The undersigned families of Sacred Heart School and the School of Saints Faith, Hope & Charity, both of Winnetka, IL, formally request the creation of an exploratory committee to examine the possibility and feasibility of combining these two schools, with or potentially without a parish merger. The reasons why our families feel so strongly that this needs to be considered are outlined below. -------------------- Within the village of Winnetka, the School of Saints Faith, Hope & Charity and Sacred Heart School have a long history of excellence in education, anchored by the Catholic tradition and the values that this tradition prioritizes. Both schools’ missions are founded in the belief that their educational environment develops the spiritual, academic, moral, and social growth of each student. Additionally, in recent years, both SH and FHC have received prestigious National Blue Ribbons, which are awarded based on academic achievement and exemplify true excellence in education. Catholic schools today are finding themselves faced with increasing challenges that are negatively impacting their enrollment, and subsequently the strength of the parish. Some of these challenges include: - Recruiting, developing, and maintaining faithful Catholic educators and leaders - Defining and promoting the true value of Catholic schools - Engaging the entire/wider community - Rising property taxes that disincentivize families from prioritizing non-public education - Upholding excellence in academics and faith formation in an increasingly secular society Sadly, a cycle is now perpetuating, wherein the smaller grade sizes are yet another deterrent to Catholic education; combined with the challenges already noted above, the future facing our schools looks bleak. In 2019, the two Catholic parishes and schools in Wilmette, Saint Joseph School and St. Francis Xavier School, combined as part of the parish merger introduced through the Renew My Church initiative. These schools that had been struggling to maintain enrollment are now thriving as a result of the combined strength and shared vision of these once separate communities. The success of these Wilmette schools is a model we need to consider within Winnetka. With a population less than half the size of Wilmette (12k vs 28k), there is little room for competing Catholic schools in our community. Combining FHC and SH would allow for the following: - Immediate increased enrollment, larger grade size and a more powerful community - Two campuses, wherein the facilities can be enhanced and streamlined for the age groups they are hosting - Less competition in recruiting engaged and faithful teachers and administrators - A bigger pool of educators with varying backgrounds and talents, enhancing the schools ability to promote the true value of Catholic education - A wider, more powerful and engaged community - More opportunities for developing the child beyond the classroom through sports, community service, theater, and beyond - Engaging the overall parishes; a thriving Catholic school will encourage a thriving Catholic parish We are excited to explore this idea further with feedback and leadership from the Archdiocese and current Sacred Heart and Faith Hope families. Petition Signers requesting their support be visible: Amie & Dan Alfe Katie & Jamie Baisley Marron & Zack Brookes Katie & Josh Burnside Heather & Max Byrne Emily & Jason Ciaglo Mary Claire & Tim Connell Jen & Tom Dine Lucas & Tiff Erickson Jennifer & Ryan Harrison Patricia & Nick Hewitt Justine & David Hourihane Angela & Neil Hughes Kathryn & Matt Infantino Meghan & Tom Jenkins Katie & Tim Knapp Missy & John Lafferty Aileen & Tim McAnally Colleen & Tony Meyers Katie & Pete Moor Katherine & Matthew Moran Jennifer & Brad Morehead Jenn & Bill Phillips Gretchen Rakowicz Melissa & Cholly Smith Elizabeth & Jim Stucker Sally Brown & Ted Thilman Meagan & Andrew Vouziers Andrea & Andrew White Heather & Scott Wojteczko Meghan & Joe Zuercher ** If you would like to be highlighted as a visible supporter, please email parentsforwinnetkacatholic@gmail.com **