A Catholic school in Middlesex County will permanently close in June due to declining enrollment, according to the local parish.
The Immaculate Conception School in Spotswood enrolls students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
Only 39 students had registered for the 2025-26 academic year as of last week, wrote Rev. John J. O’Kane, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Spotswood, in a letter to parents and guardians April 4.
“It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we share the difficult news that Immaculate Conception School in Spotswood will be closing,” O’Kane wrote in the letter provided Monday to NJ Advance Media.
O’Kane cited enrollment in writing that there is ”no feasible way" to continue. His letter did not disclose the school’s current enrollment.
“This decision comes after much prayer, discernment, and exhaustive efforts to sustain our beloved school in an increasingly challenging environment,” O’Kane wrote.
O’Kane did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
An online petition seeking to save the school was posted April 1, three days before his announcement, and had 1,101 signatures as of 3 p.m. Monday.
The petition asks the bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen, James F. Checchio, to overturn the decision to close the school.
The diocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
More than 30 Catholic schools in New Jersey have closed in the past five years, with officials typically citing declining enrollment and financial pressures.
Immaculate Conception High School in Montclair is permanently closing in June after 100 years in operation, the Archdiocese of Newark announced in February.
The all-girls Immaculate Conception High School in Lodi closed after 108 years in June 2023, three years after its most celebrated alum, “Snow White” actress Rachel Zegler, received her diploma.
Immaculate Conception School in Spotswood opened in September 1960 with 198 students in grades one, two and three, according to the school’s website.
By the following year, it had expanded to grades K-8 with 539 students. In 1965, the school constructed a two-story annex with 12 additional classrooms. Pre-kindergarten programs for children ages 2 to 4 were added in the 1990s.
“Immaculate Conception School has been a beacon of faith, academic excellence, and community. Generations of students have passed through our doors, receiving a strong foundation not only in academics but in Catholic values that have guided them through their lives,“ wrote O’Kane in his April 4 letter.
O’Kane recounted efforts to increase enrollment, including lowering tuition, providing incentives for early registration, and offering $1,000 discounts for student referrals.
The school’s marketing plan was expanded in December.
“These initiatives, while somewhat impactful, were not enough to ensure the long-term viability of the school,” O’Kane wrote.
“I am grateful to the dedicated teachers of Immaculate Conception School for their unwavering commitment, passion, and service to our students and school community over the years. Their hard work and devotion have made a lasting impact on the lives of countless children, fostering both academic excellence and faith formation,” O’Kane wrote.
The last day of classes is listed on the school’s calendar as June 13.
Please subscribe now and support the local journalism you rely on and trust.
Rob Jennings may be reached at [email protected].