Archdiocese of Chicago to close five additional schools in Illinois due to enrollment and financial concerns
The Archdiocese of Chicago announced the closure of five more schools across Illinois due to low enrollment and financial distress ahead of National Catholic Schools Week.
The archdiocese announced Thursday that five schools — Saints Bruno & Richard School, St. Francis Borgia School, St. Jerome Catholic School, St. Petersburg in Hoffman Estates. Hubert Catholic School and Our Lady of Humility in Beach Park – confirmed it will close at the end of the 2025-26 school year. National Catholic Schools Week, a celebration of Catholic education across the United States, began Sunday.
“It is with sadness that we made these decisions after months of discussions with each school. We recognize the importance of these schools in every community,” Archdiocesan Superintendent of Schools Greg Richmond said in a statement.
“A lot of people have worked hard at each school to raise money and try to increase enrollment,” Richmond said. “We recognize and value these efforts, but ultimately schools have failed to close the gaps and are no longer sustainable.”
St. Stanislaus Kostka Academy was the first local Catholic school to make this announcement. plans to close at the end of the school year in a letter dated January 15. The West Town-based primary school has been operating for 151 years.
St. Louis, which has just over 100 students across its two campuses, according to state enrollment data. Including Jerome’s, every school had fewer than 250 students through the 2024-25 school year.
Parents, educators and community members at six schools expressed concern about the timing of the schools’ closures, particularly for fundraising efforts.
St. Louis in Hoffman Estates, according to its annual report. Hubert Catholic School raised more than $600,000 in fiscal year 2025 through fundraising and outside funding.
Given the community’s efforts, the two children were sent to St. According to Jillian Bernas Garcia, who attends Hubert, closing the school seems premature.
“I’m angry right now,” Bernas Garcia said. “I’m not convinced our school should be closed.”
St. in Dunning At Francis Borgia, parents and alumni started a GoFundMe to save the school. However, St. Former Francis Borgia parent and alumnus Rose Dante said she and other community members are heartbroken.
“I’m devastated,” Dante said, crying. “This has been really difficult for everyone involved.”
St. Hubert teacher Maria Des Jarlait said the school closures left her wondering about one thing.
Des Jarlait asked: “Where is the compassion of the archdiocese?” he said. “I don’t understand why they’re doing this to us.”
The six schools are expected to operate normally for the remainder of the school year, the archdiocese wrote in a statement.
They will also help affected families enroll in other Catholic schools and help teachers and staff find jobs in schools within the Archdiocese, according to the statement.
Right now, Archbishopric It represents 179 schools in the Chicago metro area.
