BIDDEFORD — The two Catholic parochial schools, which serve pre-school through eighth grade students in the Biddeford-Saco area, will be working more closely together starting this school year. St. James School in Biddeford, and Notre Dame de Lourdes School in Saco announced earlier this summer that as of the current school year, both schools will be served by a single principal, Patricia Berthiaume.

Like the churches in the Biddeford-Saco area, which have joined together to become the Good Shepherd Parish, the two schools make up a single Good Shepherd Parish School system, which is served by a single Catholic Education Board.

When former Notre Dame principal Barbara Ann Arnoldo announced she was resigning her position to become principal of the Cathedral School in Portland, hiring a single principal for the two local schools “was an easy decision,” said Monsignor Rene Mathieu.

“It just made sense,” said school board member Donna Wermenchuk. “It was the fiscally responsible thing to do as a school and as a parish.”

Seventeen years ago, in an effort to save money, the three Catholic parochial schools  in Biddeford were consolidated into one: St. James School.

In more recent years, Catholic churches around the state have been looking into cost-savings measures. Recently it was announced that three of the Roman Catholic churches in the Biddeford-Saco area would be closing ”“ two by the end of this year, one by the end of the following year.

Although neither of the schools will be closing, the two schools will expand efforts that are already underway to work more closely together.

Four years ago the schools formed a partnership, said Berthiaume, to make their respective curriculums more alike. That effort will continue, she said.

During the past year, the science teachers from both schools worked together on a project on mammals, said Berthiaume, which was displayed at both schools.

In addition, the St. James School music director started offering instruction at the Notre Dame School, which didn’t have a band instructor. In the spring of this year, the bands of the two schools performed together at St. Joseph Church.

These are just some examples of the ways the two schools are already working together, said Berthiaume. She said she plans to expand these cooperative efforts in the future, so that students will have more opportunities.

One plan already in the works is that the Notre Dame students will be able to participate in St. James sports teams.

Despite all the cooperation, however, the schools will still be separate, said Berthiaume.

“I look at them as two separate schools,” said Berthiaume. “I look at it as each school is a specially unique place.”

Berthiaume said she believes that Catholic school education has an important role to play in today’s world and her ultimate goal, she said, is to grow Catholic education.

“We have something very special here,” said Berthiaume. Catholic school, she said, “is the best place to receive a faithful education.”

Daniel Bastarache, who has two children at St. James and is a member of the Catholic Education Board, said he has sent all four of his children to St. James School because religion is a primary part of the education there.

“Religion is like reading, writing and arithmetic,” he said.

Bastarache said he also appreciates the respect that his children learn at school.

Wermenchuk agreed.

“Both my children love it,” she said. She said she offered her children the opportunity to go to public school but “they didn’t want to,” she said.

“I love that we have this opportunity,” said Wermenchuk, “that Catholic school still exists.”

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.