2 Catholic Schools Say They've Hit Fundraising Goals To Stay Open
(CBS) – Two of the six schools slated to be closed in June by the Chicago Archdiocese have been given a new lease on life.
WBBM's Bob Roberts reports.
Supporters of Our Lady of Victory in Portage Park were told they needed to come up with at least $400,000 to prevent the school from being shut down.
Our Lady of Victory pastoral associate Mary Beth Frystak says parents, alumni, parishioners and friends have been extreme generous. The school has $750,000 in cash and pledges, and the money keeps rolling in, she says.
Frystak says the Catholic Archdiocese gave approval to the school's three-year financial plan.
"It was very positive and our teachers were alerted, and we're just very, very thankful that we're given this opportunity," she says.
In Midlothian, supporters pledged $1.8 million over five years to keep St. Christopher School open.
The Archdiocese, in a written statement, praised the two schools for presenting plans to stay open but noted each has "specific benchmarks" to meet.
"These plans, born of prayer, expertise, hard work, and the generosity of the Catholic community, provide the confidence needed to allow registration for the coming school year," the statement said.
A third school, St. Florian, has been given additional time to complete a plan because it entered the appeals process later than the others. Archdiocese officials will review each school plan on or before March 1.