Families Leave St. Dennis School In Lockport Amid Controversy

LOCKPORT, IL — After a contentious school year at St. Dennis school in Lockport, several families have chosen to withdraw their children from the school. According to parents at the school, 44 students are leaving the Catholic K-8 school.

Ed Flavin, director of communications for the Diocese of Joliet, said the school cannot confirm the number of students that may have left the school.

"However, we have been informed that enrollment in the school next year will be down from the previous year," he said.

A parent, who asked to remain anonymous, told Patch parents are pulling their children from the school for a variety of reasons, including a low retention of teachers and an incident involving two school employees and an order of protection. According to a group of parents, a survey was sent out by the school asking why the may have chosen to leave the school. Parents cited reasons such as dissatisfaction with academics, dissatisfaction with staff and dissatisfaction with leadership decisions.

According to at least one parent, a major reason for parents' dissatisfaction involves an incident that occurred between former facilities manager Sam Spino and another employee at the school. Spino was terminated in March, after it was learned that he had made a death threat against an employee and their family earlier in the school year, according to emails sent from Principal Lisa Smith that were provided to Patch. The other employee eventually resigned last spring.

Spino was previously a sheriff's deputy for Cook County and has a conviction for felony theft. In an email to parents, Smith stated that, "This parish employee has a conviction for felony theft, which was known to Fr. Curtin when he was hired last summer. Fr. Curtin’s intention in hiring the employee, also a St. Dennis parishioner, was to give him a second chance."

Parent groups shared with Patch that they were not aware that Spino was a convicted felon.

After Spino was terminated and an order of protection was served against him, the building had to be re-keyed and the school was closed for a day last spring. There was also an increased police presence, and an officer was assigned to the school for a few weeks, according to emails from Smith.

When asked if the school would be changing any policies for the next school year, Flavin said no.

"There are no demonstrative changes to policies or communications at this school about which we have been informed," he said.

In an email to parents last spring, Smith assured parents that no one on the school faculty or staff has a felony in their background.

"All school faculty and staff were fully fingerprinted and received cleared background checks prior to being hired, as per diocesan policy," she wrote in an email.

A group of parents said many of them have reached out to the Diocese of Joliet and have received nothing. They would like the issues and their concerns to be brought to light and addressed.

"It is my understanding that administrators from St. Dennis Grade School have responded to concerns raised by parents," Flavin said.

Parents said they have chosen to enroll their children in area public schools or other private schools.

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