DuPage Catholic schools merger may be canceled

With only one student registered to transfer from St. Peter the Apostle School in Itasca to Holy Ghost School in Wood Dale, the Joliet Diocese may cancel a merger announced earlier this year.

Last week, a majority of St. Peter parents signed a letter to Bishop J. Peter Sartain expressing anger about how the merger was being handled and said they planned to send their children to other schools.

Mark Stelter, a parent of three St. Peter students who helped draft the letter, said parents were disappointed that Sartain did not speak directly to families about the decision to merge.

"There was zero human touch and zero Christian attitude," Stelter said. "This was a business decision and was handled like the merger of two companies."

Diocese officials said many factors were weighed to decide which school would close under the merger, including enrollment levels, facility sizes and amenities. Although Holy Ghost is an older building, it has 163 students to St. Peter's 117, it is wired with more technology and it has a gymnasium.

"What surprises me about this is there were meetings with (officials from) both schools together and both agreed that the schools separately were probably not viable," said Mike Bava, Joliet Diocese chief financial officer. "It was agreed to a merger and left to the Bishop to decide which institution would be the succeeding location."

The merger of these two schools is part of a larger plan announced in January that involves the merger and closing of about 40 diocese schools due to low enrollment or financial woes, as well as possible opening of some new schools. If the merger had worked as planned, officials would have created a new name, charter and governing body for Holy Ghost and employed some teachers from St. Peter at the new site, officials said.

Now, they say Sartain may have to close St. Peter outright, although no final decision has been announced.

"If they increased their population by perhaps 100 students, that would have helped some of their teachers secure employment there," said Diocese spokesman Doug Delaney. "It really did hurt opportunities for St. Peter teachers."

But parents who are opting against the merger are seeking other avenues for Catholic education, with many favoring St. Walter School in Roselle or Queen of the Rosary in Elk Grove Village, which is part of the Chicago Archdiocese.

Stelter said many parents favor these schools not only because it would foil the merger, but because both held special open houses for St. Peter parents this year.

Stelter admits he and many parents are avoiding Holy Ghost to protest a decision made "against their will," but also said they understand the financial motives.

"This comes down to the numbers and the people," he said. "They have a number they need to make, and I get that. But what's worse than the parents feeling like they didn't have a voice is that everyone feels so bad for the kids."

Schools: 'There was zero human touch and zero Christian attitude'