FREEPORT—After receiving a petition from Freeport area pastors, scores of impassioned letters and a final recommendation from a special task force charged with examining demographics, enrollment and financial status, Bishop David Malloy accepted the final recommendation to close Aquin Catholic Academy.
School staff were informed of the decision on May 22 and will be assisted by the Diocese of Rockford in finding placement in other Catholic schools if needed. The final day of the elementary academy was May 29, 2026.
“These decisions are never made lightly and in the case of Aquin Schools, there have been significant efforts by all stakeholders in the Freeport area and the Diocese of Rockford to preserve formal Catholic school education for the Freeport area. Even with a unanimous agreement among the Freeport pastors whose parishes spiritually and financially support the school, I asked them to form a formal task force to explore both the current situation and options for a viable future,” Bishop Malloy said.
“No one wants to close a school. But when enrollment becomes insufficient to support the Catholic mission and quality of academics, we have to honestly evaluate what’s best for the responsible stewardship of resources and of souls,” Bishop Malloy said.
The task force worked from January until late April this year to gather feedback and recommendations from pastors, parents and families, faculty and staff, Catholic Foundation representatives, parishioners, diocesan leadership, and advisors. All task force members were also invited to supplement that study with any materials they deemed to be relevant to the decision according to Father Peter Snieg, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and dean of the Freeport Deanery who headed up the task force.
After considerable feedback from alumni, families, teachers and community members, and much study and debate, the task force submitted its recommendation to close the school to Bishop Malloy.
Several decades ago, Freeport area parishes looked at the challenges of declining demographics and decided to consolidate from individual parish schools to an area cooperative for elementary grades and the area high school being Aquin. As population in the area continued to decline, in 2021, elementary and high school classes were further merged into one building. As enrollment continued to plummet, a decision to discontinue grades 9-12 was announced in 2024 and a new micro-academy model was launched to help preserve the school and increase Catholic identity.
In the 2025-2026 school year with an enrollment of only 39 students in kindergarten through eighth grades, and no more than half being Catholic, area pastors petitioned the bishop to close the school. Bishop Malloy asked that a task force be formed to study Aquin Catholic Academy’s status and receive feedback to form a
final recommendation.
Diocese of Rockford Superintendent of Catholic Schools Dr. Kim White said, “The decision to close a Catholic school is never made lightly, and it is with a heavy heart that I support the recommendation of the task force.”
She went on to recommend that the diocese, in collaboration with the Freeport-area parishes, implement a coordinated plan to preserve and strengthen Catholic education formation in the region through:
(1) a robust, parish-centered regional catechesis model (including family faith formation, sacramental preparation, and youth ministry);
(2) when it becomes available, a diocesan-approved homeschool partnership framework to support families seeking flexible Catholic education options; and
(3) a pathway for access to Catholic secondary education at Boylan Central Catholic High School or Newman Central Catholic High School, including exploration of transportation support and targeted financial assistance for families for whom distance and cost are barriers.
For now, Freeport area families wanting to continue education in a formal Catholic school are invited to meet with their pastor to explore options for tuition and transportation to schools in the Rockford and Dixon areas.
“Our support for high quality Catholic education has not waivered. And our support for families seeking to pursue academics infused with Catholic identity and mission continues. We pray that these difficult decisions made now will bring new resources and opportunities for parishes and families in the years to come,” Dr. White said.
