Muslim Community Center Academy Gets Approval For High School

MORTON GROVE, IL — Trustees in Morton Grove approved an ordinance last week allowing an existing Islamic school to transform into a high school and junior high from an elementary and middle school. The Muslim Community Center Academy at 8601 Menard Ave. had been limited to teaching students in pre-kindergarten through grade 8 under the terms of a special use permit the village approved in 2004, allowing the mosque and school to open up in the former site of a parochial school. The village board unanimously voted to amend the permit at its June 25 meeting. The modified school aims to offer grades 7 to 12, after sixth grade classes are shifted to the Skokie elementary school campus at 9301 Gross Point Road, which is also operated by the Chicago-based Muslim Community Center.

In order to reduce any possible increase to traffic use of available parking during Friday prayers, the MCC agreed to dismiss all students in grades 10 through 12 at least an hour before the first weekly service to take classes at Oakton Community College as part of a dual credit program. A traffic and parking study found there was more than enough parking available at the site to accommodate any increased demand the rest of the week, according to a memo from village staff.

The ordinance amending the school's permit limits the overall attendance to 240 students and high school classes to 25, but does not place limits on the size of middle school classes. There will be a maximum of 30 staff members, while the existing Quranic study program for students aged 10 to 14 will remained capped at 40 students. Trustee Rita Minx said the terms of the permit allowed for the school to slowly transition to teaching high school classes, while potentially converting back to a grade 6 through 8 model if it did not work out.

For its first year, the school will enroll only ninth graders. Every subsequent year, another class of 25 students will be added until all four high school grade levels are in place, the school's principal told Pioneer Press. Administrators told the paper they plan to grow slowly to gradually establish a school culture and ensure quality in what they believe to be the first private Muslim high school in the area. Village officials said enrollment at the MCCA's campus peaked at 476 students during the 2013-2014 school year and now stands at 169 students, according to the Morton Grove Champion.

Elementary school classes were relocated to the Skokie campus, the former site of Solomon Schechter Day School, after it was purchased in 2014.

The Traffic and Safety Commission approved the application May 7, and the Plan Commission voted 5-1, with one recusal, to approve the application at a May 21 public hearing, according to village staff.

After the June 25 vote approving the changes, Mayor Dan DiMaria said it was a positive step for the school.

"You've exemplified the whole education process. Your school keeps growing, we're so proud of you," he said.

Trustee John Thill said the MCC had been a good neighbor ever since moving in.

"Over the years you've proven yourself to be good citizens and always conscious of what the neighborhood wanted," he told school representatives. "And when I attend these meetings and I see nobody coming to object to what's going to happen, I have to congratulate you."