"Here’s some more information for Madonna High School, Aurora.
My sources are: That All May Be One: A History of the
Rockford Diocese by Robert Miller, 1976 & The Official Catholic Directory, 1967.
Madonna High School had its beginning at the same time as The Fox Valley High School (now Marmion Academy) in March, 1925. Ground was broken in Fall 1925 & the first class began in Fall, 1926.
One hundred and eighteen girls entered; Sister Mary Confirma, OSF, was the 1st principal. The school was
staffed by the School Sisters of St. Francis from Milwaukee, WI. The original faculty was comprised of eight (8) sisters.
The original building could hold 500 students. In 1963, an
additional wing was added to alleviate the overcrowded classrooms & provide a new convent for the Sisters.
During the 1966-67 school year, 552 girls were enrolled under the direction of twenty (20) School Sisters of St. Francis &
six (6) lay teachers. Sister M. Cyriaka, O.S.F. was principal.
On March 8, 1968, it was announced that Madonna & Roncalli would merge to form Aurora Central Catholic High School. Between 1968-1971, both buildings (Madonna & Roncalli)
were used. Beginning in the Fall of 1971, all academic classes were held at the Madonna site with only the gymnasium
facilities & the football field used at the Roncalli site. In 1995, Aurora Central Catholic relocated to the west
side of Aurora – down the road from Rosary High School.
In 1973, five years after the merger, the School Sisters of St. Francis
donated the Madonna Building to the Diocese of Rockford.The last time I drove by the original Madonna, the building was being
used – I think by a social service agency (agencies)."
