Where We Are Going

The last few years at St. Gregory the Great High School have been full of transition and at this time we find ourselves embarking on our greatest transition yet. At the heart of every decision that is made for the St. Gregory the Great High School community are the students. We believe in every student who has ever been or is currently a member of this community and we are constantly searching for ways to allow them to fulfill their greatest potential.

After months of prayer and thoughtful consideration, in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Chicago, it is with great sadness that we tell you that this year, the 75^th of St. Gregory the Great High School’s history, will be its last. A lack of financial sustainability and a variety of sizeable impending expenses for general maintenance of our building makes it difficult to provide our students with the academic resources and opportunities that they need in order to be best prepared for a life of greatness beyond high school.

However, it is also with great excitement that we tell you about a transition towards a healthy and sustainable relationship with one of Chicago’s premier Catholic High Schools, Holy Trinity High School. At Holy Trinity High School lies the opportunity for our students to benefit from a variety of resources that will help them succeed, while ensuring that our current families will not face a higher tuition than what they would at St. Gregory the Great High School.

The mission of St. Gregory the Great High School is to provide a multicultural learning community that serves and supports students of differing gifts, learning abilities, faith backgrounds and life experiences. The strong similarities found in the mission of Holy Trinity High School make us confident that while this seems like a great loss, it is also a great opportunity. Sponsored by the Brothers of Holy Cross, Holy Trinity High School aims to provide a caring and challenging learning environment, through discipline and care, and to provide each student with a rigorous education that builds both character and confidence.

Will there always be a St. Gregory presence?

We hope so and you can help. St. Gregory the Great High School has a rich history and much of that has been made possible through the support of our alumni whom we know care so very much for our students. We trust that while this transition takes place at your alma mater, you will continue your commitment to our young men and women by contributing to the newly established St. Gregory the Great Scholarship Fund. This Fund will support the students here today who will complete their Catholic secondary education at Holy Trinity.

Change…

Change is hard, but it can also be life-giving. We know that this is best for the students who have followed in your footsteps. By ensuring their Catholic education at a school that can deliver greater resources and stability, the possibilities are endless! Please keep our St. Gregory families in your thoughts and prayers so that we smoothly change over to this new opportunity.

Questions You May Have

Why is this happening now?

This situation is difficult, because the atmosphere at SGHS this year is great, as a number of excellent things are happening. Unfortunately, the combination of the financial standing of the school and the Archdiocese and the transitions that have taken place throughout the last several years has made SGHS unsustainable for the future. We also believe that our current student body is much better prepared for a transition to Holy Trinity than we were a few years ago. This transition was not available last year and we do not know if it would be in the future.

Why did you choose Holy Trinity?

Holy Trinity has a mission that is very similar to St. Gregory.  As a result , the atmosphere and culture inside the walls of Holy Trinity is much like what we experience at St. Gregory. The administration and staff of Holy Trinity are excited to be partnered with us and will be helpful to our students as they transition into Holy Trinity.  Students of Holy Trinity have access to advanced educational components that we are not able to provide at St. Gregory due to budget constraints.  These components will enable the students to keep up with the fast-paced technology of today’s world through the use of interactive white boards, renovated science labs, honors and AP classes, and University sponsored classrooms.

Can they help my child with learning needs like you do?

Holy Trinity has a Resource Learning Center, which has the same mission at SGHS’ Learning Resource Program. The RLC is open before, during, and after school and on weekends to offer individualized support to students. Students can sign up for one-on-one tutoring or group sessions to develop good study habits, time management and problem solving skills.

Will they accept all of my student’s credits at Holy Trinity?

Each student’s transcript will be reviewed individually at Holy Trinity or any other school.

How big is Holy Trinity?

Holy Trinity has 260 students. Much like SGHS, Holy Trinity puts great value in a student-focused education. Their student to teacher ratio is 12:1, making it feel like a very small school environment similar to SGHS.

Is Holy Trinity’s tuition all-inclusive like SGHS?

You will not pay more at Holy Trinity than you would have next year at SGHS. This will include tuition, books, and two uniform pieces. Holy Trinity, like SGHS, has a registration fee of $50.00 and a graduation fee for seniors of

Are SGHS students automatically accepted to Holy Trinity? Can you guarantee my student gets in?

Each student will go through the application process on an individual basis. In speaking with HT and in comparing our student bodies, we believe that Holy Trinity is a great fit for a majority of our students. If you end up not going to Holy Trinity, we will work with you to find the best option for you.

Will there be a transportation option?

Along with the administration from Holy Trinity, we will look into the possibility of providing daily transportation from the corner of Ashland and Bryn Mawr to Holy Trinity. It would take approximately 20 minutes to get to Holy Trinity from SGHS. Transportation being provided will be determined based on the number of students who would take advantage of such a service.

What if my student doesn’t attend Holy Trinity?

For those students who do not attend Holy Trinity, the SGHS administration will support you in finding the best option for you. If you choose to attend another Catholic high school, the Archdiocese will give $1,000 to your new school towards tuition for the 2013-2014 school year. This money will go directly to the receiving school and is only applicable to Catholic high schools.

For additional information about Holy Trinity High School, please visit their website at http://www.holytrinity-hs.org/