his father, grandfather, uncles and older brothers by attending the school.

Now, both Boylan and McGowan will find themselves adapting to new schools for senior year, after the Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced plans to close Northeast Catholic, opened in 1926 on the border of Frankford and Kensington, and Cardinal Dougherty High School, opened in 1956 in Olney, at the end of the academic year due to waning enrollment.

“When I first heard North was closing, I was really mad,” McGowan, who is enrolled at Father Judge High School for next year, said. “I was mad that this announcement came out of nowhere and I was even more upset that North was closing a year before my senior year. I was confused because I didn’t know where I was going to go next year and what was going to happen with my scholarship.” continue reading »

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has announced the closing of two local high schools. Both Cardinal Dougherty and Northeast Catholic will be closed at the end of the 2009-2010 school year.

“It is with a heavy heart that I make this announcement,” Cardinal Justin Rigali said. “We must make difficult decisions in the prayerful hope for a bright future.”

According to Rigali, the closings come as a result of a comprehensive study of all Archdiocesan schools. The study ended in early September. Today, notices were sent to parents from both schools, and letters have been mailed to every family. continue reading »