Four groups angling to buy struggling Luther North High School

Four organizations interested in buying Luther North High School are being invited to make proposals to the school board next Tuesday.

Chicago Hope Academy, New Life Community Church, Uno Charter School Network, and Chicago Tabernacle Church are all attractive to the school board, Principal Tom Wiemann of Mount Prospect said, because they share Christian values and would allow Luther to rent back a portion of the campus space for classes.

The board considered seven possible options at a meeting this week. Among the others were selling the Portage Park building to Wright Junior College, and the Arlington Heights-based Lutheran Home.

"We'll see how it goes," Wiemann said. After each organization gives a half-hour presentation next Tuesday, the board will discuss the proposals.

"We're hard pressed for time," he said.

Luther North, celebrating its centennial this year, is attempting to raise $1.8 million by May 1. With just 210 students and $1.3 million in debt, officials learned in late March that the school would be foreclosed upon if it couldn't pay off its loans by the end of the school year.

Parents, students, staff and alumni have made an ambitious attempt to raise the funds, but so far have just $82,000 toward the goal, as of Wednesday afternoon. All donations will be returned if the school ends up closing, Wiemann said.

A Web site, luthernorth.core-13.org, features information about how to donate and upcoming fundraising drives, including Wednesday's trackathon, where members of Luther's highly ranked track teams will take turns running for 24 hours, collecting pledges for each lap. Wiemann says the atmosphere at the school has been positive in recent days.

"Kids have found out we've developed partnerships," he said.