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CHICAGO
(March 30, 2001)
Blue
Island (March 30, 2001) – Low and declining enrollment resulting
in a deficit budget has led to the decision by the Archdiocese of
Chicago not to reopen St. Isidore School (12731 S. Wood St.) for
the 2001-2002 school year.
"It
is with deep regret that we must announce St. Isidore School will
not re-open next fall," explained Father Gregory Rom, pastor
of St. Isidore parish. "The great difficulties caused by low
enrollment for the last five-plus years have made it impossible
for us to continue this important ministry."
Rom
explained the enrollment trend shows that the school is below its
capacity of 200 students from 154 in 1996-97 to a high of 180 in
1998-99. In this school year there are 152 students. The Office
of Catholic Schools targets the number 200 as supporting overall
school health.
Trends
also show that the student population in the past five years has
changed from a predominantly Catholic population (60 percent in
1996-97) to a non-Catholic population (62 percent in 2000-2001).
One third of the student population transfers out of the school
annually giving indication of a highly mobile student body.
All
of these factors led Bishop Joseph Perry, vicar for the region,
in conjunction with Office of Catholic Schools and other Archdiocesan
officials, to recommend to Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I. that
the school be closed at the end of this school year.
"For
89 years, St. Isidore has been serving children and families in
the Blue Island and Calumet Park area. We are grateful for the 87
years that the Felician sisters taught our children, for the faithful
and generous sacrifices of the parishioners who supported the school,
and for the dedicated lay teachers who served the school families,
said Sister Judy Cauley, interim co-superintendent for the Office
of Catholic Schools.
There
are currently 312 schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago with enrollment
totaling almost 130,000 students of many races, faiths and backgrounds.
There are more than 6,000 teachers in the Catholic school system
who instill values, teach discipline and achieve strong, consistent
academic results in the Archdiocese of Chicago’s 267 elementary
and 45 secondary schools.
CHICAGO
(March 5, 2001)
Due
to lack of enrollment, three Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic elementary
schools – St. Columba School, Chicago; St. Emeric School, Country
Club Hills; and St. Simeon School, Bellwood, will not reopen in
September, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced today.
The
Archdiocese of Chicago has accepted the recommendation of Bishop
Joseph Perry, the vicar for this area, and the leadership of St.
Columba that the school not reopen in September 2001, because f
low enrollment.
"School
marketing efforts to increase enrollment to 140 students by Feb.
15 are well known to the school and parish community," explained
the Rev. Kilian Knittel, pastor of St. Columba Parish. "The
great efforts and hard work of many dedicated school parents and
supporters did not realize the enrollment goal for the coming year.
As a result, Bishop Joseph Perry has recommended to Francis Cardinal
George, O.M.I., that the school not reopen next term.
Cardinal
George agreed with this recommendation."
Bishop
Perry and the staff of the Office of Catholic Schools have been
working with the St. Columba School Board and the parish/school
administration for several years in an effort to establish a strong
foundation of financial and academic viability for the school.
In
a November meeting with the school board, Bishop Perry agreed to
let the board make a final marketing effort to see if the school
could increase enrollment from its present 77 students. On Feb.
15, the agreed upon deadline date, the school had an anticipated
enrollment of 44 families / 56 students for the next school year,
September 2001.
"In
the mid-1990's the enrollment of St. Columba School was around 175-180
students, stable, but below the norm of the Archdiocese for an elementary
school," Bishop Perry explained. "Since 1997-98, enrollment
began to decline and the school was unable to balance its budget
without an operating grant from the Archdiocese. During these past
three years, the local school board and parents have worked hard
to increase enrollment."
Bishop
Perry also noted that as enrollment decreased, the cost of educating
students increased. "We regret this situation, but the reality
is a combination of demographic and financial factors prevent us
from sustaining St. Columba School," said Perry.
Students
from St. Columba who wish to continue their education at a Catholic
school beginning next fall will be able to attend one of several
Catholic schools in Hegewisch and adjacent areas of the Eastside
and Calumet City. "We will do everything possible to assist
our current school families as they make a transition to a new Catholic
school," said Mary Miller, principal. "Our faculty and
staff will continue their dedicated service to our children in their
daily instruction. We will give them our best, and we are proud
of their accomplishments."
"We
are grateful for the many acts of kindness, the quality of academic
instruction and the loving concern for each child that the faculty
and staff of St. Columba School have provided for fifty years,"
said Sister Judy Cauley, CSJ, interim co-superintendent of schools.
The
Archdiocese of Chicago has accepted the recommendation of the leadership
of St. Emeric School and parish that the school not reopen in September
because of lack of enrollment.
"In
spite of the dedication and sacrifice of our school families and
staff, our school has not attracted the enrollment necessary to
continue our educational ministry," said the Rev. Paul G. Seaman,
pastor of Saint Emeric. "We have an excellent small school
but there comes a point when small becomes too small."
Seaman
explained the enrollment trend indicates a nearly constant loss
of students in the past six years from 159 to 74 students. The Office
of Catholic Schools targets the number 200 as supporting overall
school health. "In the past five years many efforts have been
made to market the school, develop models for educational quality
and evoke parental involvement," Seaman said, "but we
have been unable to sustain a viable enrollment."
The
school adopted a small school model several years ago based on the
premise that the school would be able to retain an enrollment that
would be between 150 and 175 students. "Because of very low
numbers and a high turnover of student population, program quality
would not be sustained," Ms. Melanie Gignac, principal, explained.
Student retention factors include family mobility, nearby educational
centers, and costs and choice of a Catholic school in a non-Catholic
neighborhood.
Students
from St. Emeric who wish to continue their education at a Catholic
school beginning next fall will be able to attend St. Anne, Hazel
Crest; St. Joseph, Homewood; Mary of Nazareth, Harvey; Infant Jesus
of Prague, Flossmoor; and St. Lawrence O’Toole, Matteson. "We
will work closely with our current school families to assist them
in making a transition to a new school," Seaman said. "Many
of our children come from these communities, and I feel confident
they will find a warm welcome in these schools. I also believe the
schools will find our students to be outstanding young people. We
are are very proud of them."
"We
have worked closely with St. Emeric in a planning process since
1995," said Sister Judy Cauley, CSJ, interim co-superintendent
of schools. "In each of the years since 1995, local leaders
in both parish and school have met with constituents to review the
status of the school and talk about implications for the future.
We are grateful to them for all the time and energy they have invested
in exploring ways to maintain the viability of the school while
sustaining a strong educational program. But the reality is the
demographics indicate that there are not enough students to keep
the school viable."
"We
are grateful for the valued contribution to the growth and development
of students that St. Emeric has made over 36 years," Cauley
said. "The Catholic character of the school and its quality
program in a caring community made a significant difference in the
lives of hundreds of children and families.
The
archdiocese also cited lack of enrollment as the reason for St.
Simeon’s closing. "There were 212 students in 1996, and
this year there are 140, with 19 of these students in the three-and
four-year-old preschool program," explained the Most Rev. Thad.
J. Jakubowski, vicar for the region, who recommended the closing
to Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I. "Both a substantial turnover
of students, 90 this year, and a turnover in faculty, have raised
concern in the Office of Catholic Schools and in our Vicariate Team.
This drop in enrollment and the continuing turnover of faculty seriously
impacts the financial structure and places the educational program
in jeopardy."
"It
is with regret that we make this decision, but also with gratitude
for the contribution St. Simeon has made for 50 years to the educational
mission of our Archdiocese."
Jakubowski
said that the children have educational options and could be served
in neighboring Catholic schools and that St. Simeon School has pledged
to do whatever it can to cooperate with school and church families
to enroll their children in neighboring Catholic Schools. According
to the Rev. John McCarville, pastor of St. Simeon, the parish will
continue to aid families as the parish is able through the St. Simeon
Helping Hand Tuition Aid Fund."
At
the height of its enrollment in 1967, St. Simeon was the largest
Catholic grammar school in North America, with 1,987 students, 26
regular classrooms, nine portable classrooms, four-hour morning
sessions and four-hour afternoon sessions.
"In
spite of efforts to market the school and the sacrifice of current
school families and staff, the school is in the position of not
being able to sustain an enrollment that ensures both academic and
financial viability," said Sister Judith Cauley, CSJ, interim
co-superintendent of Archdiocese schools.
"We
in the Office of Catholic Schools are appreciative of the dedication
and concern for the students exhibited by the principal and teachers
at St. Simeon. Their sense of commitment has made a marked difference
in the growth and development of students. The parents have let
us know of their appreciation as well. We will continue to pray
for the children, families and staff of St. Simeon School at this
difficult time of transition," Cauley said.
There
are currently 312 schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago with enrollment
totaling almost 130,000 students of many races, faiths and backgrounds.
There are more than 6,000 teachers in the Catholic school system
who instill values, teach discipline and achieve strong, consistent
academic results in the Archdiocese of Chicago’s 267 elementary
and 45 secondary schools.
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