Our Lady of Mercy Preparatory Academy (OLMPA) held its first open house at the former Island Avenue Elementary campus, as the school community prepares for life in a new home—one it may seek to purchase.

The private K-8 Catholic-based OLMPA agreed to lease Island Avenue from the town in June. Declining enrollment and redistricting precipitated the closure of Island, which officially shuttered at the conclusion of this academic year.

OLMPA was in search of a new home after spending last year split between two locations. OLMPA Board Chair John Picard said the Island Avenue location will offer students and staff more space, more resources, and more opportunities.

“The opportunity for space, for curriculum—a library and media center, more science labs—there’s just more room to do more exciting things for kids’ education,” said Picard.

Picard said that the open house on Aug. 15 was attended by 12 families, of which five had enrolled at OLMPA by the following day. He expects total enrollment at the school to be “around 100” at the beginning of the 2019 school year, which will dwarf last year, when OLMPA started with approximately 40 students.

“Things are moving in the right direction,” said Picard. “Love the space, and we’re very excited for the upcoming year.”

OLMPA first sought a lease of Island Avenue School in 2018, soon after it was announced that Our Lady of Mercy School, the main Catholic K to 8 school serving Madison and Guilford since 1954, would close its 149 Neck Road school and merge with the St. Mary School in Branford. Several parents banded together to form OLMPA and, while unable at that point to lease the Island facility, operated the school from Madison and Guilford facilities.

The town approved leasing the school to OLMPA for one year, with no option to extend, at an October 2018 town meeting.

One of the big challenges of splitting classes and resources between two locations was having administrators on-site. Picard said the single location allows the school’s principal, Ann Knowles, to more easily be available to students and teachers.

Extra space, and the additional resources in the science labs and media center will also be important as the school adds some career-based classes to its curriculum, including a digital media class, said Picard. Other positives include being able to have a separate wing for upper school students, an on-site gym and basketball court, and playgrounds for the younger students.

OLMPA is so pleased with the Island location, in fact, that Picard said it is ready to put forward an offer to purchase the property from the town at some time in the next 30 to 45 days.

“I think it works for the town, they’ll get some tax revenue, and it works for us, too,” said Picard.

Picard said bid would be similar to the way OLMPA purchased one of its locations last year, where a for-profit entity set up by OLMPA would be the purchaser and would lease the Island property to the school, allowing the town to collect taxes, but keeping OLMPA a non-profit.

Picard said he thinks OLMPA will make a “very fair offer,” and that he hopes the public will see the value and positive effects of having OLMPA as a permanent resident.

Once a bid is made, it can only be approved by a town referendum. The Board of Selectmen can set restrictions on what types of bids will be accepted, and would make a final recommendation to the public before a vote is held. Currently, OLMPA’s lease is only for one year.

Classes will begin at OLMPA (and Madison public schools) on Tuesday, Sept. 3.