As the Bartlett School prepares to close because of declining numbers of students, some of the city's private schools are reporting a boom in enrollment.
Grace Cavallo, the head of the Bartlett School on Trapelo Road, said the school had operating deficits for several years, blaming a poor economy and low return rate for student enrollment as the final straw.
"We were very clear looking at our re-enrollment that we had a steady decline. When we looked at our next year, we were shooting for 75 to 78 returning, re-enrolling students," Cavallo said. "We fell short of that. We were at 56."
The Board of Trustees voted to close the school at the end of the current school year.
"We had some real expenses. It was not a sustainable institution going forward," Cavallo said. "I offered parents options over spring break to work with me and my admissions director in helping parents find options for their children. The ones that are not returning are either looking at another independent school or public schools."
Yet across the city the picture isn't as bleak.
Saint Jude School on Main Street reports only a slight decline in enrollment. Sister Katherine Martin said the Catholic school's enrollment is down about 8 percent from last year. The school, which holds classes for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, has seen some students leaving after the fifth grade to attend public schools, Martin said.
"Usually they would stay here through eighth grade," she said. "What we've seen is they would leave from fifth grade to go to a public middle school instead of a private. Most of the parents said it's been for financial reasons."
Chandra Minor, principal at Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted School, also on Trapelo Road, said enrollment is up for the next school year. The school has 220 students and she expects that number to increase during the next school year.
"We're in a better place now this year than last year. My thoughts are if you provide an excellent product, parents put their children above anything else," she said. "We have at least 50 new families. Thank goodness. We are doing well."
Minor said some students are coming from the Bartlett School.
"We have had families from Bartlett come through the school. We've had several register. But many are not from the Bartlett," she said. "The majority are from the Waltham area."
Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School on Beaver Street is also reporting a possible increase in enrollment. Siri Akal Khalsa, head of the school, said effectively marketing to target audiences while defining their identity as a culturally diverse small school, may be responsible for the projected increase. The school has 181 students, he said.
"Enrollment-wise, things have changed for the better. That seems to be counterintuitive and surprising, in light of so many things going on around us," he said. "Last year at this time, we had 125 applicants. This year we have 149 applicants. That's a nice percentage increase."
In Chestnut Hill, another independent school, the Beaver Country Day School, has also predicted an increase in enrollment. The school currently has 428 students in sixth grade through 12th grade.
"Right now our applications are up this year over last year. We're encouraged by that. All inquiries are up. From that perspective, we're in good shape despite the economy," said Peter Hutton, head of the school. "People are clearly making choices. Education is still a pretty great investment. If people are not choosing to invest in other things in life, education is not one of them. Perhaps it's more important than ever."
Jeff Gilbride can be reached at 781-398-8005 or at jgilbrid@cnc.com
