WEST NEW YORK AND BEYOND —The town of West New York wants to purchase a private school to use to house some of its students, as its high school is hundreds of kids over capacity. But they must wait for approval from one of the highest authorities: the Pope.
The state’s School Development Authority has forwarded the West New York Board of Education’s application for the purchase of St. Joseph’s private school to Vatican City. The sale must be approved by the Pope because it belongs to the archdiocese of Newark.
“It’s just a formality,” Superintendent of Schools John Fauta said. “We don’t anticipate any problems.”
Once they receive papal approval, the SDA can then make their final decision. Fauta expects it will be made within the next year.
West New York’s Memorial High School contains approximately 1,800 students. In 2005, the NJSDA determined that the building was equipped to hold 918, leaving them 882 students over capacity.
If purchased, St. Joseph’s would become a “freshman/sophomore academy,” house between 700 and 800 students, and solve the overcrowding problem.
For more details on the planned purchase of St. Joseph’s High School, click here. You can leave comments below. –Gennarose Pope