Last December, the actor and comedian Danny DeVito was a guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and revealed that he had gone to Our Lady of Mount Carmel School (Class of ’58) and Church in Asbury Park.
I realized I passed that parish a thousand times along Asbury Avenue so I wanted to see how the school has fared since DeVito’s time, when it was anchored in a strong Italian-American neighborhood.
That demographic changed once there was civil unrest in the 1970s and many Italian-Americans fled to the surrounding towns of West Long Branch, Oceanport and elsewhere. Today’s school of about 200 students in kindergarten through eighth grade is 75 percent Hispanic, 20 percent African American or Haitian and 5 percent Caucasian, with a few Italian-Americans, according to Theresa Craig, who is starting her third year as principal.
Most live in Asbury while the rest come from Belmar, Neptune and Long Branch, so OLMC serves as a magnet school.
They plan to be in school for classes starting this week, though about 15 percent of families have opted for remote learning.
When I toured the building in mid-August, it was in disarray as new bathrooms and an ambitious STEM classroom were being installed with walls knocked down to create a larger space.
Craig’s goal is to get the students into good high schools.
“We take our students and target them for the most competitive high schools,” said Craig, who noted that among the 30 recent graduates several went to Christian Brothers Academy for boys; Trinity Hall, a private Catholic school for girls; and the Ranney School, an elite private school.
OLMC tuition is $4,900, which is a bargain, and its total cost-per-pupil about $6,000, compared to Asbury Park Public Schools, which spend $33,000 per student.
Grants and foundations, parish Bingo, and an adopt-a-student program bring in close to two-thirds of the school’s revenue with the rest coming from tuition. The Diocese of Trenton has a tuition subsidy based on family income and most of the children qualify.
The key to financial solvency rests with Josephite of Chestnut Hall Sister Jude Catherine Boyce, now starting her third year as the development director and principal for 14 years before that. Last year, she set an ambitious goal of $1 million for capital improvements and operating expenses.
The school runs an enrichment program for early arrival before school and an after-school program that engages the children in homework support; games like chess; yoga; and Zumba. Almost all the students participate for a modest fee and generous donors have underwritten the program.
Boyce has developed a network of people who donate to the school since they know how the staff cares for the children and helps them succeed. For example, Faye Bruno, a Sea Girt resident and master gardener, recently helped rejuvenate some raised gardens on the property to teach the children to grow flowers and vegetables.
Even in the pandemic, the school held its annual summer camp, which only cost each student about $10 a week for four weeks. They followed social distancing and wore masks as needed.
Boyce noted that kindergarten students are near her office.
“I love to see the kids and love to teach occasionally,” she said.
During the school year, the school also offers sports programs in basketball and soccer.
The parish is now merged with four former parishes into one titled Mother of Mercy. Mount Carmel Church and Holy Spirit, also in Asbury, are the only open worship spaces.
Inside the parish property on First Avenue — a pretty, tree-lined street with modest, well-kept houses — a statue portrays the Blessed Mother surrounded by children of different ethnicities and races. It’s a fitting symbol of the school’s purpose and mission printed on a school hallway wall: “We walk by faith. We learn without end. We care for and treasure all. We are the family of God and earth.”
It’s all about a caring family in and out of the classroom.
Next week, walk back in time as I share my phone interview with DeVito from his home in California and some of his peers.
The Rev. Alexander Santora is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph, 400 Willow Ave., Hoboken, NJ 07030. Email: padrealex@yahoo.com; Twitter: @padrehoboken.
Details …
Our Lady of Mount Carmel School is located at 1220 First Ave., Asbury Park, NJ 07712. For information, call 732-775-8989 or go to olmcapnj.org.
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