WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES MAY 18, 2017 11 An open letter to the members of the communities served by the Christ the King Campus Dear Friends, As a part of the CTK Campus community I feel it is my responsibility to keep you updated so that together we can dispel any rumors or gossip that is untrue. As previously stated; in the past, statements from the Diocese have challenged the ability of Catholic schools to compete with charter schools, which are publicly funded schools. In the case of CTK and MVP we have a different model, in which MVP pays rent for use of their premises. This arrangement has been in existence for going on four years generating funds that benefit our campus as well as previously benefitting the Diocese to the extent of over $80,000. In fact, funds from this arrangement had also been set aside to be given to individual parish schools to defray any effects the charter school may have had on that parish school. If any student did not re-register for their catholic grammar school in order to attend MVP, CTK volunteered that they will reimburse the entire amount of lost tuition to the school directly. In the few cases in which this was applied, CTK tried to give these funds to the parish grammar schools-but the schools stopped cashing the checks, we believe at the request of the Diocese. When that happened, our CTK Board decided to give the funds directly to Christ the King students in the form of scholarships. These scholarships are in addition to the already designated $500 tuition reduction for the full four years at CTK for any child coming from a Catholic grammar school to Christ the King. They also share the “CTK Tuition Guarantee for All Students” that their tuition will not increase over their 4 year stay at CTK. The addition of the Middle Village Preparatory Charter School has not only benefited the CK Campus as a whole but also all individual students and families receiving these tuition funds. In the beginning of October, 1975, 40 years ago, the Diocese closed CTK with no advance warning and gave only seniors the opportunity to graduate in June and all other classes and students were given transfer papers and left on their own to find space in already overcrowded public and Catholic schools. We acted and saved Christ the King High School!! CTK as an independent Catholic high school was created and has just celebrated its 40th anniversary on April 2, 2017. We were extremely pleased continue the splendid spiritual and academic tradition of Christ the King High School since 1962. It is sad and ironic that now, May 2017 the Diocese has acted in identical fashion and done the same thing to MVP calling on the court to permit only the Seniors to graduate in June and close MVP leaving all other MVP classes and students (about 250) on their own to plead for admittance to overcrowded overburdened schools in school district 24. You would think that in 40 years, they would have benefitted from the consequences of that sad, deplorable action instead of repeating it with a new generation of MVP students and family victims. Let us all unite to save MVP! On behalf of the CTK Board of Trustees we are steadfast in our commitment to CTK High School and we will work ceaselessly on behalf of the CTK Campus family and its students. I invite all families of the Christ the King High School community to join us at the next CTK parent informational meeting, May 31st at 6:30pm for further information/discussion and updates on this situation. Thank you for your concern, Serphin R. Maltese Chairman of the Board Christ the King High School
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