Our Lady of Humility School in Beach Park will be permanently closed at the end of the school year due to low enrollment and high deficits, the Archdiocese of Chicago said. | Photo: Our Lady of Humility
A school in Beach Park is among several in the Chicagoland area to be permanently closed by the Archdiocese of Chicago as officials say the decision will be a “difficult transition.”
Archdiocese of Chicago Superintendent of Schools Greg Richmond and Our Lady of Humility School Principal Nancy Kozlowski recently sent a letter to families announcing the closure of Our Lady of Humility School in Beach Park.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the difficult news that Our Lady of Humility School will close at the end of this school year,” the two said.
The school is “no longer sustainable” and will be closed at the end of the school year due to low enrollment and high deficits, despite the “hard work of many people.”
Our Lady of Humility School, located at 10601 West Wadsworth Road, is part of St. Brigid Parish — Our Lady of Humility Church.
The school officials said they encouraged parents to have conversations with their children.
“Our focus now is on supporting our students, families, teachers, and staff as we process this transition. Counselors will be available at school tomorrow to help teachers guide classroom discussions and offer individual support to students who need it,” Richmond and Kozlowski said.
Families will receive assistance in transitioning financial aid and finding another Catholic school.
The letter said that teachers and staff will receive support as they seek new roles at other schools within the Archdiocese. “Working together, we aim to make this difficult transition as seamless as possible.”
“To everyone who has been part of the Our Lady of Humility family—our dedicated school families, volunteers, educators, alumni, and generous donors—thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your steadfast support is what has made Our Lady of Humility such a special place since our doors first opened in 1958,” Richmond and Kozlowski said.
“While we mourn this chapter is coming to a close, we know that the spirit and legacy of Our Lady of Humility will live on in the hearts of our students, alumni, and community for years to come,” they added.
The closure is among several at Catholic schools made by the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Sts. Bruno and Richard in Chicago, St. Hubert in Hoffman Estates, St. Jerome in Chicago, St. Francis Borgia in Chicago and St. Stanislaus Kostka in Chicago will also close in addition to Our Lady of Humility.
Richmond said the closure decisions were made with “heavy hearts” after months of discussions with each school.