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East Haven Effort to Save St. Vincent School Fails

The efforts to fund a campaign to keep the St. Vincent de Paul School open this September have failed, falling far short of the announced $100,000 goal.

On Jan. 26, Archdiocese of Hartford officials said that decreasing enrollment led to the decision to shut the school down, a decision that also affects the Saint Gabriel School in Milford. The East Haven school currently serves 88 students.

After the announcement, a group of St. Vincent supporters, mostly parents and graduates started a fundraising page, www.gofundme.com/djjkevys, in an effort to raise funds to save the school. While the campaign started fast, donations have stalled at $13,820.

School officials, including Principal Cheryl Panzo, have not returned phone calls or emails seeking comment. But a message on the fundraising page now reads that the campaign has “ended.”

Previously, school supporters had said to keep the school open this coming September the donation target would have to be hit by mid-March.

The archdiocese has said St. Vincent de Paul’s deficit is more than $71,000, despite infusions of money from the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools Support Program, and local donors.