Elgin Academy has been sold to an organization that plans to use it for an Islamic K-12 school.
Paul Druzinsky, Elgin Academy’s interim head of school, confirmed the sale of the 350 Park St. property to the organization behind Burhan Academy is close by the end of August.
“We welcome this opportunity,” Druzinsky said. “We are thrilled that the land will be used to continue the tradition of being used as a school.”
Officials announced in November 2023 that Elgin Academy, which opened 185 years ago, would close the end of the 2023-24 academic year, citing financial struggles and a low enrollment. The K-12 school had about 180 students enrolled in its last year, and its final graduation ceremony was held Friday night.
Plans for Burhan Academy have been announced via a website, burhanacademy.us, and a YouTube video post a month at www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R3uthmNrwY.
It’s being billed online as the “largest Islamic school in North America.”
“The hallmark of our Islamic civilization promotes education, teaching, and knowledge,” Hamid Nazeer, a member of Burhan’s board of directors, said in the YouTube video. Burhan’s mission is to continue building on the tradition of Islamic education, he said.
The 18-acre Elgin campus has five acres of sports fields and includes eight buildings, a cafeteria with a full kitchen, a gymnasium and a computer lab. “Everything is fully equipped and will come with the school, including buses,” Nazeer said in the video.
Burhan is still in the process of raising $3.7 million by the end of this month to purchase the school, according to its website. Tickets for a benefit dinner on Aug. 23 at Shalimar Banquet in Addision are being sold at eventbrite.com.
Information on the Burhan Academy website said the Elgin Academy campus was “originally valued at over $25 million (but) is now available to us for only $3.7 million.” Druzinsky said he doesn’t know the property’s market value or its selling price.
Officials with Burhan Academy could not be reached for comment. It’s not known if a date has been set for when the facility will open.
An open house for the new school was held July 21 at Elgin Academy.
“It was incredibly well attended by all accounts. They had over 200 families attending,” Druzinski said.
“I think the opportunity to have a school that is an Islamic school is really great for this area,” he said. “What they are hoping to do, which I applaud, is to establish a wonderful academic institution under the umbrella of their faith,” not unlike Catholic or Christian schools, he said.
Elgin Academy had a diverse student body with a variety of religious backgrounds, Druzinsky said, and he has worked with Islamic families during his 40 years of education.
“The positive stereotypes are true,” he said. “They are wonderful families, and the kids excel in the classroom and are usually at the top of their class.”
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.