A protest was held in support of Cindy Mann who was removed from her position as Head of School of Padua Academy. Jerry Habraken / The News Journal
Hundreds of Padua Academy students sat on the school’s stairs Monday morning, refusing to enter the building until their ousted principal, Cindy Mann, was reinstated.
At 8:15 a.m. Monday, the time school would usually start, the girls all quieted for their morning prayer, then sang “We Are The Body,” their voices filling the chilly winter air.
The girls wore pink and held signs that said “Only Mann we need” and “God is with her, she will not fall” as well as other messages.
Cars drove by and honked, eliciting cheers from the crowd, and a group of students from nearby Catholic school Ursuline Academy visited to show their support.
The girls didn’t know why Mann was fired, apart from rumors and media reports, but ached from the loss of their beloved, pink-shod leader.
“All we know is we want her back,” sophomore Jessica Molen said.
A letter sent to families on Friday said Mann would no longer be serving as head of school and that Vice Principal Mary McClory would serve as acting principal for the foreseeable future.
No reason was given for Mann's removal, although St. Anthony of Padua Parish has since released a statement about the firing.
The parish, which runs the school, has said little about its reasons for firing Mann, leading to speculation it was about money.
Lori Grant’s daughter Lynsie just graduated from Padua and her daughter Melanie is a junior.
She said a letter explaining Mann was no longer at the school was vague and confusing.
“Lots of feelings,” she said. “It was unbelievable. Just speechless and shocked... At first we thought it was a health issue, but then the reality began to sink in.”
Grant said no official reason or statement for Mann’s firing has emerged, though rumors say it has to do with the parish siphoning money from the school.
Grant found that disappointing. If one part of a business is failing, you don’t steal from a more successful part to make up for it, she said. Parents aren’t paying more than $13,000 a year to subsidize the church.
“I’m paying for a college preparatory education, and I don’t think any of us had any indication that’s what the money was being spent on. We have made a lot of sacrifices to send our kids here and if the parish is failing, maybe Ms. Mann isn’t the one that needs to be fired.”
“We love her. I mean, listen, we’re not all here because we don’t care.”
Student Moira Gervay said Mann has helped her through some of the most difficult times of her life.
“There was recently a death in my family that was really major,” she said. “And she sent us a bouquet of yellow flowers.”
Yellow flowers are a symbol of the school, as well as the color pink and pandas, she said, and the gesture showed how much Mann cared.
“She’s like a grandma to all of us,” Molen said.
Story continues below. Refresh if document does not appear.
St. Anthony of Padua Parish has issued a statement on the firing of principal Mann.
The statement mostly concerns the financial relationship between the parish and Padua Academy, where Mann was principal until Friday.
The statement is as follows:
"St. Anthony of Padua Parish is responding to misunderstandings and/or false statements made in social media and quoted in some press reports relating to the change in leadership at Padua Academy:
- Padua Academy was founded, constructed and has always been administered by St. Anthony of Padua Parish. The campus was built under the supervision of Fr. Roberto Balducelli, OSFS, Br. Michael Rosenello, OSFS, and countless parish volunteers. The Padua Academy campus, including all buildings and land, is wholly owned by St Anthony of Padua parish. Padua Academy has never been independent of the parish, and the parish intends to continue to operate the school as a core component of the parish community.
- The Head of School (aka Principal) of Padua Academy reports directly and solely to the Pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish.
- Statements have been made that 15 percent of Padua tuition revenue are paid to the parish as rent, and that this percentage is being raised. These statements are false. The parish has never assessed any sort of “rent”, nor has Padua ever paid any rent to the parish, for use of the facilities.
- Beginning in 2013, the parish undertook a Parish Pastoral Planning effort — essentially a strategic planning process. A key strategy identified was an examination of all parish assets to determine how to best leverage these resources to ensure the continued vibrancy of the parish as it approaches its second century of ministry. A number of action steps were identified. These include (among other things) the decision to sell the St. Anthony in the Hills property, and the initiation of Stewardship Assessment of Padua Academy beginning in the 2016-2017 academic year.
- The rationale for the Stewardship Contribution is straightforward: historically, the majority of Padua student families were St. Anthony’s parishioners, and contributed to the parish offertory. Today, 97 percent of Padua student families are not parishioners. The goal of the Stewardship Assessment is to replace those offertory contributions.
- The parish decided to initiate a phased-in approach to implement the Stewardship Contribution, to minimize impact on Padua’s budget. The plan calls for a five-year period beginning in the 2016-2017 school year with a $40,000 total assessment (or $60 per student). The parish also agreed, per the request of Padua Academy leadership, to deduct from the annul total the net revenue earned by the Padua-operated funnel cake stand at the annual Italian Festival. The Stewardship Contribution for the 2017-2018 is $90,000 (or $135 per student). The plan, in its 5th year (2021-22) will have a Stewardship Contribution of $240,000 (or $400 per student). As a comparison: Per an independent professional property appraisal obtained by the parish: if school needed to rent comparable facilities on the open market, the cost to rent such facilities would be approximately $1 million annually. The stewardship contribution by comparison, is less than 25 percent of this figure.
- At the current tuition rate of $13,000 per student the stewardship contribution started at .005 percent and will move to 3 percent of tuition at the end of the 5 year plan. The annual stewardship contribution by Padua Academy has no material effect/impact on ongoing scholastic or operational activities as it is within planned budgeting and ramps up over a five year period.
- The Stewardship Contribution plan was discussed extensively by the Parish Finance Council, and was unanimously approved by the Council.
- The Stewardship Contribution was presented to the Padua Advisory Board in 2016 with the full support of the pastor. The stewardship contributions for both the 2016-17 and 2017-18 academic years have already been paid.
- Statements have been made that funds assessed from Padua Academy are supporting St. Anthony of Padua Grade School. These statements are false. The annual stewardship contribution from Padua Academy is utilized by the parish for general operating purposes. St. Anthony’s Italian Festival is the primary fundraiser offering support for the Parish Grade School. The Diocese of Wilmington mandates that a parish subsidize the operating cost of an elementary school it operates between 15 percent and 35 percent of the school budget. The parish subsidizes 26 percent of the grade school operating costs, primarily via revenue raised by the Italian Festival.
- Statements have been made that St. Anthony of Padua grade school is failing and enrollment is declining. These statements are false. The grade school is vibrant and growing. Enrollment this academic year rose 5 percent vs. last year — one of only two diocesan elementary schools that realized an increase in enrollment. The school has made significant strategic investments in the facility and faculty, including the conversion of the school library to a state-of-the-art digital library, and the initiation of a fully-integrated special education program. St. Anthony’s is the only diocesan elementary school to offer these innovative features.
- The facts presented above are offered to provide a comprehensive explanation of the financial relationship between Padua Academy and St. Anthony’s parish in recent years."
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