La Familia and Chandler Magnet schools merge as diocese ends lease early

WORCESTER – After criticizing a controversial sex education curriculum taught in the public school system, the Diocese of Worcester has washed its hands of La Familia Dual Language School for good by revoking the Worcester Public Schools' lease, two years into its five-year agreement.

As the result, the La Familia Dual Language School will merge with Chandler Magnet Elementary School for the 2023-24 school year, said Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Rachel H. Monárrez.

“It has been a five-year lease. We were in year two…They (the Diocese of Worcester) terminated it early,” Monárrez said. “They did not give us a reason but it’s within their purview as the leaser.”

The La Familia School currently operates at the site of the former St. Stephen School at 355 Grafton St. The Diocese of Worcester, which owns the building, recently announced that it would be terminating La Familia’s lease in June.

“We wouldn’t want to assume anything from the diocese,” Monárrez said as to the reason why the diocese revoked its lease. “I think that would be a question for them.”

Raymond Delisle, director of communications for the Diocese of Worcester, did not give a reason the diocese broke the lease with the district.

“They're just not renewing the lease,” Delisle said. “They have the option to renew each year and they have decided not to renew it.”

Delisle said Monsignor Robert Johnson, pastor at St. Stephen Church, announced this past weekend during Mass that the diocese has decided to break the lease.

Back in January, when she heard Johnson told La Familia Principal Suzanna Resendes that there was an agreement to take the students off campus for sex education curriculum classes, as stipulated by the diocese, Monárrez put a stop to those plans.

Diocese leaders, including Bishop Robert McManus, have taken issue with the district’s comprehensive sex education curriculum, encouraging families to opt their students out of the courses. Parents and guardians have the opportunity to opt their children out of the program as late as the day the sex ed class begins.

When asked if it was revoked because of the Worcester Public Schools’ sex education curriculum being taught in a diocesan-owned building, Delisle said, “I don’t know. They may have other plans for the building. I don’t know.”

Monárrez said the district recently met with the diocese to discuss the Worcester Public Schools’ comprehensive sex education curriculum being offered throughout the district, as well as at La Familia, which is currently housed in the building that once was the home of a Catholic school.

During the meeting, the diocese told the superintendent that the diocese has the right to break the contract, without giving a reason, as long as it gave a 90-day notice.

Although she said the diocese did not give them an ultimatum in regard to the sex education curriculum, Monárrez said, “We made it clear that we’re a public school entity and our children will learn the grade-level standards in their school of residence.”

As far as she knows, Monárrez said the district was a good tenant at the former home of St. Stephen School.

When asked if she wished the diocese handled revoking the lease differently, Monárrez insisted, “It’s not that big of a deal, though. It is what it is,” before acknowledging that it could have been a big deal if the district didn’t have the space to house the La Familia students.

“Correct,” Monárrez said. “But we were being proactive already on our end.”

Letters were sent out to La Familia parents Wednesday afternoon about the news of the La Familia Dual Language School/Chandler Magnet School merger.

Worcester Public Schools administrators will hold informational meetings for parents and families of both schools from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, with the La Familia School meeting at North High School, 140 Harrington Way; and the Chandler Magnet School meeting at the school at 525 Chandler St.

Monárrez stressed that La Familia’s dual-language program will remain and all current La Familia students are guaranteed enrollment in Chandler Magnet next year.

“The intent is that they become part of a blended family,” Monárrez said. “It’s not that you’re going to be La Familia and you’re going to be Chandler Magnet. Nope. All one school.”

Monárrez said Chandler Magnet has plenty of space and the programming to accommodate La Familia. The merger will lend itself to collaboration of resources that will enhance the educational experiences of the students and grow sustainable programming, she said.

“We have space at Chandler,” Monárrez said. “(It) gives us an opportunity to really strengthen a dual immersion school and then grow a dual immersion program as a district.”

Other than there being a change in enrollment, Monárrez said it is the district’s intention to have the same number of La Familia staffers.

The school opened in the Grafton Street building not long after the former home of St. Stephen School closed in 2020 due to “low enrollment and economic uncertainties” made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The challenge is the La Familia students and families that just had a move…The challenge is you keep feeling like you’re pulling the rug underneath young children. That’s never a good thing,” Monárrez said. “In the long run, we know that we’ll be able to again have this very robust, dual immersion program. And we started at Chandler and then we move it up to Burncoat Middle and Burncoat High School and that’s what we want and that’s good for children. And then we can even expand it as we should throughout the district. So long-run, it’s good but change is hard.”

In addition to the Grafton Street building, the district also leases the Alternative School at the former St. Casimir school building from the diocese. The lease is ending this year and the school has opened bids for locations to host the school but no final decision has been made whether they are moving or staying put at the Waverly Street building, Monárrez said.

As for the christened name of the new La Familia Dual Language School/Chandler Magnet School merger, Monárrez said Chandler Magnet School leadership should make their recommendation and forward it to the School Committee for final approval.

Monárrez said transportation for the La Familia School will continue to be provided.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: La Familia and Chandler Magnet schools merge as Diocese ends lease early