St. Michael School To Close At End Of Year

CHICAGO, IL - St. Michael the Archangel School on the Far South Side of Chicago will close at the end of the current school year, officials announced on the parish website this week. Jim Rigg, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Chicago cited declining enrollment in the decision to close the school at 8231 S. South Shore Drive.

"The declining enrollment has caused a strain on the school's finances," Rigg said. "With less tuition revenue, the school is not able to cover its costs and has incurred an operating deficit. Despite best efforts to restore the school to viability, finances and enrollment have not improved. Neither the parish nor the Archdiocese are able to pay for the school's operating deficits that are driven by the low enrollment."

St. Michael School joins four others in the Archdiocese that will permanently close on June 30. The others are Holy Cross School in Deerfield, St. Cyprian School in River Grove, Incarnation School in Palos Heights and Our Lady of the Ridge School in Chicago Ridge.

Rigg said officials at the Archdiocese will reach out to parents to assist them if they are interested in enrolling their children at other Catholic schools.

"I commend the dedicated leaders, faculty and staff of St. Michael School for their tireless work to foster an academically rigorous and faith-filled community," he said. "St. Michael School has provided a strong education to generations of young men and women helping them develop intellectually, physically and spiritually."

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