Dear Sir:

I am writing you in regard to the article you recently published on St. Ambrose School (Fiscal Troubles Cited As Parish School Cuts Upper Grades, July 18, 2002). This would have been my son's seventh year as a student at St. Ambrose, having started attending in K1. The majority of the teachers were absolutely wonderful, and he enjoyed being there.

The school hit a "rough patch" a few years ago, but thanks to the hard work of Mr. John J. Brady (the principal for the school years '97-'98 through '99-'00) and Mr. Wayne Herdman, the former business office manager, the school had really turned the corner. A tuition payment policy was introduced and strictly enforced. Some area businesses as well as many of the parents routinely donated supplies and time. Enrollment in the younger grades (K1 & K2) was up, and many of the students stayed with us for their elementary education.

When Mr. Brady retired at the end of the '99-'00 school year we were well on our way to becoming a great little community school.

Sadly, all that began to change when Mr. Robert Goode assumed the role of principal at St. Ambrose School at the start of the '00-'01 school year. Many of the duties of Finance Office were moved to the Principal's Office (i.e. collection of tuition, after school care monies, donations etc.). The tuition policies were no longer strictly enforced. Tuition paper work was often misplaced. The after school program was managed very poorly, and large deficits accrued. When a group of approximately 50 parents got together that year to voice our concerns to the Pastor, Fr. Von Euw, as well as to the Catholic Schools Office, we were effectively shut out. Now, unfortunately, we are all paying the price for Fr. Von Euw's refusal to listen to us, the parents of St. Ambrose School, and his blind trust in Mr. Goode.

Mr. Goode just recently passed away. And while I am heartily sorry he lost his battle for his life, we cannot allow his death to absolve him from the position we, the parents of St. Ambrose students, find ourselves in due to his mismanagement.

I feel I must also comment on the way the "downsizing" of the school was handled. The parents were given no information until the very last possible moment. The middle of July is not the appropriate time to inform a parent that their children in grades 5-8 no longer have a place at St. Ambrose School.

I also find it extremely unethical for Fr. Von Euw to take a vacation (strategic?) directly following the release of this information, without delegating someone to be the responsible party. That leaves parents like myself struggling to get money back that we had already paid to St. Ambrose School for the upcoming school year, with no where to turn. Fr. Von Euw is not taking appointments until August 6th. That will be almost four weeks since this all began. I am very saddened by events that brought us to this point at St. Ambrose, but more than that I find myself hurt and angered by how this matter was handled.

Sincerely

Patricia Bechtold