New Catholic middle school will open next year

With a mission to take Catholic education to a new level, officials from three Lake County schools have announced plans to open a new Catholic middle school next year.

Leaders from parishes Santa Maria del Popoplo in Mundelein, St. Mary of the Annunciation near Mundelein and Transfiguration in Wauconda are joining forces to create the new school. Discussions started more than a year ago.

"We wanted to raise the bar for Catholic education," said Rev. Ron Lewinski of St. Mary's. "We want to re-imagine the paradigms for education."

The yet-to-be-named institution, which will be located in existing buildings on Tranfiguration's campus, will be the first Catholic middle school in the Chicago Archdiocese, according to archdiocese officials.

The name will be announced by Cardinal Francis George, via video, during a formal ceremony to be held Sunday at Transfiguration Church. Details will be discussed on Sunday, starting at 4 p.m. at the Parish Life Center, 316 W. Mill St., Wauconda.

The school will be open to children from all over the county. The short-term plan is to use buildings at Transfiguration until enrollment grows.

"We expect to outgrow this facility within three to five years," according to Renee Luhr, a member of the executive planning committee. "After that, we'll consider other options for a new site."

Planners say there will be about 150 sixth- through eighth-grade students in classes when the doors open next August. The three feeder schools will keep their kindergarten through fifth-grade programs, but all middle school students will be shifting to the new facility, officials said.

The school will focus on math and science, along with providing a vibrant religious education, Luhr said.

"Our goal is to provide students with both a firm academic base and strong Catholic identity," Luhr said.

Luhr said tuition costs aren't set yet, but will be soon. "Parents can expect to pay about the same as they pay now," Luhr said. "The average costs range from $3,800 to $4,500 annually."

The vision for the school came from pastors Rev. David Arcila of Santa Maria, Rev. Ron Gollatz of Transfiguration and Rev. Lewinski of St. Mary's, Luhr said.

"These three pastors led the charge for this school," Luhr said. "Research underscores the value of shaping a program geared to the needs and psychology of middle school students."

Rev. Lewinski said the collaboration between the three schools will make for a solid institution.

"With the three schools working together, we're able to do more than any one of us could do alone," he said.