Mount Carmel High School At 6700 Mount Carmel Dr.

[rps324]

An east end institution appears to be on the verge of closing.

Mt. Carmel

[Vertigo58]

Can't say I never knew anyone that attended that school. I have heard of it but never knew where it was. The picture doesnt even seem familiar. I doubt it will be missed. So I imagine the students will be crammed into another nearby school. Oh well.

[musicman]

Can't say I never knew anyone that attended that school. I have heard of it but never knew where it was.

this is hard to believe.

One of the former teachers sent me this...kind of sums it up well for me too.

I know I left the place a long time ago, but part of me never did.

[VicMan]

Wow... just wow.

I heard in terms of the Houston Catholic schools Mount Carmel had the least prestige. It seems it it is mainly blue collar. Could this "prestige" thing be class-ism?

Will the Archdiocese build a new high school in the suburbs? Or will it try a Christo Rey model? Or will it simply reduce the capacity on the east side?

Edited April 25, 2008 by VicMan

[plumber2]

Wow, this is ashamed. I know that enrollment has been low for the past several years, but I always thought the diocese would keep this school open. They are always touting the importance of inner city schools in their Diocesen Services Fund campaign that they push on us every year. I guess the bishop (excuse me, cardinal!), did not want to be blind sided with parents and alumni like what happened in Galveston with O'Connell High School a few of years ago. The dioscese eventually gave the O'Connell alumni the school to run and forgave about $1 million in debt it owed.

Mt. Carmel, St. Puis X, and Marian were all three openned in 1955 as a challenge from then Bishop Nold to provide co-educational high school opportunities to suburban Houston. The Carmelite priests openned Mt Carmel in southeast Houston, The Incarnate Word Sisters openned Marian in Bellaire and The Dominican's openned St. Puis on North Sheperd.

[Vertigo58]

I bet if we called up and asked for tuition costs $ to send a child there, well that would expain it all.

Most residents in these here parts can hardly afford to send childen to public shools much less a high priced school such as this. It's all about money. Ask any of your relatives that are sending their kids to Catholic school for example and see what they tell ya.

Sticking to topic though it's not a pleasant revelation. If you can recall when the Near East End was thriving with faith-based schools, its depressing news to say the least.

[musicman]

Wow... just wow.

I heard in terms of the Houston Catholic schools Mount Carmel had the least prestige. It seems it it is mainly blue collar. Could this "prestige" thing be class-ism?

when the Carmelites pulled out, the Diocese took the school over...maybe 15 yrs or so ago. the neighborhood and area has changed i.e. less money in general. as for students that go there mainly being blue collar, not sure i could say that. a coworker's daughter went there last yr. she always said that a lot of them do have money....dentist's children, etc.

Edited April 25, 2008 by musicman

[VicMan]

The Archdiocese could convert Mount Carmel to the "Cristo Rey" model.

The Cristo Rey model allows for students to pay up to 65% of their tuitions by working in entry-level internships in companies, so they go to school AND they work.

http://www.cristorey.net/cwsp/overview.html

Edited April 25, 2008 by VicMan

[musicman]

I bet if we called up and asked for tuition costs $ to send a child there, well that would expain it all.

Most residents in these here parts can hardly afford to send childen to public shools much less a high priced school such as this. It's all about money. Ask any of your relatives that are sending their kids to Catholic school for example and see what they tell ya.

Vert why is it so hard to send a child to public school?

Just cause someone goes to private school doesn't necessarily mean they have money.

[rps324]

There are several families in Glenbrook that send their kids there. It is not particularly expensive. Those that can get into Carnegie Vanguard though. I still tend to think there is a need and market for a good, reasonably priced private school in this area.

[musicman]

The Archdiocese could convert Mount Carmel to the "Cristo Rey" model.

The Cristo Rey model allows for students to pay up to 65% of their tuitions by working in entry-level internships in companies, so they go to school AND they work.

http://www.cristorey.net/cwsp/overview.html

as for building a new school, i had heard that they were looking to move near the beltway and 45south and that someone had donated a parcel of land but they needed funds to build the school itself. when lutheran south moved down there, enrollment skyrocketed and i think mt carmel wanted to do something similar for their campus.

from the news story i saw, they interviewed a teacher who was suspicious of the amount of work that was being done. while he had no definitive proof, he said that it sounded like the diocese had a buyer. sounds like they are having a meeting tonight at the school. should be interesting.

btw vert tuition is 6k/yr

Edited April 25, 2008 by musicman

[musicman]

I still tend to think there is a need and market for a good, reasonably priced private school in this area.

Remember this is Mt Carmel High School which is not related to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Elementary School which will still be in operation.

[VicMan]

It sounds like Mt. Carmel ought to (and likely will) move to be close to the Clear Lake/League City area.

Also, where do Galveston's richest families typically send their kids to school? I would think O'Connell would be doing okay because it is the only Catholic high school in Galveston County.

[musicman]

It sounds like Mt. Carmel ought to (and likely will) move to be close to the Clear Lake/League City area.

not sure about the likely but it sure would help

Also, where do Galveston's richest families typically send their kids to school? I would think O'Connell would be doing okay because it is the only Catholic high school in Galveston County.

o'connell was worse off than mt carmel many yrs ago. too few students.

[VicMan]

o'connell was worse off than mt carmel many yrs ago. too few students.

Is the increasing wealth in Galveston and the suburbanization of Galveston County helping O'Connell?

[musicman]

looks like it's official...the diocese is closing it.

[VicMan]

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/pages/Ne...mp;pageId=3.2.1 = Fox announced it!

Also... 200 kids go to Carmel?!?!?

Should the Archdiocese convert St. Thomas and/or Incarnate Word into coed schools?

Edited April 25, 2008 by VicMan

[musicman]

Also... 200 kids go to Carmel?!?!?

that is our lady of mt carmel elementary school which is completely different

Should the Archdiocese convert St. Thomas and/or Incarnate Word into coed schools?

i guess they would both go ballistic if that was suggested.

[VicMan]

that is our lady of mt carmel elementary school which is completely different

i guess they would both go ballistic if that was suggested.

1. Maybe Fox got it wrong, as the news story said: "About 200 students attend the school, which opened in 1956. "

2. Maybe St. Thomas could successfully resist it, as St. Thomas caters to wealthier students and doesn't seem to have a problem getting students. What about Incarnate Word? If it is not at capacity, won't it have to absorb students and some teachers?

EDIT: Schooldigger also states that the student body is near 200 kids: http://www.schooldigger.com/go/TX/schools/...543/school.aspx

Edited April 25, 2008 by VicMan

[memebag]

btw vert tuition is 6k/yr

That's cheap, as private schools go.

[musicman]

1. Maybe Fox got it wrong, as the news story said: "About 200 students attend the school, which opened in 1956. "

my bad. when you said "also 200 kids" i thought you meant besides the high school students.

2. Maybe St. Thomas could successfully resist it, as St. Thomas caters to wealthier students and doesn't seem to have a problem getting students. What about Incarnate Word? If it is not at capacity, won't it have to absorb students and some teachers?

st thomas has poor students too. they give scholarships, etc. a friend's three brothers all went there on scholarship.

i'm not sure why you're saying won't it have to absorb?? they are their own entities. tuition is more at these schools so each student will also have to come up with more money.

[VicMan]

The Chronicle article expands on this: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5729344.html

The other schools are associated with, but not operated by, the archdiocese; that's why I wondered how many students would transfer to the other schools. It turns out that the other schools all have higher tuitions and some do not accept 4th year (senior) students. If the majority of students will not stay in the Catholic school system, then where will they do? Other private schools? Comprehensive high schools? Charter schools? Magnet schools?

my bad. when you said "also 200 kids" i thought you meant besides the high school students.

st thomas has poor students too. they give scholarships, etc. a friend's three brothers all went there on scholarship.

i'm not sure why you're saying won't it have to absorb?? they are their own entities. tuition is more at these schools so each student will also have to come up with more money.

Edited April 26, 2008 by VicMan

[plumber2]

Some Chronicle article blog respondents suggested that the new co-cathrdral was built with voluntary donations. Thess donations were not all that voluntary. The diocese solicits every year through it's DSF campaign. If the campaign does not collect the amount it anticipated, then the diocese bill's the individual parishes to make up the difference it thought it should have received. So if you sent money and specifically asked that it be used only for inner city schools, you were fooled. All of us catholics paid for this downtown edifice whether we wanted to or not. Sure the diocese has some well healed philanthropists that pay for certain high profile items, but the building itself was built off the backs of the parishes.

[VicMan]

Some Chronicle article blog respondents suggested that the new co-cathrdral was built with voluntary donations. Thess donations were not all that voluntary. The diocese solicits every year through it's DSF campaign. If the campaign does not collect the amount it anticipated, then the diocese bill's the individual parishes to make up the difference it thought it should have received. So if you sent money and specifically asked that it be used only for inner city schools, you were fooled. All of us catholics paid for this downtown edifice whether we wanted to or not. Sure the diocese has some well healed philanthropists that pay for certain high profile items, but the building itself was built off the backs of the parishes.

I'd also like to know exactly what happened with the idea of moving Mt. Carmel to the South Belt...

[brerrabbit]

Can't say I never knew anyone that attended that school. I have heard of it but never knew where it was. The picture doesnt even seem familiar. I doubt it will be missed. So I imagine the students will be crammed into another nearby school. Oh well.

Wow! Talk about being insensative. I know a ton of people that graduated from Mt Carmel. One good friend had six brothers and sisters and her family actually built their house about two blocks from the church/ school and all but one graduated from Mount Carmel. The youngest was recruited by St. Thomas to play football and given a scholarship to attend. My father attended Mt Carmel church long before I was born and was highly involved with raising funds to build the church. The closing of the school is a sad day for many. One gentleman interviewed on the news was 59 years old had graduated from high school there along with his wife and been coaching/ teaching there since he graduated from college. Granted the school had fallen on hard tiimes and is heavily supported by the diosis so the ultimate decision was up to them not the folks at Mt Carmel. My understanding is that the vast majority of the students came from areas other than near the school. I know a bus picked up numerous students in Pearland every day who went there. Back in its day it was a really good school with good academics and some relatively competative sports teams. Seniors who will not be able to transfer to other catholic schools will probably look at Luthern South. As far as a new catholic high school once the diosis decides where it will be they will probably push it down some large parishes throat much the same way they force St Helens in Pearland to build a K-8 school several years ago.

I have spoke with many friends who attended Mt Carmel over the years and just about every one was pretty upset but certainly understood the reality of the situation.

[plumber2]

Here's what I've figured out so far. St.Thomas , Jesuit, and St. Agnes, are heavely supported by alumni. Also, these and the other catholic high schools are operated independent of the diocese. When the Carmelite priests quit supporting the school and the diocese took over operation, it was probably apparent at that time, that the alumni were not supporting the efforts as much as needed.

[Vertigo58]

Not insensitive just realistic,

you ask yourselves if Stephen F Austin Sr High on Dumble in Near East End would have announced a shut down would you be upset? Probably not.

In fact I was happy that KHOU clearly stated "Shool in SE Houston announced it as shutting down today."

Hear that? South East. So, this seemed and still does seem like milea awayfrom our area even though it is near. If this had happened to us (me) 30 years ago, we all woudl have tossed our books in the air and started dancing and run home. Play Alice Cooper's "School out" in the background! All they woudl have done would have most of us go to Milby which (then) was considered top notch.

It's all about media over hype and drama, yes drama people. Its also about CHANGE. The cameras even showed one or two of the teachers crying. Not that is too much. Why not talk to the students and tell them that change is a part of life? Thats all this is change. Patronizing and feeling pity will only make them even more vulnerable as they grow up.

School closings, etc have been going on for hundreds of years. Sure its normal for teens to show some emotion, heck we all did "at graduation" but we were happy as hell to move on. Someone earlier asked how I did not knwo where this was, well, I never cared? That simple. I can assure you if you asked some of those kids what they think about Austin High School they would say it was trash. In fact most of the Catholic school kids we knew that went to those schools always thumbed thier noses at public school kids. Nothing new. You have to put yourselves in the kids place not from an adult prespective. All they know is school. You also cannot assume that every kid in that school was happy. They get beat on and picked on maybe worse than at a public shool. Finally, just because someone sends thier kids to a faith based school doesnt mean they will be top scholars and angels, and I mean that with a big hell no. Most parents toss the kid in these schools to straighten them out. Big misconception. I could tell you of several that went to Queen of Peace and it may shock you to know how they tuned out.

Now back to topic. MtCarmel is closing everyone.

Bet mary Catherine would be jumping for joy!

[VicMan]

If the Mt. Carmel kids living in Houston ISD (or those outside of HISD who want to pay tuition) want to go to a small school they could try some of the HISD magnet schools.

Clear Creek ISD has an Early College High School in Houston for its students.

Those living in Pasadena ISD have to small university preparatory options, though.

[N Judah]

Dunno why anybody would be "jumping for joy" except out of schadenfreude. Seems like Houston as a whole is worse off. After all, the East End will only increase in population...

Edited April 29, 2008 by N Judah

[Fez1964]

An east end institution appears to be on the verge of closing.

Mt. Carmel

I graduated from Mt. Carmel in 1983 and can say that the education I received from there made me a more rounded person. From this education, I had the interest to go to college and receive a bachelor's degree. I would not be who I am today if it were not for Mt. Carmel.

As a Hispanic from a blue collar family from the East End, Mt. Carmel provided me an alternative education not offered in my zoned school district. And I am not the only one. Many other Hispanic families similar to my background realized the importance of Catholic education. These families would rather spend their incomes on tuition costs for their kids' education than upgrading their lifestyles and move out from the inner-city into the suburbs. Our families had different priorities.

Years ago, there was rumors that Mt. Carmel might move to a different location, a site more centrally located along I-45 in southeast Houston.

Here is a website dedicated to saving this unique school: http://www.savemtcarmel.org/