St. Malachy School: A closer look inside one of our schools...
Written by Kate Noonan, VTC '06

Overview of the School
St. Malachy School is a Catholic elementary school serving 255 students from Chicago’s near west side.  St. Malachy
is committed to integrating faith and justice education with academic excellence.  The school works purposefully to
focus on the development and celebration of each person’s African American identity as it relates to the neighborhood,
the country, and to the world.

The Neighborhood
St. Malachy is located by the Rockwell Gardens Housing Project and the recently demolished Henry Horner Homes. 
Recent surveys show over half of the students reside in the school’s zip code.  Built in 1913, St. Malachy serves a
neighborhood that has shifted many times from Irish, to Italian, to Slavic, and lastly to African American.  In 1940, St.
Malachy became the first all African American Catholic Church in Chicago.  The neighborhood experienced severe
economic downturn after riots hit the West Side during the 1960’s.  Today it is witness to an increase in urban development.
Public housing complexes are being demolished and commercial growth is beginning.  However, these changes are
happening slowly, and the benefits have not yet reached the school’s families.  Replacement housing, if available, is limited
to low-income families.  St. Malachy is a school striving to achieve academic success in the heart of a community facing
challenges of poverty, unemployment, gang violence, and the slow oncoming of urban renewal.  Neighborhood violence
has claimed the lives of several St. Malachy students in recent years. 

Demographics
St. Malachy serves African American students in grades pre-K through 8th.  Historically, the majority of the students come
from single-parent homes, and the trend continues this year.  For the 2005-2006 school year, over 89% of St. Malachy students
come from single-parent homes, and the remaining families usually have only one parent working.  St. Malachy families have a
below average economic base and we consistently rank as one of the poorest parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago.  For
the 2005-2006 school year, close to 97% of St. Malachy students receive either free or reduced school lunches based on family
income.  Most St. Malachy families receive tuition assistance through scholarships, grants, and fundraising.

Mission of the School
St. Malachy School is dedicated to the future of our children, equipping them with the skills to become successful high school
and college students.  We realize tremendous challenges face our children on a daily basis, and we believe a strong collaboration
between parents, students, and energetic teachers will support our commitment to the goals and values that will strengthen our
students to grow and develop their gifts.

Programs
St. Malachy offers programs in Art, Music, Gym and Computer.  The Art and Music programs have suffered from budget cuts in
the past years, so fundraising efforts will target these areas.  The school’s Gospel Choir includes over 50 students in 4th – 8th grade.
St. Malachy teachers are actively involved in coaching sports.  St. Malachy students participate in team sports with other West Side
schools.  Current teams include boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, soccer teams, a girls’ volleyball team, and boys’ track team.

Teachers
St. Malachy benefits from strong partnerships with Chicago’s teacher service corps programs like the Inner-City Teaching Corps (ICTC). 
Out of 10 classroom teachers, three are current volunteers, and three were once part of a teacher service corps.  Five of these
teachers are products of ICTC.  While teacher service programs usually require two years of service, many St. Malachy volunteer
teachers stay at the school for additional years.  In addition, St. Malachy is partnered with Mercy Volunteer Corps that provides
a continuous placement of volunteers as full time teachers, aides, and tutors.