Many parents critical of school, diocesan officials

Photo: Retired Trinity teacher JoAnn Pratt voices her concerns about the impending closure of Trinity Catholic School in St. Martinville to Msgr. Richard Greene, who represented Bishop Michael Jarrell at a peaceful protest by almost 50 Trinity parents and students in Lafayette Monday afternoon. (Henri C. Bienvenu)

Jason Willis, a Notre Dame parishioner and member os the St. Martin Parish Government Council, helped organize a peaceful protest held in front of the diocesan offices in Lafayette Monday afternoon.
Nearly 50 parents, grandparents and students, mostly from the Notre Dame Church parish, turned out hoping to keep Trinity School open.
Willis complained in a prepared statement that “Parents of Trinity Catholic have not been provided any kind of financial statements or documentation in the last two years showing that (the school) was in financial crisis. As parents contributing to Trinity through tuition we have the right to that documentation.”
He claimed that the school has lost 150 students under the current administrator, Dr. Carolyn O’Connel, who was hired 2½ years ago by Fr. Rusty Richard, pastor of St. Martin de Tours.
But an enrollment summary released Monday by the diocese showed that enrollment dropped below 400 in 2008, plummeted to 282 at the start of the 2010 session and was at 235 for the 2014-15 school year.
Willis complained that parents and community committees have not been able to meet with anyone from the diocese. “We have had private investors interested in helping Trinity come forward in the last two weeks. Trinity is two campuses that could easily be combined into one,” Willis told Msgr. Richard Greene, who met with the demonstrators in the parking lot of the diocesan headquarters.
Willis also contends that Trinity is the owner of a $168,000 trust and was awaiting a BP settlement of $100,000.
“We simply wanted the diocese to take these things into consideration ... Had the parents and community been made aware of the true finances of Trinity, the school should never have gotten to this point,” he added. “In numerous PTO meetings parents have inquired about what appeared to be frivolous spending and were always assured that the finances were in good standing.
“We simply asked for the opportunity of one more year under new circumstances and we would like to know why we have never been heard.”
JoAnn Pratt, a retired teacher who taught for many years at Trinity, reiterated many of Willis’s point, adding that she felt maltreated by diocesan officials. “I’ve written letters to the bishop and other diocesan officials and there has been no acknowledgement of our inquiries,” she told Msgr. Greene.
She also complained that money had been spent on new desks that were never used and was critical of the process followed in the hiring of O’Connell.
“There were no interviews, no resumés submitted,”she said. “Parents have had no say in any matters at the school.”
Many in the crowd were upset that Bishop Michael Jarrell was not on hand to meet with them. But Msgr. Greene promised that he would convey all the concerns of the group to the bishop.