Queen of Martyrs School in Evergreen Park will close and will not reopen for the upcoming academic year, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced Monday. The decision follows a significant decline in student enrollment, which school officials attribute in part to allegations against a former substitute teacher earlier this year.

Greg Richmond, superintendent of schools for the archdiocese, stated that concerns related to a personnel matter earlier this year caused some families to lose trust and withdraw their children, exacerbating the ongoing enrollment challenges. Richmond noted, however, that the school’s difficulties predate recent events and cannot be attributed to a single incident.

The allegations involve Brett J. Smith, a substitute teacher who was dismissed by the archdiocese in January after being accused of inappropriately touching a second-grade student. The child’s family filed a lawsuit against Smith, claiming he groomed and abused their son. The lawsuit also alleges that church officials were aware of Smith’s prior sexual abuse allegations but did not inform parents.

Enrollment at Queen of Martyrs has steadily declined over the past decade, dropping from 325 students in 2016 to an estimated 140 students for the next school year. The archdiocese has committed to assisting affected families in exploring enrollment options at other Catholic schools in the area.