BREAKING: Bishop Ford closing its doors at the end of the school year

Updated Wednesday, April 16 to include additional information.

In a surprising turn of events, Bishop Ford Central Catholic High School, 500 19th Street, announced on April 14 on its official site that the 52-year-old school will be closing after Regents and finals examinations conclude on June 30.

The decision was made during an emergency meeting on Sunday, April 13 with the board of directors unanimously voted in favor of the pending closure.

“I know that this is very upsetting and sad news for you and for your children,” said Principal Thomas P. Arria, Jr. in a statement posted on the school’s website. “It is no less sad for the faculty and scores of alumni who have remained loyal and dedicated to the mission of Bishop Ford. Speaking personally, I feel a deep sense of sadness over this decision.”

The school opened its doors in 1962 and has been a mecca for athletically inclined students as it is considered a division 1 high school. It has also been a popular spot for recording artists who have filmed various music videos there.

Ford alumni are both shocked and saddened to hear their alma mater will soon be no more. “Every student may say that high school was the best four years of their life, but I literally hugged the walls when I left,” said Ruveena Rossitto, class of 2010. “I dreamt of coming back to teach and handing my son his certificate when he graduated, a privilege held for alumni parents. My heart is truly broken and I will never forget the teachers, faculty and friends from there that I hold so dear to my heart. Mark Alonzo, who graduated from Ford in 2002, also shared his feelings. “After a friend and fellow alumni shared the news of Bishop Ford’s closing, I was heartbroken. I have good memories of the school and consider members of the faculty to be part of my extended family,” he said. “This is an end of an era. I will miss Ford.”

“It’s really upsetting to hear because Ford was a big part of my life and I still consider myself a part of the Ford family,” added Alyssa Santiago, class of 2009. “It was more than just a school for so many people. I wouldn’t be in the career that I am today if it weren’t for my education there, nor would I have some of the important people in my life that I do today. I am very sad to see it go. “

Others are concerned about the teachers’ livelihoods, as many of the staff have worked at Ford for years. “I feel terrible for the 50 some odd teachers and staff who now have to look for new jobs, said Jessica Leibel, who graduated from Ford in 2003.

“I spent very formative years there and will always remember the extremely caring and involved faculty,” added Caitlin McCarthy, class of 2010. “Closing down the school won’t take away the long hours at the soccer fields or late nights rehearsing plays, but it will make those memories harder to hold on to. I wish Bishop Ford could continue to have the lasting, positive impact I saw when I attended, and I’m sad to see it go.”

Although the older generation of Bishop Ford graduates may have different memories than recent alumni, they share the same feeling of disappointment. When I heard the news, I started to remember all the nostalgic stuff when we were students there, said Robert Fulco, a 64-year-old retired New York City firefighter, graduated in 1968, when Ford was an all-boys school. To me it’s a piece of my history that’s biting the dust.”

His favorite memories include being a part of the school’s baseball team which would go to Prospect Park to practice for games, as well as helping elect then-Principal, Brother Timothy as Principal of the Year in a local radio contest. We put his name on postcards, signed them and mailed it into radio station. We would stamp the postcards and signed them all day to get him elected, he said. They were great memories.

In addition, the word that Bishop Ford will shut its doors has left some Brooklynites asking how such a fixture within the borough could just close. Politicians chimed in on some possible reasons.

“Bishop Ford Central High School has served a vital role in the education of students throughout our community,” said State Senator Marty Golden. “The sad truth today is the failure to pass the Education Investment Tax Credit was the final straw for this school. There is no doubt in my mind that the tax credit would have made a difference here.”

Some formers students have their own take. “I feel that Ford’s closing is due Ray Nash’s poor decisions. The school couldn’t dig itself out of the hole he left,” said Alonzo. Nash was the school’s former president who resigned in 2012 after being investigated for allegedly taking more than $50,000 in school funds for personal use. At the time, then-Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes had declined to prosecute Nash.

In addition, the school’s enrollment has decreased dramatically over the past few years. According to the school, in 2006, Bishop Ford had 1,347 students, nearly triple the 499 who today attend the school. The projected enrollment for next year was 422.

“There has not been a sufficient revenue stream other than tuition, which alone cannot support the operation. Thus, it was determined that, despite Herculean efforts on the part of many people, the school was just not sustainable,” said Arria.