Elgin Catholic school to reopen as St. Edward Preparatory Academy

St. Joseph School in Elgin will be replaced this fall with a new education model aimed at linking Catholic primary and secondary programs in the area, the Diocese of Rockford announced Wednesday.

The parish school at 274 Division St. is slated to close at the end of this academic year and reopen as the St. Edward Catholic Preparatory Academy, according to a news release from the diocese. Offering preschool through eighth grade, the new school will operate in direct partnership with St. Edward Central Catholic High School, located across the river at 335 Locust St.

"The spiritual formation will mirror what they're teaching and sharing at St. Edward (High School)," diocese spokeswoman Penny Wiegert said. "The academic program will be similar and flow together so that kids are prepped to be ready to make that smooth transition into high school."

St. Joseph was among three Elgin Catholic schools identified as "particularly vulnerable" to increasing costs and declining enrollment, the diocese said. A consolidation plan was initially considered to address those challenges, Wiegert said, but the other two parishes, St. Mary and St. Laurence, were not interested.

St. Mary determined it will move forward using financial reserves, according to a letter sent to all Elgin parishes Tuesday. St. Laurence School has indicated it will likely close, with a final decision expected to be announced soon, Wiegert said.

"The diocese evaluated the desires of the Elgin families and, taking a long view of the situation, decided that the option of doing nothing was not an option," she said. "(The new academy) is a step that we needed to take ... so that we can continue to have a vibrant Catholic educational system in the Elgin area."

The education model, which has been implemented in the Aurora and Rockford areas, could be an option for other Elgin schools if their issues continue, she said.

The new St. Edward academy will initially receive financial support from the St. Joseph parish, as well as funds allocated for consolidation efforts through the diocese, the news release says.

Moving forward, the school's financial structure, governance, academic curriculum, extracurricular activities and other programs will be determined by a task force comprising leaders from St. Edward High School, St. Joseph School and Parish, and the diocese.

"(The diocese) is confident that this new partnership with strengthen both faith formation and academic option for learners of all levels and abilities," the news release says.

With registration scheduled to open next month, the preparatory academy should have solid enrollment numbers by early March, Wiegert said. The school will then determine the number of staff members needed for each grade level, as well as other academic program details.

St. Joseph teachers and administrators will be invited to apply for positions at the academy, the diocese says.

The school building and grounds are expected to receive a "makeover" during the summer, including a deep cleaning, new paint and signage. An open house for the future St. Edward academy will take place at the end of the month.