Catholic Diocese of Rockford closing Freeport's Aquin High School at end of school year

Shrinking enrollment and budget constraints are forcing the Catholic Diocese of Rockford to close Aquin Catholic High School in Freeport, a school that first opened in 1923 with 33 students.

And beginning with the 2024-25 school year, the diocese will operate a new “micro Catholic academy” for pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade students in the old Aquin Catholic High School building at 1419 S Galena Ave.

In a Wednesday evening news release, administrators from the Catholic Diocese of Rockford and Aquin Catholic Schools called the changes "a new path forward for Catholic education in the Freeport area."

The high school, which has shared its building with pre-K through eighth grade students under the umbrella of Aquin Catholic Schools since 2021, has 44 students this school year. Enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year was 18 students when the decision was made to no longer offer high school level classes.

More: Freeport's Aquin schools merger process takes a step forward with moving day

Shrinking enrollment has led to fewer extracurricular opportunities for Aquin's high school students. Lower enrollment means less tuition and increased parish subsidies and a depletion of financial reserves, the diocese said. 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.

Students in grades 9 through 12 will be offered the opportunity to work with the diocese to attend other schools in the diocese. Officials also said the micro school model could expand to include grades 9 through 12 in the future.

Enrollment in grades pre-K through eighth grade is currently 83. Enrollment in pre-K through eighth grades for the 2024-2025 school year is 77.

Aquin teachers and staff are being asked to reapply for available positions at the micro academy.

Chris Green is a Rockford Register Star general assignment reporter. He can be reached at 815-987-1241, via email at cgreen@rrstar.com and X @chrisfgreen.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Aquin High School in Freeport to close after 100 years