After 156 years educating students of all faiths, St. Patrick Catholic School will host a Farewell Celebration on Friday, June 5, at the school located at 309 Front St. in Owego. The community is invited to attend.
The emotional evening will begin with a prayer service at 6 p.m. inside St. Patrick Church, which is located behind the school. Following the service at 6:30 p.m., everyone is invited to the school for final tours, a walk through the student art show, as well as to enjoy refreshments and share their memories and view photos of the school. Those interested in attending or to find out more information can call the school at (607) 687-1770.
The decision to close the school followed a recommendation by leadership of the school and Blessed Trinity-St. Patrick Parish, which pointed to a decline in enrollment in recent years, along with expectations of continuing declines and financial pressures. The Most Rev. Salvatore R. Matano, Bishop of the Diocese of Rochester, ultimately accepted and agreed to the parish recommendation to close the school at the end of the current academic year, which is June 24, effectively ending Catholic school education in Tioga County. The next closest Catholic schools in the Diocese of Rochester are located in Ithaca and Elmira.
