It Takes A Village

Once hobbled, St. Martin de Porres Catholic school is thriving again with the help of local partners

It Takes A Village

Once hobbled, St. Martin de Porres Catholic school is thriving again with the help of local partners

Jun. 25, 2015

Print

Like most Catholic schools in Philadelphia, St. Martin de Porres in North Philadelphia  faced years of declining enrollments and rising costs. So in 2010, the Board of Directors of the Friends of St. Martin de Porres proposed a novel solution: Take over responsibility for the school from the Archdiocese. On August 30, 2010,they signed a historic agreement to do just that.

The key: Partnerships with local businesses that have provided funding, technology and other support to modernize the school and set its students up for success.

“The only way schools like ourselves are going to survive is if we’re able to form partnerships,” says Sister Nancy Fitzgerald, principal of St. Martin. “Prior to partnerships we had no financial aid. Now anyone who wants to can walk into the doors of St. Martin de Porres Catholic School and be enrolled.”

Watch the video from documentary filmmaker Lauren Flick to learn more about the school and how partnerships have kept it growing.

This video originally appeared on Open Education last year.

Advertising Terms

We do not accept political ads, issue advocacy ads, ads containing expletives, ads featuring photos of children without documented right of use, ads paid for by PACs, and other content deemed to be partisan or misaligned with our mission. The Philadelphia Citizen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and all affiliate content will be nonpartisan in nature. Advertisements are approved fully at The Citizen's discretion. Advertisements and sponsorships have different tax-deductible eligibility. For questions or clarification on these conditions, please contact Director of Sales & Philanthropy Kristin Long at [email protected] or call (609)-602-0145.

Photo and video disclaimer for attending Citizen events

By entering an event or program of The Philadelphia Citizen, you are entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur. Your entry and presence on the event premises constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of any and all recorded media of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with The Philadelphia Citizen and its initiatives, including, by way of example only, use on websites, in social media, news and advertising. By entering the event premises, you waive and release any claims you may have related to the use of recorded media of you at the event, including, without limitation, any right to inspect or approve the photo, video or audio recording of you, any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, and copyright infringement or for any fees for use of such record media. You understand that all photography, filming and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please do not enter the event premises.