News Updates

07/28/2021

Enjoy bigger tax benefits and help students with a gift to the Monsignor Lafferty Tuition Foundation (MLTF) now thru Dec. 31, 2021. The 75% tax credit is the biggest yet in Iowa for non-public schools.

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Holy Cross School Welcomes New Principal

07/26/2021

Wendy Roder has been named new principal of Holy Cross School which enrolls some 300 students in St. Michael, grades PK-2 and Blessed Sacrament, grades 3-8. Roder has 25 years of experience teaching PK-6 music at Sheldon Community School District and completed a year of a principal Internship at in East Elementary and Sheldon Middle School.

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Gold Club Membership Drive Underway

07/15/2021

Join the Heelan Gold Club as a member for 2021-22 and mark your calendar to support student athletics and music activities Sign up for the Gold Club Golf Outing Friday, Aug. 13 at Whispering Creek and come to the Gold Club Kick-off Wednesday, Aug. 18 at 6:30 p.m. at Heelan High School.

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Campus Minister to Help Strengthen Faith Activities

07/14/2021

Lexi Ricke has joined Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools in the new position of Campus Minister to assist Heelan Chaplain Fr. Shane Deman with activities at Heelan and in the middle schools. A 2017 Heelan grad, she recently graduated with a degree in theology from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan.

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Heelan Names Co-Athletic Directors

07/07/2021

Bishop Heelan High School has named Andy Foster and Jay Wright as co-athletic directors at Bishop Heelan High School. As co-directors they will work closely with coaches; schedule all high school athletic contests for 19 boys and girls sports; ensure officials are scheduled; line up team transportation, recruit, supervise and evaluate all coaches; work on Gold Club support, special events and more.

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Heelan Auction Raises Over $336,000

06/21/2021

The Heelan Auction "Tailgate for Heelan" held June 9 was a unique evening that attracted over 400 guests and raised over $336,000 to support Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools.

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Shoemakers are Volunteers of the Year

05/29/2021

The Distinguished Volunteer of the Year Award for 2021 goes to Sid and Linda Shoemaker who have been volunteer fixtures at Heelan football games and champions for our Catholic schools.

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Visit Bidpal.net/HeelanAuction

05/25/2021

Tickets are on sale for the Heelan Auction “Tailgate for Heelan,” Wednesday, June 9 at 5 p.m. at Bishop Heelan High School. They can be purchased at bidpal.net/HeelanAuction.

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Larry Walsh to be Honored at Heelan Auction

05/24/2021

The “Crusader of the Year” will be awarded to Larry Walsh, a 1951 Heelan grad before the Live Auction. Walsh is a father, a grandfather, pioneer in his field, and an active and faithful individual who has distinguished himself in the Sioux City area Catholic community.

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Heelan to Graduate 94 at the Orpheum

05/19/2021

A senior class of 94 will graduate from Bishop Heelan Catholic High School in a commencement ceremony Sunday, May 23 at 2 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre. Co-Valedictorians Mary Catherine Fitzsimmons and Avery Nelson will formally address the Class of 2021. Student Council President Bereket Ware will lead his class in the Prayer to St. Francis, and senior vocalist Nancy Hochderffer will sing the Ave Maria.

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Bereket Ware is Rotary Student of the Year

05/12/2021

Heelan senior BEREKET WARE was voted as Rotary Club Student of the Year on May 10. He was selected from a pool of nine top students of the month from Sioux City high schools. A native of Ethiopia, Bereket came to the U.S. at age 9 knowing no English. This year he was student body president, Spanish Club president and a member of National Honor Society.

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Holy Cross School Presents Disney's Little Mermaid

05/05/2021

Holy Cross School will present the musical “Disney’s Little Mermaid” Thursday, May 13 and Saturday, May 15 at 7 p.m. in the Bishop Heelan High School Auditorium. Abby Demers stars as "Ariel" along with a host of other talented students. Tickets are $10 adults and $5 for students. Reservations are preferred,

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Online Crusader Shop Opens

04/30/2021

Parents, alumni and friends of Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools can now order items from an online Crusader Shop that features a uniform section and fan and alumni section.

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Heelan Unveils Friendship Terrace

04/26/2021

Heelan has created “Friendship Terrace” with tables and benches outside of the school’s front doors to promote student gatherings and offer seniors an outdoor place for lunch in warm weather.

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Augustine will Receive Bishop's Dinner Award

04/23/2021

Long-time Bishop Heelan English Teacher Mary Kay Augustine will receive an Excellence in Education Award at the Bishop’s Dinner for Catholic Schools Aug. 21. The '71 Heelan grad is in her 40th year of teaching at Heelan.

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Cinderella will be April 22-25

04/14/2021

Bishop Heelan High School will present the musical "Cinderella" on April 22-25. Performances will be at 7 pm Thursday-Saturday with a Sunday matinee at 2 pm. Reserved seating is available.

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College Planning Night is April 14

04/08/2021

Heelan's Counseling and Guidance Office and the Iowa College Access Network are offering a free presentation to sophomores, juniors and their parents on career and college planning Wednesday, April 14 at 6 p.m. in Duffy Hall Commons at Heelan.

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Tailgate for Heelan is Auction Theme June 9

04/05/2021

The Heelan Auction “Tailgate for Heelan,” will be held Wednesday, June 9 at 5 p.m. at the O’Gorman Fieldhouse and the new Crusader Courtyard at Bishop Heelan High School. The major fundraiser has been moved to June to give supporters more time for vaccinations. Dinner will be served from tailgate tents honoring Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska, Heelan, Notre Dame and other schools. Plans call for an outdoor area to be located on a spacious new terrace, under construction next to the fieldhouse.

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Mikey's Open Will be Held May 24

04/01/2021

The 2nd Annual Mikey's Open golf event will be held Monday, May 24 at Dakota Dunes Country Club to raise funds for the Michael Kuehl Memorial Scholarship. Shotgun start is at 12 noon. A team of four will enjoy lunch, golf, a gift and a patio party with live music.

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Fr. Victor Ramaeker Was a Beloved Leader

03/31/2021

Fr. Victor Ramaeker, a giant in the history of Bishop Heelan High School, died March 30. He was 85 and living in Algona, Iowa. Serving after the legendary Fr. Elbert, Fr. Ramaeker came to Heelan in fall 1976 to serve as Principal and dedicated his life to leading Heelan until spring of 1990.

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Take the Heelan Basketball Quiz

03/22/2021

It's a perfect time for fans, parents and former players of Heelan Basketball to take the Tom Betz Match Madness quiz and enjoy a trip down memory lane.

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Discover Our Preschools March 8-11

03/09/2021

Parents are invited to sign up for a 15-minute visit along with their child to “Discover Preschool” from 4 to 6:30 p.m. March 9 and 11.

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Nominations Wanted for Hall of PRIDE

03/09/2021

Bishop Heelan High School is creating a Hall of PRIDE to showcase alumni who have contributed to Heelan’s athletic success and created lifelong memories treasured by fans, friends and families. Nominations are due May 15, 2021.

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New Accountants Strengthen Business Office Functions

03/04/2021

Two new accountants, Jeanette Frey and Melody O’Connor, have joined Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools in administration.

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Diocesan Tuition Aid Applications Due April 1

03/03/2021

Families are encouraged to apply now for diocesan tuition assistance thru the TADS application and schedule tax appointments today. BHCS is able to award grants to more families this year from the Monsignor Lafferty Tuition Foundation (MLTF) because families with higher incomes will be allowed.

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Newberg Helps Iowa Girls' Athletic Committee

02/23/2021

Jada Newberg, Bishop Heelan Sophomore, has been selected to serve a two-year term on the Iowa Girls' High School Athletic Union Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Two female athletes from each of the state's four districts serve on the 11-member committee along with three at-large reps. She is the only rep from a Catholic high school.

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Students Can Apply Now for Heelan Awards

02/21/2021

Students attending Bishop Heelan High School in fall of 2021 can apply for nearly 60 merit scholarships which are awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence and service. Several scholarships are also designated for students with spirit, sports or music ability.

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Covid Safety Changes Heelan’s Show Choir Classic Feb. 27

02/17/2021

For covid safety Heelan’s annual Crusader Classic show choir invitational will be held as a clinic for a reduced crowd and 12 participating show choirs Saturday, Feb 27 from 8 a.m. till 8 p.m. in Heelan’s O’Gorman Fieldhouse.

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Discover Kindergarten Feb 15-18, 2021

02/04/2021

Parents are invited to “Discover Kindergarten” at Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools Feb. 15-19 and see how the curriculum, play, faith, classroom and special activities lay a solid foundation for learning.

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Catholic Schools Week starts Jan 31

02/02/2021

From food drives to pancakes, thank you messages to gifts, and a Hollywood dress-up day to volleyball games – it will all happen Jan. 31 - Feb. 5 for Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools as part of annual National Catholic Schools Week. Activities will focus on students, faith, community service, celebrating family and yes, there are zoom meetings, too.

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Discover Heelan Events are Feb 8-10

01/22/2021

Students planning to enter Bishop Heelan High School for the 2021-22 school year can attend one of three “Discover Heelan” Nights set for Feb. 8, 9 and 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Bishop Heelan High School.

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Verschoor Annual PRIDE Scholarship Now Available

01/22/2021

Scholarships for students attending Heelan High School continue to grow with the support of alumni. The Verschoor Annual PRIDE Scholarship, an endowed fund that will live forever, will now be awarded to a deserving Heelan student every year in honor of Jim and Theresa (Bulzak) Verschoor, 1951 graduates.

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Donors Increase for MLTF and Annual Fund

01/15/2021

We hit a record at Heelan for donor support: 433 gifts that brought in $240,932 for the Spirit of Heelan Annual Fund in 2020. Gifts are still welcome for the fund that helps support teacher salaries and tuition aid.

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12 Classroom Grants Support Learning

12/23/2020

It’s Merry Christmas for Holy Cross, Mater Dei and Sacred Heart School teachers in the form of 12 Excellence in Education classroom grants totaling over $7100 to benefit student learning and safety. The grants are awarded by the Siouxland Community Foundation.

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A Year of Success for Bishop Heelan System

12/22/2020

BHCS President Dr. John Flanery sends a monthly letter outlining school successes to BHCS families. Here is his final update for 2020.

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Strength Center Transformation Underway

12/14/2020

It’s a Christmas gift of strength and fitness for Bishop Heelan High students using the PRIDE Performance Center in the CYO. The center now offers seven double-sided racks that create 14 strength stations for students working out for class, sports or personal fitness. The racks are designed, manufactured and donated by Masaba, a business owned by Jerad Higman, a parent with three children in the Heelan School System.

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Heelan National Honor Society Inducts New Members

12/03/2020

New students were inducted today into the Heelan High chapter of the National Honor Society. The society includes 30 seniors and 15 juniors. Officers are Emma Hutchinson, Jack Van Holland, Maya Bishwokarma and Rachel Bertrand.

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Knitting Club Grows in its Second Year

11/22/2020

Students in the new Knitting Club at Heelan include members who remember knitting with their grandmas, while others have never picked up a needle at all, but they all have one thing in common: they are ready to learn.

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Outdoor Terrace coming to Heelan

11/10/2020

An outdoor terrace is being added near the front doors of Bishop Heelan High School to offer students an area for lunch, socializing, meetings, waiting for rides and outdoor classes to promote COVID-19 safety. The terrace can also host outdoor music programs, pre-game meals, faculty gatherings and special events.

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Heelan ACT Composite Comes in at 23.9

10/29/2020

Bishop Heelan High School’s class of 2020 scored a composite of 23.9 on the ACT college exam, according to results released this October from ACT. Most Heelan seniors, 93% took the test, compared to about half nationwide and 68% in Iowa.

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Socks Support Miracle Makers

10/22/2020

Nearly two dozen Heelan students donated $10 to Miracle Makers this month to wear funky socks. Students got creative with striped, neon, cartoon and even artwork themed legwear.

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Holy Cross Teacher Contributes to National Website

10/21/2020

Holy Cross third grade teacher Pat Boggs has contributed to a blog for a US Department of Education website on “back to school success.” Mrs Boggs’ blog can be read under the teacher testimonials section.

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Martinez Serves as News Correspondent

10/20/2020

Heelan junior Isabel Martinez is serving as student news and media correspondent of Bishop Heelan High School as part of her Journalism II /Newspaper class this year. Martinez previously spent five years working with “Kid’s Scoop News,” a student editorial and news tabloid sponsored by of the Sioux City Journal.

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Heelan Pays Tribute to Isaac Roerig

10/14/2020

Bishop Heelan High School students and faculty will wear lime green at school Friday in honor of Isaac Roerig, a 2020 graduate who died unexpectedly last Friday in a traffic accident in Cedar Falls. Hundreds of t-shirts honoring the Heelan grad have been ordered to raise funds for a scholarship to Heelan

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Heelan Grad Loses Life in Accident

10/10/2020

The Bishop Heelan family is mourning the loss of 2020 grad Isaac Roerig following a fatal accident in Cedar Falls yesterday where he was attending college. Isaac is the son of Susan and Todd Roerig of Mater Dei Parish, a brother to Noah '19 and Grace, a seventh grader. Todd, boys and girls cross country coach, has served as a religion teacher for many years at Mater Dei School and recently moved to the faculty of a Bishop Heelan High School.

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Heelan’s Big Give Raises $10,000 for Textbooks

10/08/2020

Heelan raised $10,750 for textbooks as part of the third annual Siouxland Big Give, an online giving blitz day set for Tuesday, Oct. 6. The day raised over $125,000 for 86 non-profits. Heelan again was No. 1.

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Grandstand Renamed for Brendan Burchard

10/03/2020

In a special Homecoming night surprise Brendan Burchard thought he was seeing the Memorial Field Grandstand receive a new sign invoking the Blessed Virgin Mary. Instead he learned that his longtime friends Denny ‘63 and Diana Walker made a naming gift to Heelan for the “Brendan Burchard Grandstand.”

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Homecoming Royalty will be Crowned at Game Half-time

09/28/2020

Bishop Heelan High School students and family members celebrate Homecoming Week Sept. 26-Oct. 3. While some activities have been scaled back for public health safety, several fun traditions have continued. Royalty will be crowned at the game half-time.

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USDA Funds Free Student Lunch

09/21/2020

All Bishop Heelan Catholic School students can enjoy free lunch now till Christmas break or until funding is depleted, a program approved by the USDA.

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Wright Named Head Coach Girls Basketball

09/18/2020

Jay Wright, boys assistant basketball coach and member of the Heelan family for many years, has been named new head coach of Heelan girls basketball which won the 3A state championship last year. Wright takes over for Darron Koolstra who stepped down from coaching because of extensive travel for his job.

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Miss Castle Honored with Plantings

09/18/2020

A garden spot has been created at the base of Heelan's electronic sign in tribute to the late Mary Castle, long-time Heelan journalism teacher. The welcoming spot is at the top of the drive leading to Heelan.

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Heelan Senior Scores Perfect 36 on ACT

09/17/2020

Another Heelan senior, Bernie Lopez, has earned a perfect ACT score of 36. Bernie, the son of David and Cynthia Lopez, is a percussionist in the Heelan band with classes of honors physics, AP English, AP Spanish, theology and psychology.

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New Student Council Members Elected

09/09/2020

Heelan high students have elected their Students Council for the 2020-21 school year. Officers will be announced later this week. Council members help plan a variety of student and community services activities including Homecoming Week, Thanksgiving meals, Christmas gifts for the needy during Advent, Catholic Schools Week, Prom and more.

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Epiphany Center Welcomes Dual Language Students

09/09/2020

The Dual Language Academy has expanded into the Epiphany Center across from Cathedral at 1000 Douglas St. A combined class of 19 kindergarten and 1st grade students are taught by bilingual teachers to read and write in Spanish.

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Grant Funds Hot Spots, Chromebooks

09/08/2020

A $14,455 grant from the Siouxland Recovery Fund has been awarded to Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools for “School Learning Connections” to support students are quarantined at home.

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Textbooks Will be Heelan’s Big Give Project Oct 6

09/06/2020

Bishop Heelan High School hopes to raise $16,000 for textbooks in the third annual Siouxland Big Give, an online day of giving for on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Big Give, sponsored by the Siouxland Community Foundation, will again help some 100 area non-profits, raise funds for special projects and needs.

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Gifts Needed Now till Dec. 31

09/05/2020

Grandparents, alumni, parish members, parents and friends are encouraged to give to the Monsignor Lafferty Tuition Foundation between now and Dec. 31. By naming Bishop Heelan Schools as the gift recipient donors enjoy great tax benefits while funding grants that make student tuition more affordable.

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Gilchrist Foundation Grant Funds New Instruments

09/05/2020

Holy Cross Band students are playing a happy tune this fall with new musical instruments funded by a $21,238 grant from the Gilchrist Foundation and a gift from Evan Niebuhr’s Memorial Fund

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Admin Assistant Serves with a Smile

09/04/2020

Call or come to BHCS Administration Offices and you will likely be greeted by Marisa O'Connell at the front desk. She assists all callers and will connect you with others in finance, enrollment, human resources, advancement and IT.

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Eveleth Joins Team as Donor Data Base

09/02/2020

Tammy (Hicklin) Eveleth, has moved from her assistant post in the BHCS administration offices to database support manager in advancement.

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Watch Heelan Segment in Diocese Facebook Event Sept. 13

09/01/2020

See images of our students along with award winner Tom Betz and graduate Carli (Tritz) Berger relay messages on the online Bishop Heelan segment of the “Bishop’s Fundathon for Catholic Schools,” Sunday, Sept. 13 between 3 to 4 p.m.

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Masks and Safety Rules at Heelan Football

08/27/2020

To limit the number of fans at a Heelan football game and help ensure the safety of cheering students, players and fans, new protocols have been created.

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Updated Website Offers Home Page for Each School

08/24/2020

The website for Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools has a new look and new features for parents, students, alumni and friends. It allows each school to feature their own homepage with distinct quick links, photos and information targeted to students, parents and staff.

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In-Person School Starts Aug. 25 for BHCS

08/23/2020

School starts Tuesday, Aug. 25 for students at Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools who will wear face masks and shields for in-person classroom learning five days a week.

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Enjoy Special Event Online Aug. 19

08/17/2020

The Heelan Gold Club will hold a Virtual Fall Kick-off event Wednesday, August 19 at 6:30 pm on Facebook Live. Fans and members can enjoy a Q & A with Heelan coaches, fine arts teachers and sports guru Travis Morgan.

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Heelan High Teacher Honored for 50 Years of Teaching

08/15/2020

Pat Sitzman will be honored Monday for a huge milestone at Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools -- entering her 50th year of teaching. Thousands of Heelan graduates have honed their reading, writing and English fundamentals under Sitzman's teaching guidance.

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Faculty and Staff Honored for Work Milestones

08/14/2020

There will be applause for 23 teachers and staff members who celebrate milestone anniversaries at Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools this school year. They will be honored at a Faculty and Staff meeting Aug. 17 in preparation for school starting Aug. 25.

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Mohning is New Dean of Students

08/13/2020

Join us in welcoming Ben Mohning as the new Dean of Students at Bishop Heelan High School. As Heelan dean he will oversee student discipline and attendance and serve as an assistant principal in helping Principal Chris Bork with daily operations of Heelan.

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Masks and School Five Days a Week

08/11/2020

Students will return to in-classroom learning five days a week at Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools. When all five schools start Tuesday, Aug. 25 all students, faculty and staff will be required to wear masks or face coverings upon entering school buildings and throughout the day. Face coverings will not be required during lunch, recess and other breaks where students can distance or be outdoors.

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"Outcast Catholic" Podcast Targets Young People

08/10/2020

Bishop Heelan High School Chaplain Fr. Shane Deman ’99 Heelan grad, has started a weekly podcast “Outcast Catholics” with Fr. Travis Crotty, a pastor in Le Mars and chaplain of Gehlen High School to connect with those who feel the Catholic Church is no longer relevant today. In the 20-minute long show the two priests discuss questions they hear from young people and share theological perspectives and encouragement.

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Refer a Family, enjoy a Tuition Reward

07/29/2020

Know a family that needs a little push to enroll their child in one of our Catholic schools? The Heelan School System has rolled out its new WIN/WIN Enrollment Incentive program that awards a $2,000 tuition credit to a family that recruits a new family to our schools. It also offers a tuition discount to the new enrolling family.

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New Leaders Serve on Board of Education

07/27/2020

New leaders have been named to serve on the BHCS Board of Education. Doug Skinner of Sacred Heart Parish is the new board chair taking over for Tim Brown who is now past chair. Nick Hegarty now serves as vice chair.

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BHCS Return to Learn Plan Offers Options

07/23/2020

While all students of Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools are expected to start school on Tuesday, Aug. 25. the school system is prepared to follow one of three different learning models based on the threat of COVID -19 during the school year.

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Heelan Auction Raises $338,000

07/14/2020

The "Happy Days" Heelan Auction raised over $338,000 with an online virtual event and an outdoor party at Memorial Field June 25. Top gifts auctioned off were a mini golden doodle puppy and one-of-a kind, 13 ft. shuffleboard table made from the wood floor in old Heelan’s gym.

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Old Heelan Coming Down

07/13/2020

Demolition is set to start soon on the brick structure of old Bishop Heelan High School. It’s expected to take up to two weeks to raze the building, built in 1948-49. Asbestos removal has been completed and demolition crews have torn out windows and cleaned out interior debris in the past several weeks.