Lower Pottsgrove >> Antonelli Medical & Professional Institute announced that it would be closing in 2017 — ending the more than 30 year history of the school.
It wasn’t the size of the school that landed the story among the top stories of 2017 — but rather the fact that the school made the closing announcement twice.
The first announcement came in August after the U.S. Department of Education announced a decision about the school — a decision that was reversed days later. The second and final announcement came at the end of November that the school would close by Dec. 22.
The school, located at 1700 Industrial Highway in Lower Pottsgrove, announced the closure on its Facebook page.
“It is with a saddened heart that we announce the closing of AMPI indefinitely,” the post read. “We thank you for riding the wave with us.”
For several days leading up to the announcement, the phone went unanswered at the school. Acting Director Mildred Mauras said the school had not had telephone or email service for several days leading up to the announcement.
When the final announcement came, Antonelli owner and CEO Edward Gillespie said the school was closing because of the negative effect of the August announcement by the Department of Education to deny the school’s application for continued participation in federal student financial aid programs.
“The fact that they took it back, the damage was already done,” Gillespie said in an interview with Digital First Media. “We’re trying to ameliorate the best we can, and take care of students the best we can.”
In August, Gillespie told Digital First Media that he thought the school could recover.
But the reality, he later said, is that there were no new leads for potential students and no new enrollments. In addition, many members of the staff left for new positions.
In August, there were a total of about 63 students enrolled in the programs at Antonelli Medical & Professional Institute. At the time of the November announcement that number was down to about 20.
“I feel sorry for the students and the community. The school has been here for 32 years and provided training for people to obtain good jobs,” Gillespie said. “I have been in the industry 40 years. I have never seen this — where they tell us we have to close and then turn around and say it was a mistake. I’ve never heard of it.”
Antonelli Medical & Professional Institute operated in Pottstown since 1986. When it was purchased by American Business Academy in 2013, the school shifted its focus solely on medical training and offered courses in medical assistant, medical office secretary and nurse aide.
In July, the facility launched a new course of study — a barber program.
Mauras said the students in the medical assistance program who were nearing completion of their program would continue through the end of December. She added the school would work with students to help them transition to other programs.
Several educational institutions scheduled sessions for Antonelli Medical & Professional Institute students caught mid-way through their studies as the school prepared to close.
The schools included Montgomery County Community College, Lansdale School of Business and Berks Technical Institute.
Gillespie said that once the school closes, all of the school’s records will be sent to the Pennsylvania Department of Higher Education.
“We will also be sending transcripts to each current student,” Gillespie said. In addition, he said all of the school’s records will be sent to the Pennsylvania Department of Higher Education.
While additional information was not available from the Pa. Department of Higher Education, or the U.S. Department of Education, students with questions about loan forgiveness and other options for students once the school closes can visit https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation
The issue that led to the August rejection of Antonelli’s application was the department’s allegation that Gillespie had not satisfied liabilities with another school – American Beauty Academy — that is not affiliated with Antonelli Medical & Professional Institute.
The department claimed American Beauty Academy was assessed with liabilities in the amount of nearly $5.6 million for allegedly using improper financial aid methodologies in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Gillespie claimed he never received communication about the assessments. One week after making its initial ruling, the Department of Education reversed its denial, saying it could not confirm that notification of the assessed liabilities was delivered to American Beauty Academy.
Gillespie has appealed the assessed liabilities. He added that he plans to sell the building, which is located at 1700 Industrial Highway in Lower Pottsgrove.
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