Recently there was a post speculating that St. Thomas More will be closing. Everything posted on that thread was based off rumors and assumptions. I am an administrator at St. Thomas More and can tell you with certainty that there are no plans to close the school and, in fact, the financial health of the school has improved over the last 2 years. Registration, scheduling, and planning for next year is already in place like it would be for any other year. There has also been a recent change in management in that the school is now an entity of Holy Cross Parish instead of the Diocese of Wilmington which will allow it to operate more efficiently.
While it is understandable that declining enrollment would cause some speculation, it is not fair or prudent to jump to the conclusion that the school is closing. Any school's overall financial health is determined by more than just enrollment. Significant efforts have been made, and are continuing, to increase enrollment. However, that becomes difficult when rumors and false assumptions are spread among the community, especially in one as small as ours. There are no plans to close the school but if people believe false rumors that the school will be closing it will continue to cause people to decide not to enroll which only makes it more likely that these rumors could become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I appreciate the passion, interest, and knowledge of Delaware High School basketball that is shared on this site. It is important to keep in mind that oftentimes the information that is posted on message boards such as this one may be perceived as fact and completely accurate information, even if it wasn't intended that way. It is fun and generates good interest in Delaware High School athletics to post opinions and feelings about games, teams, coaches/players, rankings, etc. With that said, we must always keep in mind that we are talking about teenage kids and our intentions should always be constructive and with the intent to benefit all of our student-athletes, regardless of what school they attend. It's not fair to a 16 year old kid who loves to play basketball and has forged a bond with his teammates to come home one day to read that his school is closing and speculation about where he is going to transfer.
Keep watching games, keep supporting all Delaware High School athletics, and keep showing the passion. Just please be mindful about the harm and damage that unfounded speculation about significant issues can have on our schools, their communities, and more importantly, our students.
In the future, if anyone ever has questions about the state of St. Thomas More or its plans for the future you are more than welcome to call the school directly at 302-697-8100. We'd be happy to give you information "straight from the horse's mouth."
While it is understandable that declining enrollment would cause some speculation, it is not fair or prudent to jump to the conclusion that the school is closing. Any school's overall financial health is determined by more than just enrollment. Significant efforts have been made, and are continuing, to increase enrollment. However, that becomes difficult when rumors and false assumptions are spread among the community, especially in one as small as ours. There are no plans to close the school but if people believe false rumors that the school will be closing it will continue to cause people to decide not to enroll which only makes it more likely that these rumors could become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I appreciate the passion, interest, and knowledge of Delaware High School basketball that is shared on this site. It is important to keep in mind that oftentimes the information that is posted on message boards such as this one may be perceived as fact and completely accurate information, even if it wasn't intended that way. It is fun and generates good interest in Delaware High School athletics to post opinions and feelings about games, teams, coaches/players, rankings, etc. With that said, we must always keep in mind that we are talking about teenage kids and our intentions should always be constructive and with the intent to benefit all of our student-athletes, regardless of what school they attend. It's not fair to a 16 year old kid who loves to play basketball and has forged a bond with his teammates to come home one day to read that his school is closing and speculation about where he is going to transfer.
Keep watching games, keep supporting all Delaware High School athletics, and keep showing the passion. Just please be mindful about the harm and damage that unfounded speculation about significant issues can have on our schools, their communities, and more importantly, our students.
In the future, if anyone ever has questions about the state of St. Thomas More or its plans for the future you are more than welcome to call the school directly at 302-697-8100. We'd be happy to give you information "straight from the horse's mouth."
