FREEPORT — Administrators from the Catholic Diocese of Rockford and Aquin Catholic Schools announced May 1 a new path forward for Catholic education in the Freeport area.
In a press release, Diocesan and Aquin administrators admitted they have been working since September 2023 to analyze the ongoing challenges to providing quality Catholic education in the Freeport area. The primary issues the Diocese faces are the shrinking financial resources of the school amid the decline of population demographics in the Freeport area and dwindling student enrollment.
Aquin Catholic Schools have offered an alternative education to Freeport’s public schools since being established by Bishop Peter J. Muldoon in 1923. Originally known as Freeport Catholic Community High School, it began with 33 students. In the 2023-24 school year, there are only 44 students enrolled in grades 9-12. Enrollment for 2024-25 is down to18. In 2021, the Freeport Catholic Elementary School students were integrated onto the Aquin Campus to help curb costs for both elementary and secondary school education. Enrollment in grades pre-K through eighth grade is currently 83. Enrollment in pre-K through eighth grades for the 202425 school year is 77.
Shrinking enrollment has led to less extracurricular opportunities for Aquin High School. Lower enrollment means less tuition and increased parish subsidies and a depletion of financial reserves. The school is depleting available reserves and is currently operating at a deficit. If nothing is done and the school is allowed to continue “as is” for the next school year, the deficit will exceed $400,000.
“These are hard realities to face and even harder to reconcile into a positive solution,” the Diocese stated in the press release.
During a meeting, first with employees and then with parents, Dr. Kim White, Superintendent for Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Rockford, announced that “after much study and discernment we believe we have developed a way forward to provide the Freeport Catholic community with solid Catholic education rooted in Catholic identity and family values. So today, the Diocese of Rockford is announcing a new model that will be fiscally responsible and educationally sound, offering a curriculum thoughtfully designed to align with core foundational academic content (Religion, English, Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, Science, and Study Skills) and the teachings of the Catholic Church.”
This intentionally small school, called a “Micro School” will offer both continuity for Catholic education and opportunity for growth as needed in the Freeport area.
Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, the Diocese of Rockford will open a new “micro Catholic academy” for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The small class sizes enable personalized instruction and individualized learning experiences.
With only 18 students registered for grades 9-12 for the next school year, Aquin High School classes will no longer be offered. Students in grades 9-12 will be offered the opportunity to work with the diocese to attend other Diocesan Central Catholic High Schools. However, the micro school model does allow for expansion for grades 9-12 in future years, should that become feasible.
Aquin teachers and staff are being invited to reapply for positions available and for which they are qualified at the new Catholic micro academy. The micro academy will be located in the same space as the current elementary grades.
“We are excited with the spirit of collaboration and continued financial support among our Freeport parishes and the opportunities to build on Freeport’s academic legacy with an amazing new Catholic educational and spiritual experience for our students today and in the years to come,” Dr. White said in her announcement to parents and staff.
The Diocese of Rockford currently has six diocesan Central Catholic High Schools, two private Catholic High Schools and 29 Catholic elementary schools across the 11 counties in Northern Illinois which make up the Diocese of Rockford.
Established in 1908, the Diocese of Rockford is comprised of 105 parishes in Boone, Carroll, DeKalb,JoDaviess, Kane, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago Counties in Northern Illinois, serving a Catholic population of more than 400,000. For more about the Catholic Diocese of Rockford visit www.rockforddiocese.org.