EAST MOLINE, Ill. — Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy in East Moline will close at the end of the 2023-24 school year.
The Diocese of Peoria announced the closing in a press release Wednesday afternoon, saying that it will help families at the school move to nearby Seton Catholic School in Moline and Jordan Catholic School in Rock Island.
"We will be sending out information to families about financial options at the other schools. today (Thursday)," Principal Victoria McCollum said. "I've spoken with the other principals, they are saddened to hear of our closing. We are stronger together, are willing and able to take our students when (the) time comes for the next school year with financial and the paperwork."
In April of 2022, the Diocese announced plans to close Our Lady of Grace after the 2021-22 school year, but an uproar from parents and parishioners led the diocese to reverse the decision just days later. At that time, the Diocese said that the school was experiencing enrollment and financial issues, but that the decision to close the school was premature.
After reversing the April 2022 decision to close the school, the Diocese developed a timeline for the school to hit an enrollment benchmark of 135 students by the 2024-25 school year. According to the Diocese, the school's enrollment this school year is 102 students, with a survey conducted by school administrators projecting that the school would lose at least 10 more students next year.
The Diocese said that over the last four years, enrollment has fallen from 158 students to 102.
In addition to declining enrollment, the Diocese cited the following factors for the decision to close the school:
- The cost of maintaining the school's four aging buildings
- Administrative turnover
- Teacher shortages and the difficulty in retaining teachers for less pay than the area's public schools
- The loss of the State of Illinois' Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship Program
Parent reacts to announcement of school's closure
One parent who spoke to News 8 lives just up the street from the school and says having a religious education option in their neighborhood has been important for his family.
"It's been paramount to us up to this point because it's just something we believe strongly in, to be so faith-based," Brian Heritage said. "And now, having to take this out of our community and relocate us to Moline and even Rock Island is definitely going to be a damper on our capabilities...I think we're really kind of going back to that battle rhythm of, back to the planning phase and looking at what these schools are capable of, of handling in terms of influx of students."
Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy was created in 2005 when St. Anne School and St. Mary School merged. St. Anne School was founded in 1925, while St. Mary School was originally opened in 1912.
Bishop Louis Tylka said the following about the decision:
“While I am committed to the mission of Catholic education and I greatly value our schools, we cannot ignore the reality. I am saddened that Our Lady of Grace Academy must now close. However, at times, we must recognize that the circumstances have changed dramatically since the time when a school first opened. While it is hard to separate our emotions and attachment to a particular institution, we have to be able to consider with a realistic and honest assessment what is viable and sustainable in the future.”
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