Fitchburg private school receives largest-ever donation to create $8M endowment
Leaders at St. Bernard’s were key in keeping the school operating in 2020 including (from left) Nicholas Pelletier, president of Pelletier Properties in Leominster; Keith Boissoneau, vice president for finance at Sterilite in Townsend; Linda Anderson, principal of St. Bernard’s; Laura Reynolds, the president of FHC Industrial Supply in Leominster; John Zarrella, the president of Research Results in Fitchburg; Fitchburg Mayor Stephen DiNatale; Greg Moran, a commercial real estate consultant at Aubuchon Hardware in Westminster; and Laura Rainville, the manager of 873 Cafe in Ashby.
Five years after community and business leaders scrambled to keep St. Bernard’s High School opened after the Diocese of Worcester could no longer cover the school’s deficit, the Catholic Fitchburg school has received the largest donation in its history from an anonymous benefactor.
The innominate donor has pledged a three-to-one match on the first $2 million contributed toward an endowment fund, according to a Friday press release. If the school is successful in raising the $2 million and then receives the $6 million matching from the anonymous donor, the donation will enable St. Bernard’s to establish an $8-million endowment to support the financial needs of the school and its students.
“Our students travel from 33 communities in North Central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, and as the demand for enrollment continues to grow, this gift couldn’t be more timely," John Zarrella, president of St. Bernard’s board, said in the release. “This is a great initiative that will not only ensure the long-term financial stability of the school but also help provide the necessary financial assistance to deserving students. This gift will truly have a lasting impact on the school and its community.”
Since the gift was announced, St. Bernard’s has received $1.2 million in pledges toward the $2 million needed to secure the matching funds from the donor.
“I’ve been incredibly impressed by the passion and support of the Bernardian Community. This opportunity we’ve been presented with can only be described as a continuation of the Miracle at St. Bernards,” Principal Joseph Cussen said in the release.
In 2019, the Diocese of Worcester informed St. Bernard's it could no longer financially support the institution after two years of financial deficit including about $1.4 million that fiscal year. The high school had already seen a decrease in enrollment by 69% from 2010 to 2018.
The announcement came just months before then-Principal Linda Anderson stepped into the role. Anderson led the 100-year-old school as it transitioned to a privately-run Catholic high school and spearheaded a $2.5-million capital campaign.
Today, with 210 students enrolled, St. Bernard’s is the 12th largest private high school in Central Massachusetts when ranked by total enrollment in the 2023-2024 school year, according to data provided to the WBJ Research Department.
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion industries.
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