JEFFERSON PARK — The principal of Our Lady of Victory School — one of four Far Northwest Side Catholic schools set to be consolidated by the Archdiocese of Chicago during the next year — resigned Wednesday.
Jennifer Adamski Hodge, who became principal of Our Lady of Victory in 2012, will become principal of St. Norbert School in Northbrook, archdiocesan officials said.
In an email to parents, Hodge did not address her decision to leave Our Lady of Victory, but wished them a “great school year."
Church officials announced Saturday that Our Lady of Victory School, 4434 N. Laramie Ave., would close after the 2015-16 school year along with St. Cornelius, 5252 N. Long Ave.
A newly created Northwest Catholic Academy will merge St. Cornelius, Our Lady of Victory, St. Pascal and St. Tarcissus. The school will have two campuses — one at St. Pascal, 6143 W. Irving Park Road, and St. Tarcissus, 6040 W. Ardmore Ave.
Mary Kearney, the interim superintendent of the Archdiocese of Chicago's Office of Catholic Schools, called the timing of Hodge's decision to leave Our Lady of Victory "admittedly difficult."
"But ultimately, Ms. Hodge had to make a difficult decision that was best for her family," Kearney wrote in a letter to parents of students at Our Lady of Victory. "The location of St. Norbert is closer to her home and will allow her more time with her young son."
Kearney praised Hodge's leadership and wished her well in a letter to the Our Lady of Victory community.
Assistant Principal Mary Feeney, an alumna of Our Lady of Victory who was inducted into the school's hall of fame this spring, will serve as principal for the final year at Our Lady of Victory starting Friday.
Feeney, who has taught at Our Lady of Victory since 1996, "has time and again proven her loyalty to the school and community," Kearney wrote.
Feeney will represent Our Lady of Victory during the final two phases of the school merger, Kearney wrote.
A number of questions remain about the consolidated school.
Issues yet to be resolved include how the two campuses will be governed, what curriculum will be used and how the grades will be configured. In addition, it is not clear what uniforms students will wear as well as whether transportation and before- and after-school care will be provided.
The new principal of the school will be hired in late fall, with the faculty hired in the winter, officials said. Current teachers at the four schools "will have priority in interviewing for positions," officials said.
Archbishop Blase Cupich has said the merger is needed to preserve Catholic education in an era of declining enrollment and massive budget deficits.
Former St. Cornelius Principal Christina Bowman stepped down in June and was replaced by Kristina Reyes, who taught science at St. Juliana School in Edison Park.
After Bowman announced in March that she planned to resign at the end of the school year, Hodge promised in a letter to parents to remain at Our Lady of Victory until the merger of the four schools — which she touted to parents as the best way to keep Our Lady of Victory open in the face of low enrollment and ballooning deficits — was complete.
Hodge spearheaded an effort in 2014 that raised $800,000 to keep Our Lady of Victory open after the Archdiocese announced that it would close after the 2013-14 school year.
While initially successful, that effort faltered when pledges were not fulfilled and the deficit proved larger than anticipated. After launching another fundraising campaign, Our Lady of Victory agreed to merge with St. Tarcissus, St. Pascal and St. Cornelius.
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