After a century and a half in Wicker Park, St. Stanislaus Kostka Academy is officially heading into its final chapter. The Catholic elementary school, a neighborhood anchor for generations, will close at the end of the 2025–26 school year, parish leaders announced this week. Despite intense fundraising by parents, alumni, and parishioners, church officials say the money just could not keep pace with mounting deficits. The last day of class is slated for June 4, 2026.
Pastor’s Letter Details School On “Life Support”
In a letter posted on the parish website, Fr. Anthony Bus did not sugarcoat the situation, writing that the school has been on “life support” for some time. He laid out the numbers that families had scrambled to pull together in recent months: the Kostka’s Kids campaign raised $517,365, and a second collection at Sunday Mass added another $63,455.
Even with that, the parish is still staring at an anticipated school deficit of nearly $500,000 by the end of the academic year, according to the letter. The pastor thanked donors and outside partners, but concluded that the financial burden has made the academy unsustainable. The full notice was posted by St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish.
Enrollment Slide And Lost Scholarships Tip The Scales
School and parish leaders have pointed to years of declining enrollment and shrinking funding streams as the main drivers behind the decision. As reported by the Chicago Tribune, the closure comes amid broader budget pressures across the Archdiocese, which oversees parish schools across the city.
The same reporting notes that the loss of government scholarship funds in recent years only tightened the squeeze on tuition revenue and parish support, turning what had been a slow burn into a financial cliff.
A 151-Year Neighborhood Mainstay
Founded in the 1870s, St. Stan’s serves preschool through eighth grade and promotes language, STEM and arts programs that families highlight on the school’s own materials. The academy’s website touts recent test-score recognition and community programs that helped cement its status as a neighborhood fixture.
For many current families and longtime parishioners, the closure marks the end of a multigenerational relationship with both the school and Wicker Park itself, with some households having sent children through St. Stan’s for decades.
What Closure Looks Like For Students, Families And Staff
Fr. Bus wrote that the parish will work toward “a fitting closure” that honors the academy’s long legacy. He said parish and school leaders will help families and staff with student records, school placements and end-of-year events. The letter specifically thanks the Archdiocesan Office of Catholic Education and Big Shoulders for their long-term support of the school.
Parish leaders are urging families to contact school and parish offices directly for specifics on enrollment records and assistance as they plan their next steps. The June 4, 2026 end date gives parents, students and faculty a narrow window to sort out new schools, jobs and routines. Additional details are available through St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish and coverage by the Chicago Tribune.
