Diocese names Linda Ebel curriculum director

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
August 5, 2004

The Diocese of Sioux City has named a new director of curriculum.

Linda Ebel, former principal at St. Catherine-St. Mary Grade School in Remsen, accepted the position of director of curriculum for the diocese. She has been working in her new position since the beginning of July.

"I love it," said Ebel. "I wanted to stay in Catholic education. I really believe strongly in Catholic education and the fact that it is different from the public school because we have faith formation. We can talk about Gospel values and morals. I was really excited when I was offered the opportunity to serve the diocese in this ministry."

Ebel has lived in Sioux City her whole life. She graduated from Briar Cliff College with degrees in Spanish and French. She then attended Morningside College in Sioux City and received her master's degree in elementary education. She graduated from Clarke College in Dubuque with a master's degree in elementary and secondary administration.

She started teaching in a public school for two years and then taught at St. Michael's in South Sioux City, Neb. in the Archdiocese of Omaha for 24 years. In the diocese, she taught at Mater Dei - Nativity Center for two years and was principal at St. Catherine-St. Mary in Remsen for five years.

"I have always lived in Sioux City, in this diocese," said Ebel. "I just traveled around."

In her new position, Ebel will be looking at a mentoring program for new teachers and administrators. One thing she will be doing is making herself available to any of the principals and school systems that need help or a resource for doing their annual progress reports and for their comprehensive school improvement plans.

This is the year for the curriculum committee to look at religion and faith formation in the schools of the diocese according to their curriculum schedule.

"One of the things that I liked about this is that it is going to be a team ministry, and it isn't going to involve just the part that Kevin Vickery does," said Ebel. "It is going to be a whole team concept that we are all working together for adult catechesis, for our youth and for the Hispanics. It isn't like these are all separate little entities. We are all going to be working together as a team. I like that."

She is a parishioner at Blessed Sacrament Church in Sioux City and has five children who all attend or have attended Heelan High School.