The Catholic Schools Office of the Diocese of Sioux City and the Faith Formation Office both held orientation sessions at the Central Catholic Offices last week to kick off the new academic year and religious education year.

St. Ambrose University in Davenport and Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids reached a major milestone June 27 in their journey to fully combine, one that their presidents believe serves as a model for Catholic higher education. The two universities are located about 85 miles apart in eastern Iowa.

Briar Cliff University is expanding its partnership with TEL Education to help address two key challenges in higher education: academic eligibility and student retention. As part of a new initiative launched by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and TEL Education, Briar Cliff is excited to be a partner institution to help students maintain their eligibility and participate in their sport.

Danbury Catholic's new third and fourth grade teacher, Jill Swanson, was has earned the 2024-2025 Iowa Reading Teacher of the Year award. School leaders said Jill is passionate about helping children learn to love reading and is very deserving of this award. She has been a member of the Iowa Reading Association for many years and has been presenting at their statewide reading conference for many years.

Briar Cliff University is excited to announce this year’s recipients of the Presidential Scholarship. The Presidential Scholarship is the highest honor and largest scholarship available at Briar Cliff. Scholars awarded will receive compensation for the full cost of their Briar Cliff tuition for all four years (eight semesters). It is awarded to incoming undergraduate students who exemplify academic excellence, outstanding contributions in their community, and extraordinary leadership in their educational careers. The incoming recipients of the Presidential Scholarship are Thomas Göetz, Morgan Johnson, and Jordyn Ratzlaff.

Briar Cliff University in Sioux City is offering Catholic Connection Scholarships for Catholic students - a 60% discount in order to make a Catholic higher education experience possible for more students.

The annual CYO baseball and softball tournaments were held in Le Mars and Remsen June 7 with six diocesan high schools participating. In baseball, Remsen St. Mary was the only school to go 2-0, with wins of 12-4 over Sioux City Bishop Heelan and 11-5 over Carroll Kuemper Catholic. In the girls softball tournament, Fort Dodge St. Edmond won their bracket with shoutout wins of 4-0 over Heelan and 11-0 over Gehlen.

Kuemper Catholic School in Carroll announced that Father Craig Collison is this year’s recipient of the Adult Service Award, an honor recognizing his long-standing, exceptional dedication to Kuemper and our mission of faith-based education.

LUMEN MEDIA Report – The Catholic Schools Office for the Diocese of Sioux City has announced winners of this year’s Bishop’s Education Awards. They will receive their awards at the fall Ministries Conference. Four teachers received Excellence in Education Awards and two staff members received Good Shepherd Awards.

The Virtual Franciscan Friends program began five years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Sisters of St. Francis of Dubuque were looking for a way to stay connected and continue to spread teaching about Franciscan values. According to Julie Tebbe, inviting and discerning minister with the Dubuque Franciscans, the program started in the 2020-21 school year and it “was such a positive experience for both the students and the sisters that we thought we’d continue to offer it each year.”

Briar Cliff University (BCU) announced a new partnership with the University of North Dakota (UND) to offer a dual-degree engineering program, set to begin in Fall 2025. This innovative collaboration offers Briar Cliff students the opportunity to pursue degrees in electrical, civil, mechanical, and chemical engineering while remaining in the supportive academic community of BCU.

On May 18, Humboldt St. Mary Church celebrated Baccalaureate Mass with 26 graduates from the Class of 2025. Scholarship recipients were also announced. Following Mass, the St. Mary's Women of the Spirit ladies' society hosted a breakfast reception for the graduates in the parish hall.

Jeff and Amanda Foell, will chair the 2026 St. Mary's Ball and Charity Auction for Storm Lake St. Mary School. The event will be held March 14, 2026 in the Siebens Forum at Buena Vista University.

In a quiet classroom at Bishop Heelan High School in Sioux City, a simple wall covered in sticky notes has become sacred ground. Ten years ago, inspired by the film War Room, theology teacher Leslie Kirkpatrick began something small: a prayer wall. At the time, it was just an idea, to invite students to write their prayers on sticky notes and post them anonymously.

Mrs. Martin's fifth grade class also graduated from Pocahontas Catholic School on May 16. After the graduation Mass, there was a slideshow with pictures of the fifth grade class, cinnamon rolls and juice were served and awards were handed out.

Eleven girls and 5 boys graduated from Pocahontas Catholic School's Kindergarten on May 16 - Class of 2036.

Our Lady of Good Counsel CDA Court 216, Fort Dodge recently awarded scholarships to St. Edmond Catholic School graduating seniors.

The FIRE Foundation of Northwest Iowa awarded a MicroGrant to Pocahontas Catholic School for their faculty and staff’s participation in the TEACH TO HEAL training program.

Diocesan Catholic school educators from Sioux City, Carroll and LeMars attended the recent Inclusion in Action Conference in Kansas City, funded by grants from the FIRE Foundation of Northwest Iowa. Schools included Bishop Heelan High School, Cathedral Dual Language Academy, Holy Cross and Sacred Heart schools in Sioux City and Gehlen Catholic of LeMars and Kuemper Catholic of Carroll.

Briar Cliff University hosted its 94th commencement ceremony on May 10, at the Sioux City Orpheum Theater. The ceremony honored the university’s 2025 candidates for undergraduate, graduate and doctorate degrees.