No Eau Claire Catholic schools to close

All Regis Catholic Schools will remain open. That announcement came from the Diocese of La Crosse Wednesday afternoon.

In 2010 the school system proposed closing either St. Mary School in Altoona or St. James School in Eau Claire to save money. Bishop Callahan was reluctant to close a grade school without taking a closer look at the entire school system, so a commission was created. That commission sent three recommendations to the bishop. Bishop Callahan selected the first option, the only one that did not recommend closing a school.

The Regis Catholic School System will operate as is during the 2012 and 2013 school year. The following year will begin a reorganization aimed at saving money.

Some of the more notable changes include moving sixth grade classes from Regis Middle School to Immaculate Conception School. Classes in the elementary schools will also be restructured. The Regis Central Offices will move to currently empty facilities at St. Olaf Parish to save on rental costs.

Overall, the changes will require approximately six fewer teaching positions and are expected to save $250,000 dollars annually. If the diocese would have gone forward with plans to close an elementary school they had expected to save $300,000 dollars.

press release at WQOW18