CHICAGO (August 28, 20020)

The Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic schools will open four Catholic elementary schools this month and more than 20 schools have expansion projects under way totaling more than $45 million.

Three elementary schools will open in the city of Chicago and one elementary school will open in northwest suburban Inverness.

NEW SCHOOLS

City of Chicago

Immaculate Conception School
1413 N. North Park Ave., Chicago
A new elementary school will be established at Immaculate Conception parish on the near North Side and will open this academic year with a pre-school and kindergarten. The existing building will be renovated and a new building will be erected to serve families from nearby Immaculate Conception and St. Joseph parishes.

The school plans to phase in a new grade each year until it eventually serves students through eighth grade.

Immaculate Conception School
8739 S. Exchange Ave., Chicago
A new school will serve the needs of families in the largely Hispanic Catholic community surrounding Immaculate Conception parish on the far southeast side of Chicago.

The new school, which has been operating for the past three years as a primary grade campus of nearby St. Michael School, will officially open as Immaculate Conception School for grades K-4. The school plans to phase in a new grade each year until it eventually serves students through eighth grade. Approximately 130 students in grades K-4 are enrolled this academic year.

San Miguel School - Gary Comer Campus
819 N. Leamington Ave, Chicago
The De La Salle Christian Brothers will open a middle school in Chicago's North Austin neighborhood to serve the African American community and fulfill the congregation's mission to provide human and Christian education to young people in need.
Enrollment will be approximately 25 students in each class of grades five through eight. The school will begin with fifth graders this academic year and add a grade each year through 2005. Each grade will have three teachers and faculty will consist of lay and religious volunteers - many of whom have earned advanced degrees.

Northwest Suburban

Holy Family Catholic Academy
2515 W. Palatine Rd., Inverness
Holy Family Catholic Academy will serve families in Inverness and the northwest suburban area. The school will be housed in the existing parish complex at Holy Family parish in Inverness.

The school will begin with kindergarten and first grade and add another grade each year until it serves students through eighth grade.

EXPANSIONS

Among the elementary and secondary schools that are planning or have recently completed expansions include:

Elementary Schools

Northwest Suburban

St. Alphonsus Liguori School
411 W. Wheeling, Prospect Heights
In the winter of 2002, St. Alphonsus Liguori School completed conversion of the parish's old church into a gymnasium. With the help of a $2.5 million grant from an anonymous foundation, the school is planning an estimated $3.5 million project to build a parish center. The new parish center, which will house a new gymnasium, auditorium, cafeteria and kitchen, will allow the recently converted gymnasium to be turned into a library, science laboratory and art room. The school also will add three more classrooms from the gained space. The school hopes to break ground in October 2002.

St. Emily School
1400 E. Central Rd., Mount Prospect
A $3.6 million effort to upgrade St. Emily School and its parish is expected to be complete by the summer of 2003. In June, the school began construction to enlarge its computer lab and add two new classrooms. In addition, the school started renovating its old learning center for the religious education offices, shifting the learning center to a new area and creating a space for tutors. This project is scheduled to be completed this fall.

St. Mary School
50 N. Buffalo Grove Rd., Buffalo Grove
This fall, St. Mary School plans to move a playground next to its lunchroom in an estimated $30,000 project. In addition, the parish plans to demolish the old rectory and build a new one on the school's campus.

Sacred Heart School
1095 Gage St., Winnetka
Sacred Heart School is in the midst of a fundraising campaign to raise $7 million to renovate and expand the school. The school plans to demolish the west end of the school to build seven classrooms and renovate the offices of the principal and the religion education staff. The project also will update the school to be handicapped accessible with new elevators and entrances. In addition, school officials plan to build a gathering space next to the rectory. School officials hope to begin construction in 2003.

St. Zachary School
567 W. Algonquin Rd., Des Plaines
St. Zachary School has completed new landscaping on the school grounds. In July, the parish's gardening committee, the school's maintenance staff and parish volunteers planted trees, shrubbery and flowers. A noise abatement project replaced the school's doors and windows in 2001.

West Suburban

St. Damian School
5300 W. 155th St., Oak Forest
St. Damian School had a face lift this summer. The school spruced up the outside of the building by adding mansards, enlarging the building's main entrance, expanding the parking lot, doing landscaping and adding two signs that identify the church and the parish and display upcoming events. The estimated $250,000 project began in June and is expected to be finished this fall.

St. Francis Xavier School
145 N. Waiola Ave., La Grange
St. Francis Xavier School is ready for the next group of first graders to start classes this fall at its recently expanded east campus at 24 N. Catherine St. The school completed the $200,000 construction project in June 2002 to renovate the building's first and lower floors to include three classrooms, an administration office, a combination lunch room and gym space and a combination art and music room. The project began in December 2001 to expand the building to accommodate 72 first graders who will be joining the pre-school and kindergartners who already attend the school.

St. John of the Cross School
708 51st St., Western Springs
A major construction project is nearly completed at St. John of the Cross School. In August 2001, the school began expansions to add a learning resource center, a multi-purpose room that will be used as a gymnasium and lunchroom, two classrooms and two "flexible" rooms that can be used for smaller class projects. In June 2002, the school began renovations to create two kindergarten classrooms, a nurse's office and additional office space for religion educators and administrators. The estimated $5 million construction and renovation project is expected to be complete in late August.

St. Joseph School
1740 Lake Ave, Summit
St. Joseph Elementary School installed central air conditioning, added new windows, painted the interior of the entire school and lowered some ceilings during this summer's soundproofing project. The project, which started in mid-June, is expected to wrap up in mid-October.

Far South Chicago

St. Barnabas School
10121 S. Longwood Dr., Chicago
This summer, St. Barnabas installed new windows in the entire school, renovated the parking lot and the convent, built a new play lot and installed air conditioning in the computer lab and administrative offices. The renovations totaled more than $1 million.

St. Christina School
3333 W. 110th St., Chicago
St. Christina School in June began construction for a gymnasium, four new classrooms and a gathering center between the church and the new gymnasium. The construction project, which is estimated at $3 million, is expected to be complete by the spring of 2003.

South Suburban

St. Benedict School
2324 New Street, Blue Island
St. Benedict School is replacing and painting the walls and ceiling of its gymnasium, adding 14 new block glass windows to the gym and painting its fire escapes in a $28,000 renovation project. In addition, the school is installing an updated fire alarm system, which is expected to cost approximately $10,000. The projects are scheduled to be complete by this fall.

High Schools

North Side of Chicago

Holy Trinity High School
1443 W. Division St., Chicago
Holy Trinity High School has already raised $1.4 million in a capital campaign called "Bridge to Inspired Lives," exceeding its initial goal of $800,000. Plans for the fundraising campaign, which started in 2000, include: upgrading the school; creating a student endowment fund for financially needy students; and creating a staff endowment fund for staff education. The school tuckpointed the west side of the building last spring and plans to tuckpoint the east side of the building and replace the gymnasium roof this fall. The school hopes to raise an additional $1 million both for the student endowment and staff endowment funds.

South Side of Chicago

Brother Rice High School
10001 S. Pulaski Rd., Chicago
Brother Rice High School broke ground this summer for a new 1,200 square foot fitness center and weight room facility, expected to be completed in January. The school also renovated the administrative offices and nurse's station.

Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School
3737 W. 99th St., Chicago
Mother McAuley High School dedicated the $1.3 million renovation of its new art department and science center in June 2002. The two-year construction project expanded the art department and doubled the size of the photography darkroom. The project also added new technology to the science center. In August, the school replaced all of its lights with $74,000 worth of energy-efficient lighting.

South Suburban

St. Laurence High School
5556 W. 77th St., Burbank
Since launching its five-year fundraising campaign entitled "A Foundation of Leadership" in October 2001, St. Laurence High School has raised approximately $1.3 million of its $1.85 million goal. Already putting the money to use, St. Laurence installed a new track in its stadium and new lockers in the school in early 2002. The plan for 2003 is to complete the locker installation and update the school's science laboratories.

Marian Catholic High School
700 Ashland Ave., Chicago Heights
Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights completed the installation of a fully wireless communications system in June 2002 as part of its $1.8 million Dominican Way project, a capital project that began in 2001. The school also finished installing a new phone and public announcement system in June and a roofing and HVAC project in mid-August that cost $250,000. In addition, the school continued its athletic field improvements, which are expected to be complete in April 2003 and are funded through donations from the Athletic Initiative Marian Fund.

Queen of Peace High School
7659 S. Linder Ave., Burbank
Queen of Peace High School had a busy summer renovating its library, vestibule and administration offices. The school also purchased 65 laptop computers for faculty, changed its bookstore into a souvenir shop and created a Website for students to purchase their books online. The summertime project, which started in May and is expected to be completed this fall, cost approximately $250,000. School officials now hope to raise an additional $250,000 to renovate the chapel and create a college and career-counseling center.

North Suburban

Loyola Academy
1100 Laramie Ave, Wilmette
Loyola Academy broke ground on construction of its new West Athletic Campus in April. The new campus will include 10 playing fields and supporting infrastructure. The $20 million project is expected to open in the spring of 2003.
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West Suburban

Holy Cross High School
3000 N. 80th Ave., River Grove
This fall, Holy Cross High School plans to complete a noise abatement project that began in 2001. As part of that project, the school is installing a new heating and air conditioning system, new windows, a computerized thermostat and new ducts. The project was funded with the $5 million O'Hare Airport Fund and $500,000 from the school. In addition, the school installed a wireless computer network this summer.

Immaculate Heart of Mary High School
10900 W. Cermak Rd., Westchester
In June, Immaculate Heart of Mary High School began minor construction projects that are expected to be complete this fall. The school upgraded its electrical wiring system, added new carpeting in the computer lab, painted its classrooms and exterior doors and purchased a new dishwasher. The projects cost approximately $34,500. In addition, the convent was tuckpointed at an estimated cost of $100,000.

St. Joseph High School
1840 S. Mayfair Ave., Westchester
St. Joseph High School in Westchester installed 12 computers in its new biology lab between this summer. The computers were donated by a St. Joseph alumnus.