Montini Catholic School in McHenry offering new programs, remodeled spaces

Montini Catholic School officials are touting recent renovations and new programs.

The private school operates out of two buildings at 1405 N. Richmond Road in McHenry. It serves preschool through eighth-grade students and has an enrollment of about 220. Montini is in the Diocese of Rockford district.

Principal Mike Shukis said he wants to transform the way his school operates.

“We are really trying to move forward,” he said. “We need to evolve.”

The school has begun offering full-day preschool and before and after-school programs. It also became one of the first in the diocese to offer engineering curriculum five days a week, Shukis said.

“The students love it,” he said. “We are seeing a lot of benefits for the students, like problem-solving skills and creative thinking.”

The school also has spent about $80,000 on renovations, and more are planned. The school renovated its bathrooms, which included the addition of a handicapped-accessible facility. Other work included new painting and flooring, Shukis said.

Montini’s strategic plan calls for at least $5 million in facility improvements to both buildings, he said.

“It’s going to be a long process,” Shukis said. “Financially, we have to take it step by step.”