Families striving to keep St. Hubert School in Hoffman Estates funded and open

A group of parents at St. Hubert Catholic School in Hoffman Estates is trying to rally support for the 65-year-old school as it faces an uncertain future.

These parents plan to hold a press conference in front of the school Wednesday morning to address its future and demand a 90-day moratorium on any binding decisions. They are hoping to engage other parishioners and alumni to help.

“We are parents and are not in opposition to anyone,” said Jillian Bernas Garcia, mother of two children at the school and a third she intends to send. “I believe we have a community that’s on our side. We want to make sure parishioners know what’s going on. I think people want to see this community flourish.”

Parents say they’ve been going it alone for 18 months.

Without the ability to reach out to the wider community, school families achieved 93% of the annual fundraising goal of $302,5000 by collecting $282,000. This came amid a decision to eliminate tuition discounts for low-income families that caused enrollment to drop, Bernas Garcia said.

She described the school’s current financial state as not perfect but manageable. And as the only Catholic school within the jurisdiction of Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54, Bernas Garcia believes the population of the state’s largest elementary district warrants such an option.

“There really is no reason the school should be closing,” she added.

While an open house and continued school visits for prospective parents would seem to indicate preparations for the next academic year are still underway, a viable grant opportunity wasn’t pursued by administrators, Bernas Garcia said.

Other members of the St. Hubert Parent Coalition also urged community support.

“We have already made significant progress to the fundraising goal,” parishioner, parent and alumna Julie Chirinos said in a statement. “This community, all the teachers, parishioners, community members, alumni and families are so supportive, but they need to know what is going on at the school.”

Representatives of the Archdiocese of Chicago Office of Catholic Schools couldn’t be reached for comment Monday, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The press conference is at 11 a.m. Wednesday in front of the school at 255 Flagstaff Lane in Hoffman Estates. More information is also available by e-mailing parents@savesthubert.com.