Mr. Brens and his brothers, like him, all Halleus graduates – worked as administrators to help with costs the morning before school. After graduating he taught there for 18 years before becoming an admissions director. For Brenness, the worst moment after the closure came when a group of charter schools toured the building without notice to measure it. “My body isn't even cold,” he said.
Currently, all treasures have 325 students. Since it opened to girls, the application has skyrocketed from 243 last year to 400 this year. The girls introduced new habits, including adding new energy and decorating fellow students' lockers on their birthdays.
Daniel Pimentel, a 11th grader who welcomed Bridget and Mona, loved the new vibe the girls had brought, making it even more difficult to announce the closure. That night, he said, he sat barely moved in his family's Bronx apartment and could not even attend school the next day.
“The girls found a house,” he said, “and now it happened again.”
According to Mona, he is now calming down, with some students already transferring. For those who can afford it, Catholic schools are still hopeful and if they can find something that accepts all their secret scholarships. Approximately half is expected to switch to public schools.
Mona, who attended Columbia University and eventually became a neurosurgeon, was recently accepted at Cathedral, a Catholic school for girls in Manhattan. She is relieved, but it is sad to leave all her treasures and her new friends.
Bridget, who wants to pursue criminal justice, heads to a public high school. However, she was told that she wouldn't know which one until August.
