After 57 years, it looks like Divine Mercy Catholic Academy on Merritt Island may close and parents are fighting it.
Parents received an email from the church Friday afternoon containing a letter from the school's pastor, Kenny Aquino, informing them that the school would "merge" with Our Savior Catholic School in Cocoa Beach, St. Mary Catholic School in Rockledge and St. Teresa Catholic school in Titusville for the 2021-2022 school year, citing falling enrollment. Parents created a Facebook group, "Save Divine Mercy Catholic Academy," and began brainstorming ways to keep the school open.
The Facebook group had attracted close to 350 members by Tuesday afternoon. By that time, an online fundraiser with a $250,000 goal to keep the school running another year had raised $750, and an online petition netted over 750 signatures.