Kuemper Catholic Schools held an open town meeting Thursday night to gather input from parents and alumni on the school’s five-year goals. Each of the Board of Education’s committees: Catholic Identity, Marketing and Enrollment Management, Leadership and Governance, Finance, Academic Excellence and Buildings and Grounds, met in small groups with attendees to encourage discussion. With the proposal of Ministry 2025 from the Sioux City Diocese potentially reducing the number of parishes in Carroll County, Father Brian Feller says Kuemper will need to become a hub for Catholic families.
There is discussion in the Iowa legislature on creating Education Savings Accounts (ESA) for students which one of their many possible uses is to pay for private school tuition. According to board member, Brad Nichols, Kuemper could see an influx of new students if ESAs are passed.
Kuemper’s current enrollment is 1,122 students, up 55 compared to five years ago, and conversations with St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in Denison are underway to create an opportunity for new middle school students to join the Kuemper family. Board members will take input from Thursday’s meeting to incorporate into their strategic plan. A diocesan-wide meeting takes place on March 16, and the Kuemper board will vote to approve their official plan at the March or April meeting. Once approved, the plan will be released to the public.
