Catholic Schools that have appealed the Blue Ribbon Commission's recommendation to close or merge are awaiting the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's final decisions this week.

According to the Delaware County Daily Times, the Archdiocese is expected to announce its decisions by Feb. 15 but that date may be pushed back due to funeral services for former Philadelphia Archdiocese leader Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, who died Jan. 31.

Locally, Nativity BVM School is one of the schools waiting for a final word even though Nativity officials have said they support the Blue Ribbon Commisson's recommendation. 

St. John Chrysostom in Wallingford, which was recommeded to merge with Nativity at the Media facility, appealed the Commission's recommendation. St. John Chrysostom is not appealing the merger itself but appealing the move to the Media facility saying their facility is better equipped for the merger over Nativity's facility.

The Nativity BVM community has voiced its support in the recommendation to locate the new regional Catholic elementary school in Media and has not joined the appeal to change the location, according to Nativity officials.

Other Delaware County schools appealing the recommendations along with St. John Chrysostom are Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High School, St. Cyril of Alexandria in East Lansdowne, St. Francis de Sales in Aston, according to the Delaware County Daily Times.

On Jan. 6, Four high schools and 44 out of the 156 elementary schools in the Archdiocese were recommend to close or merge at the end of the school year.

In Delaware County, 14 elementary schools are affected by the recommendations. Seven schools will close and then merge with seven other schools at that building's facility. New names for the regionalized schools are likely and the teachers and staff from both facilities will have to reapply for positions.