CHICAGO (September 22, 2005) -- Following the request made to Catholic school administrators by Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Archbishop of Chicago, to waive tuition and fees for students displaced by Hurricane Katrina, 36 Catholic schools throughout the greater Chicagoland area have enrolled tuition-free approximately 100 Gulf-area students, including schools in far south suburban Cook and far north suburban Lake counties.

“The outpouring of support and aid from all of the Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago can only be termed ‘phenomenal,’” said Dr. Nicholas Wolsonovich, Superintendent of Catholic Schools. “Not only have our schools taken in students affected by Katrina, the school children have taken it upon themselves to raise almost $100,000 for numerous Hurricane Relief efforts including Catholic Charities and the National Catholic Education Association’s ‘Child to Child’ campaign to aid Catholic students in dioceses throughout the Gulf states.”

Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago have also launched numerous local initiatives to raise funds and collect donations for Hurricane families that are now living in their parish and for students attending their schools as well as those in local and distant shelters.

Chicago Archdiocesan elementary and high schools that have enrolled displaced students include the following:

• St. Ailbe School, 9037 S. Harper Ave.: Seven students -- pre-school, 3 rd and 8 th graders.
• St. Barnabas School, 10121 S. Longwood Dr.: Three students in grades 5, 6 and 7.
• St. Columbanus School, 7120 S. Calumet Ave.: Six students.
• St. Dorothy School, 7740 S. Eberhart Ave.: Five students –Kindergarten, grades 2, 3, 4, 5.
• St. Elizabeth, 4052 S. Wabash Ave.: One student in grade 7.
• Frances Xavier Warde, 120 S. Des Plaines: Five boy students in grades 2, 3, 6 and 7.
• St. Ignatius College Prep, 1076 W. Roosevelt Rd.: Four students-- two senior girls, a junior girl, and junior boy.
• St. John Berchmans, 2511 W. Logan Blvd.: Two girl students--pre-school and grade 1.
• St. Josaphat, 2245 N. Southport Ave.: One girl student in grade
• 2.
• St. Margaret of Scotland, 9833 S. Troop St.: O ne student.
• Maria High School, 6727 S. California Ave.: One student.
• St. Matthias/Transfiguration, 4910 N. Claremont Ave.: Two boy students --grades 2 and 6.
• Our Lady of Guadalupe, 9050 S. Burley Ave.: Three students --
• grades 4 and 8.
• St. Philip Neri School, 2110 E. 72 nd St.: Three students -- preschool, grades 4 and 6.
• Queen of All Saints, 6230 N. Lemont Ave.: Four students -- grades 2, 4 and 8.
• St. Sabina Academy, 7801 S. Throop St.: Seven students.
• St. Scholastica Academy, 7416 N. Ridge Blvd.: Two students.
• St. Sylvester, 3027 W. Palmer Square: One student in grade 3.
• St. Thomas the Apostle, 5467 S. Woodlawn Ave.: Two students -- pre-School and grade 8.

Suburban Cook and Lake County Catholic Schools that have enrolled students displaced by Hurricane Katrina include:

Antioch : St. Peter School -- Two students -- grades 3 and 8.

Blue Island : St. Benedict -- Three students in preschool, grades 2 and 8.

Chicago Heights: MarianCatholic High School -- Five students.

Evanston:

• St. Athanasius -- Two students, both in grade 5.
• Pope John XXIII -- One student in grade 5.

Glenview: Our Lady of Perpetual Help -- Four students in grades 2, 5, 6 and 7.

Grayslake : St. Gilbert -- Two students in grades 8 and 3.

Homewood : St. Joseph -- One student in grade 4.

Lake Forest : Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart --One student; a Junior.

Lake Villa: Prince of Peace -- One student in grade 3.

Niles: Notre Dame High School -- Two students.

Oak Park:

• Fenwick High School -- Two girl students; a freshman and a junior.
• St. Giles -- One student in grade 4.

Orland Hills : Cardinal Joseph Bernardin -- One student in grade 4.

Palatine: St. Theresa -- Three students, in grades 5 and 7.

Westchester: Divine Infant Jesus-- Two students in kindergarten and grade 8.

Western Springs : St. John of the Cross -- One student in grade 4.

Wilmette: St. Francis Xavier -- Two students in grades 2 and 6.

For more information about Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago that have enrolled displaced students tuition free, as well as the numerous Hurricane Katrina relief efforts being conducted at Catholic elementary and high schools, please visit the Catholic Schools web page on the archdiocesan website at www.archchicago.org

Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools

The Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Chicago play a critical role in the life of the community by providing academic excellence and faith formation for students of many races, faiths and backgrounds in elementary and secondary schools in Cook and Lake counties. There are 218 elementary and 40 secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago. To locate a Catholic school in your area and learn more about Catholic education in Cook and Lake counties, visit the Office of Catholic Schools web page on the Archdiocese of Chicago web site at www.archchicago.org