Loretto Extension Service
1600 Somerset Lane
Wheaton, IL 60189
630-462-3860

Director: Sr. Marietta Brummel, IBVM

Loretto Extension Service is a service providing correspondence courses to high school students who need credit in order to receive a high school diploma.

LES sends applications, academic requirements, and policy statements to the principals and counselors of participating high schools.

LES sends the course of study, textbooks, and lessons directly to the student. The student completes the assignments as independent study using the schedule designated throughout the semester or year. Qualified staff members correct the lessons and return them to the student. At the end of the course, the final test is sent to the school counselor who strictly monitors the testing situation. Loretto Extension Service grades the test and the completed work. The cooperating high school grants the grade and credit for the course.

For further information about the courses, please call Loretto Extension Services.

Staff: IBVM Sisters

History
Loretto Extension Service began in 1968. The concept of providing correspondence courses for high school students originated with Sr. Mary Simpkin, IBVM. Her experience in secondary school teaching and administration made her particularly aware of the needs of students who were unable to complete high school courses and graduate. Although her initial idea was prompted by the increase of students dropping out of school because of pregnancy, other special needs were soon noted: students with long-term illnesses and students needing advanced placement or make-up credits.

During the first year, Sister Mary Simpkin, Executive Director, and staff members Sisters Leah Mullin and Patrice Mooney gathered information from the Illinois Department of Education and existing college correspondence schools. The sisters presented their plan to the IBVM General Administration and received permission to begin. Armed with a borrowed $500 and supplies donated by IBVM schools, they began to develop courses of study in Religion, English, Mathematics, and Social Studies. Sr. Jane Cushing became registrar.

The sisters also contacted the Chicago Archdiocesan School Board, addressed the Principals of Catholic Girl’s Schools at their Fall Institute, and visited every diocesan superintendent in the State of Illinois, as well as contacting schools in the Wheaton, Illinois, area.

The first student enrolled in 1969. Sister Dorothea Harkenrider became the registrar and other sisters worked part time. After a request came from a senior boy who was too ill to attend school, boy’s schools were included.

In 1979, Sr. Patrice Mooney, registrar, developed a system of numbering students and courses and increased the number of courses. From 1992- 2000, Sr. Jane Frances DuCharme, Director, computerized the entire process with the help of a data base program designer. Computerization enabled LES to send out monthly reports for each student and keep pace with the rapid growth of applications from schools in several states.

Sr. Mary Simpkin joined the staff full time in 1989 and continues her work every day along with the present director. Since the program’s inception, over 60 IBVM sisters and many lay volunteers have contributed to this endeavor in some way whether they were retired or working full time.

Loretto Extension Service serves about 1000 students per year from thirty-five high schools in Illinois, Ohio, and California.