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The Miraculous History of Edgarton Christian Academy
Every Child Achieves

On Thursday, January 19, 2012, the Diocese of Camden announced that
they were closing Notre Dame Regional School (NDRS). They felt that
this decision was justified for several reasons. First, within an
approximately twelve-mile radius, there were 4 Catholic schools Edgar on
competing for the same pool of students and that pool of students was
diminishing. Attaining and retaining students was becoming more
difficult every year because of the poor economy and because the Catholic
schools were competing with several very good public school districts in Christian Academy
their areas. Secondly, due to parish mergers and church closings many
parishes became financially unstable and were not able to pay the “parish subsidy” to their schools. Historically
Catholic schools receive a percentage of their revenue from the parishes that serve the school, which is a sizable
amount of money. The schools need the subsidy because tuition rates could not increase commensurate with the
escalating cost of operations. This is an economically depressed area and many parents would not be able to afford
the cost of tuition that would completely support the Catholic schools.

Therefore, in an attempt to strengthen Catholic education in this area, the Diocese decided to close 2 of the 4
schools, thus limiting the competition for the student pool and thus combining the diminishing parish subsidies to
better serve just 2 schools. Ironically, of the 4 Catholic schools included in this plan, Notre Dame Regional School
was considered to be the most stable with respects to enrollment and to fiscal management. Notre Dame's
enrollment rose steadily for each of the 5 years preceding the closing announcement. In addition, Notre Dame also
made a concerted effort to pay off the debt and over the years had reduced it considerably. With this knowledge, the
school leaders were fairly certain that Notre Dame would remain open despite the plans of the Diocese to make
changes.

However, regardless of the school's apparent stability, the Diocese decided that Notre Dame was to be one of the 2
schools designated to close. The staff, pastors, and families of Notre Dame were shocked, aggrieved, and
consumed with pain. Over the few days following the closing announcement the grief and pain turned into outrage
and within a week's time, the outrage turned into action.

The outrage was not only due to the fact that the families felt that the closing was unfair and mandated without care
for the needs and feelings of the families, but also because the Diocese assumed that the families would just move
their children to one of the 2 Catholic schools remaining open. The parents felt that simply swapping one Catholic
school experience for another was not an option. The apparent insensitivity of the Diocese's assumptive posturing
strengthened the parents' resolves to seek other solutions. By the end of that first week, so filled with pain and
despair, a small group of people quietly began building hope.

“Edgarton Christian Academy goes above and beyond to provide a safe environment, culture, and
equal opportunity for every student. Teachers work effortlessly to establish strong relationships
with students making it possible for daily growth in knowledge and faith. I can attest to this fact
because of the relationships I have created at ECA both as a student and an employee. My time at
ECA and relationships have ignited my passion for education. I hope to inspire my future students
the same way ECA has inspired me.”

Madison Hagerty
ECA Class of 2013