Students, Parents ‘Heartbroken' That Maryland Catholic School May Close

A Catholic school that has educated children in Prince George's County, Maryland, for more than 60 years may have to close its doors if it does not overcome a six-figure deficit.

Holy Family Catholic School in Hillcrest Heights needs $200,000 by February to stay open.

"I'll be heartbroken. This school has really helped me academically and spiritually so I would hate for this school to close down," student Logan O'Neal said.

Parents are scrambling to raise money for the school.

"There has been plenty of sleepless nights trying to figure out what are we going to do because we're at the point now that if we don't have this money by February the 15th, we need to start looking at alternative schools for our children," parent Tasheika Wester told News4.

About 130 students attend the school that serves grades pre-K through eighth.

A decline in enrollment and in members at the Holy Family Parish have contributed to the deficit.

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"It's put us in a situation where we've been able to support the school for a number of years, but now we're in this place where that savings we had is gone and so we have to try to generate new income to try to keep the school open," said Rev. Matt Fish, pastor for Holy Family.

"I want to see my daughter to graduate from here in the eighth grade and she's only in the first grade," Wester said.

A GoFundMe page has raised nearly $9,000 so far for the school.

If the school doesn't reach its fund-raising goal, the school will close in the spring at the end of the school year.

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