Shuttered Catholic girls' school building in Syosset to be leased to gifted program, but not everyone is happy about it
Our Lady of Mercy Academy on Jan. 8, 2024 in Syosset. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp
The building that housed Our Lady of Mercy Academy in Syosset has stood vacant since shuttering in June, but the reopening of its doors to a new generation of students from the Long Island School for the Gifted has reignited hard feelings for members of a coalition who fought to save the original academy.
The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas confirmed in an email they will lease the property to the independent South Huntington school for 10 years beginning in May of next year.
"This 10-year lease will begin in May 2025. The Sisters of Mercy are delighted that the building will continue to be used to educate local children," reads the statement provided by spokesman Bob Keenan.
The move has stirred strong sentiments among some former faculty, alumnae, and students that established the OLMA Preservation Coalition to salvage the near century-old institution, either by partnering with the sisters or leasing the property and creating their own school.
The nuns, who cited a financial deficit amid declining enrollment for the all-girls Catholic high school's closure, rejected the coalition’s efforts of financial support and an educational model to keep a school open, according to Miller. Opened in 1928, the institution has had nearly 10,000 young women walk through its halls.
Members of the coalition also feel the nuns' newly announced plan is at odds with their previous position that the property would not be used for a new school.
In a February letter to the nuns, the coalition had asked to be notified if the sisters had no interest or had other plans for the property.
In a March letter to the coalition, the nuns indicated that they would not support or be affiliated with any school at the site. They also stated that the property would not be used for a school. A new school, the letter clarified, is "not an option," on their property.
Keenan declined to comment further on the matter.
No other information about the new arrangement was released. The Long Island School for the Gifted, which, according to its website, provides an "accelerated educational program" for children in kindergarten through eighth grade, also declined to comment.
Miller said the school lease is a reversal from the nuns' previous statements and raises questions about their decision-making regarding the property.
While partly relieved the property will continue to serve as a children's learning institution, coalition president Jeanette Miller said she doesn't understand why the offers from the coalition were rejected.
"Why wouldn't you want to work with the people who loved it? It just doesn't make sense," Miller added.
"The feedback that we're getting from people is just that there's still a lot of confusion and hurt, especially from donors, people who made large donations [to the academy]. It’s just shock and betrayal," said Miller, an alumna whose daughter also attended.
"I think the girls are managing but there is a lot of sadness for them," she said.
The sisters made what they have called a "difficult decision" to close the school following a 45% drop in enrollment in a decade, Newsday previously reported. Ten years ago, the average class had 100 students but the 2023-2024 freshman class had 37. The closure has left one remaining all-girls Catholic high school open on Long Island, Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead.
For former Mercy student Natalie Cuevas, who transferred to St. Dominic High School in Oyster Bay, where dozens of former schoolmates followed, news that the hallways will once again be filled by pupils drew conflicting emotions.
"I'm happy that at least it gets to be used by other kids, but I'm sad because ... it was my school and it had all my memories," said the 17-year-old senior from Huntington.
Recent photos of an alumnae association gathering at the former school only reminded her of the institution’s now lifeless classrooms.
"I remember walking down there as a freshman going to class and now it's empty, it’s dark," she said.
Echoing her daughter, Cuevas’s mother, Bernadette, 49, said knowing another school will take the place of the former academy has left her dealing with a range of emotions.
"I’m heartbroken ... because they didn't give us the opportunity to create a school in the image of Mercy and have it in that building, or bring on another school ... They didn't give us a chance," Bernadette Cuevas said.
"All the letters, everything that they said, they made it seem like they had no interest in releasing the property, and then they're doing it anyway. So, it's like a whole other level of abandonment," she added.
The building that housed Our Lady of Mercy Academy in Syosset has stood vacant since shuttering in June, but the reopening of its doors to a new generation of students from the Long Island School for the Gifted has reignited hard feelings for members of a coalition who fought to save the original academy.
The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas confirmed in an email they will lease the property to the independent South Huntington school for 10 years beginning in May of next year.
"This 10-year lease will begin in May 2025. The Sisters of Mercy are delighted that the building will continue to be used to educate local children," reads the statement provided by spokesman Bob Keenan.
The move has stirred strong sentiments among some former faculty, alumnae, and students that established the OLMA Preservation Coalition to salvage the near century-old institution, either by partnering with the sisters or leasing the property and creating their own school.
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas will be leasing a Syosset building that housed an all-girls Catholic high school to the Long Island School for the Gifted beginning in May.
- The plan is eliciting strong emotions from people who worked to save the nearly 100-year-old institution.
- In a previous letter to the coalition created to save the school, the Sisters of Mercy said their Syosset property would not be used for a school.
The nuns, who cited a financial deficit amid declining enrollment for the all-girls Catholic high school's closure, rejected the coalition’s efforts of financial support and an educational model to keep a school open, according to Miller. Opened in 1928, the institution has had nearly 10,000 young women walk through its halls.
Members of the coalition also feel the nuns' newly announced plan is at odds with their previous position that the property would not be used for a new school.
In a February letter to the nuns, the coalition had asked to be notified if the sisters had no interest or had other plans for the property.
In a March letter to the coalition, the nuns indicated that they would not support or be affiliated with any school at the site. They also stated that the property would not be used for a school. A new school, the letter clarified, is "not an option," on their property.
Keenan declined to comment further on the matter.
No other information about the new arrangement was released. The Long Island School for the Gifted, which, according to its website, provides an "accelerated educational program" for children in kindergarten through eighth grade, also declined to comment.
Miller said the school lease is a reversal from the nuns' previous statements and raises questions about their decision-making regarding the property.
While partly relieved the property will continue to serve as a children's learning institution, coalition president Jeanette Miller said she doesn't understand why the offers from the coalition were rejected.
"Why wouldn't you want to work with the people who loved it? It just doesn't make sense," Miller added.
"The feedback that we're getting from people is just that there's still a lot of confusion and hurt, especially from donors, people who made large donations [to the academy]. It’s just shock and betrayal," said Miller, an alumna whose daughter also attended.
"I think the girls are managing but there is a lot of sadness for them," she said.
The sisters made what they have called a "difficult decision" to close the school following a 45% drop in enrollment in a decade, Newsday previously reported. Ten years ago, the average class had 100 students but the 2023-2024 freshman class had 37. The closure has left one remaining all-girls Catholic high school open on Long Island, Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead.
For former Mercy student Natalie Cuevas, who transferred to St. Dominic High School in Oyster Bay, where dozens of former schoolmates followed, news that the hallways will once again be filled by pupils drew conflicting emotions.
"I'm happy that at least it gets to be used by other kids, but I'm sad because ... it was my school and it had all my memories," said the 17-year-old senior from Huntington.
Recent photos of an alumnae association gathering at the former school only reminded her of the institution’s now lifeless classrooms.
"I remember walking down there as a freshman going to class and now it's empty, it’s dark," she said.
Echoing her daughter, Cuevas’s mother, Bernadette, 49, said knowing another school will take the place of the former academy has left her dealing with a range of emotions.
"I’m heartbroken ... because they didn't give us the opportunity to create a school in the image of Mercy and have it in that building, or bring on another school ... They didn't give us a chance," Bernadette Cuevas said.
"All the letters, everything that they said, they made it seem like they had no interest in releasing the property, and then they're doing it anyway. So, it's like a whole other level of abandonment," she added.
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Newsday Live Music Series: Long Island Idols Newsday Live presents a special evening of music and conversation with local singers who grabbed the national spotlight on shows like "The Voice," "America's Got Talent,""The X-Factor" and "American Idol." Newsday Senior Lifestyle Host Elisa DiStefano leads a discussion and audience Q&A as the singers discuss their TV experiences, careers and perform original songs.
