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Holy Ghost Prep to Phila Catholic League

ChesmontLeague1

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2012
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They are awaiting formal approval from member ADs but a great fit. Why don’t they have football and will this move them too add this sport? Will Pope John Paul 2 and Shanahan follow? With hostile response they are getting from public schools and not so favorable news articles from the county papers will these last two schools join?
 
Pope John is the old Kennedy Kenrick, why did they leave the PCL?

Regarding Holy Ghost Prep, If they are going to add football, they should announce it soon and start getting business in order.
 
Pope John is the old Kennedy Kenrick, why did they leave the PCL?

Regarding Holy Ghost Prep, If they are going to add football, they should announce it soon and start getting business in order.
PJP 2 is a combination of Kendrick and St Pius x. I guess the grass looked greener in PAC 10 (now PAC 12) vs Catholic League. Holy Ghost has some pretty good sports programs and I’m sure if they added football they’d want the program to be the same quality as basketball baseball soccer and hockey
 
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Gotta think the Archdiocese has to be very disappointed in PJP experiment thus far. Spent the money to build it thinking that the base was moving into that area and that a new building and model would boost enrollment. Thus far that isn't going as anyone planned and hoped. To me this is the least shocking development of all time. Until the core issues with the school system are addressed putting up new cinder block and upping the price point won't be the answer. Not one person downtown at Archdiocese cares what league PJP, Holy Ghost, Devon Prep, or Shanahan play in. Way bigger issues down there.
 
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Gotta think the Archdiocese has to be very disappointed in PJP experiment thus far. Spent the money to build it thinking that the base was moving into that area and that a new building and model would boost enrollment. Thus far that isn't going as anyone planned and hoped. To me this is the least shocking development of all time. Until the core issues with the school system are addressed putting up new cinder block and upping the price point won't be the answer. Not one person downtown at Archdiocese cares what league PJP, Holy Ghost, Devon Prep, or Shanahan play in. Way bigger issues down there.
I disagree Gang. Here’s why. They are following the Catholic migration to the areas who will be able to afford and reap the benefits of a Catholic education. If you are inferring this is tied to priest abuse I personally think you are off as it’s about place a school where it will survive well into the future. I do think Archdiocese would love all the Catholic HSs in the PCL but geographically it’s a stretch for schools like PJP2 and Shanahan as they are 20-30 min to the closest school. Personally I think the PCL is hands down the best sports league. In SE PA and would bring my alma mater Shanahan to greater heights sports wise after they got beat up for a few years.
 
So here is the data.... Montco had 37% of the County is catholic. The Archdiocese was correct. up 14 % from 2000 to 2010 in those in the faith. However, enrollment at PJPII has decreased since inception in 2010, Currently 260 male grades 9-11( dropped to 3A in football), so would assume about 350 males 9-12. About 3.6% of the population of the faith send to PJPII in the County. However, there are other options like Devon Prep, LaSalle, LC, A Wood and Shanahan (especially in OJR area) depending on location you live within the PAC-12. So they have to compete with the other Archdiocese schools. Location for PJPII is ideal, but the numbers don't add up. The School was built to accommodate 1200 kids. Current enrollment is 603 per piaa website in 9-11 grades. Would assume 800 total, so 66% full.

Here are the 9-11 Grade numbers for the Public School's in PAC -12:

Boyertown 1728/ 869 males
Methacton 1177/ 607 males
Norristown 1595/792 males
OJ Roberts 1300/ 647 males
Perk Valley 1586/ 832 males
Spring-Ford 1907/966 males
Phoenixville 949/ 482 males
Upper merion 957/ 492 males
Upper Perk 804/ 427 males
Pottsgrove 755/382 males
Pottstown 737/ 371 males

It is what it is.. PJPII is a great school, no question. The numbers are the numbers.
 
My bad.. just for clarity.. of the 7127 males in Grades 9-11 in the PAC-12, 3.6% (260) send their 9-11 grade young men to PJPII. I was not suggesting it was 3.6% of the total # of the faithful. That would not be accurate..
 
Tuition in the PCL Archdiocesan schools has more than doubled in the last 10 years. The Suburban schools compete against some of the best Funded Educations Systems in PA and the PCL facilities are Pathetic.

Only Shanahan and O'Hara have football facilities that rival some of the smaller schools in Suburban One. Carroll is trying but the field is awful. PJP built a snack bar rather than stands and Judge just finished small stands on one side but no vantage point to watch the game. McDevitt painted a logo and lines and said let's play a Varsity Game on Campus.

Wood is making it work thru donations and backing but numbers are dropping there as well. I think you will soon see that the recent mass exodus of Coaches in all sports, has it roots in the tuition battle. They see the exponential rise in tuition every year which makes the pot of money they are given harder to give out.

$12 K+ per year for a catholic education when you are already paying huge Tax bills in better School Systems is a strain on all. They might as well just bite the head off the fish and make them private like LaSalle or Prep. Level the playing field and have at it. This semi-private push all the tuition money downtown and survive on Activities Fees mentality is a pipe dream and not sustainable.
 
CL we will agree to disagree. Both PJP and Shanahan are tied to same issues as rest of system. Most of them are rooted in an antiquated system. The primary problem lies in the arrangement with the teachers. The pension system is so poor that teachers essentially never can afford to retire. It's a seniority based system like most unions. Enrollment is falling across the system.

Why that is a major problem is you have teachers stretching into their mid 70's to make ends meet. These are the same teachers who were educating kids when tuition was $1200 and now its 10 to 12 grand. As enrollment shrinks and they hold on they bump younger teachers. It's a vicious cycle without real solution.

Part of Master Plan was build in growing area, raise tuition and provide a different experience and see where it went. 750 kids in PJP at this point isn't anywhere close to where they hoped. They hoped for a selective waiting list scenario where people were battling for the spots. Private school lite. It ain't happening. It's the same 600 to 1000 pupils that populate the dilapidated dumps that are left over.

Believe me I'm not a basher. Actually attended Catholic institutions all the way through MBA for total of 19 years. Had good experience. Have been active in giving back in all facets, time, treasure, ideas and resources. My observation is that while we have a multitude of talented people involved in trying to fix this ultimately due to some ill conceived old school notion of honoring and obeying the wishes of church hierarchy both clergy and lay we end up way off course. Same people who know there must be change, say they want change, essentially want to do absolutely nothing and just protect their fiefdom and position. Every business person in room knows its a sham but they continue to participate to honor their obligation to a system that helped make them who they are. While that is honorable what is more honorable is to go right to those powers and say while I understand your viewpoint, we have tried it this way and it doesn't work. We either make real change or we won't back this. Instead we end up with Blue Ribbon Panels etc which are toothless and worthless and serve as cover that the Archdiocese is engaging the business community. This doesn't even touch on abuse scandal but how that was able to go on so long is telling to how a broken system is able to circle the drain for 25 years with no real change.
 
Gang, Chief and D1 - You all raise good points and I agree w some. Other than Nostradamus none of us can predict the future! I do think the Archdiocese did place Shanahan and PJP2 in communities that give them the best chance survive another 50. Yes... more high schools will close and enrollment will drop but the people and communities sending to these schools have much deeper pockets than the city, half of Delco and Lower Bucks. (Not a slight but fact). On another note I was told by a good friend high in Shanahan administration they are preparing to go it alone if the Archdiocese fails. Add a pool, wrestling room, rowing center, hire top notch coaches in all sports and it will steer more top notch athletes to the school vs going to Malvern and Villa.
 
I suppose that was the line of thinking when the proposed "new" Lansdale Catholic was going to open in Hilltown where the farms of Perkasie, Bedminster, Dublin, etc. are turning into housing developments, including the land where the school was to have been built. The LC community pulled together to oppose this move. Good for them, but I'm not sure it was their best chance of long-term survival.
 
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On another note, the growth of Berks Catholic in Reading should not be overlooked. Merger of Holy Name and Reading CC in 2010? They just built an addition to accommodate the rising enrollment numbers. That would have an impact in the northern 422 corridor from Pottstown north (Daniel Boone, N Coventry, etc). A lot of those areas used to go to St Pius, but may not go to PJP2. Just a thought...
 
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