CAMDEN (February 5, 2007) — Most Reverend Joseph A. Galante, Bishop of Camden, will announce decisions that will impact four school clusters in South Jersey.
The decisions regard Catholic elementary schools in the first four of 12 school planning clusters (clusters 7, 9, 10 and 12), which consist of 17 of the 52 Catholic elementary schools in the diocese. The decisions will go into effect before the start of the 2007-2008 school year. The eight remaining clusters, which consist of 35 schools, are just now beginning their planning process and will submit their recommendations to Bishop Galante for review in June 2007.
Once decisions are reached on these eight clusters, these plans will be implemented before the start of the 2008-2009 school year. Parishes will also be planning this spring and will submit their recommendations to Bishop Galante for review by May 15. Parish planning decisions are expected to be announced in early 2008. The diocese announced last month that it is undertaking a comprehensive planning initiative to revitalize and strengthen parish life and Catholic school education in response to changing demographics, shifting population, and a declining number of priests available for ministry in the diocese.