NONPUBLIC SCHOOL DAY AT CAPITOL: Raising awareness about schools, building relationships with legislators

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
March 10, 2005

The second Nonpublic Schools Lobby Day was held at the state capitol in Des Moines on March 2. Representatives from nonpublic schools across the state gathered at the capitol to celebrate nonpublic schools and speak with legislators about their various programs.

According to Kevin Vickery, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Sioux City, along with students and educators, school board members and parents were also on hand for the day.

"There were many conversations between legislators and people who believe in Catholic education," he said. "We use this day to build relationships with legislators, making them aware of the importance of our accredited, nonpublic schools in the total educational scene."

The event included performances by students from several nonpublic schools throughout Iowa. Two were diocesan Catholic schools: St. Mary's Grade School in Storm Lake and Kuemper High School of Carroll.

The second- through fourth-grade students from St. Mary's sang a variety of lively Irish songs. The Kuemper choir also entertained. Some performances from other schools included dramatic presentations.

The following diocesan Catholic schools were among the more than 30 schools from across the state that had representatives and informational displays set up in the rotunda of the capitol: Algona Bishop Garrigan High School and Seton Grade School, Kuemper Catholic Schools of Carroll, Pocahontas Catholic, Remsen St. Mary's and St. Catherine's and Catholic Schools of Sioux City.

"This helped raise the awareness as to who we are as accredited, nonpublic schools and what our missions are. It gave us the opportunity to promote our academic strengths and gifts that we have," said Vickery.

The displays were manned from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the student groups performed between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Vickery pointed out that many times when Catholic school representatives go the capitol, they do so with the intention of promoting a specific piece of legislation. The Nonpublic Schools Day provided an avenue for the schools to showcase the tremendous role in which accredited nonpublic schools play in the state of Iowa.

Sister Marge Staudt, religion teacher at Pocahontas Catholic and pastoral worker in the parish, said it was important to be on hand for this day in order to make more legislators aware of "who we are and what we do."

"We as nonpublic schools have a wonderful responsibility and privilege to educate children. We are happy to do this for the children, but we are doing a service to the children by providing this," she said.

Sister Marge said that some areas of the state do not have as much support for their Catholic schools. Fortunately, she added, that Pocahontas has wonderful support.

"I thought the day was very impressive," said Sister Marge, who attended the day with the school principal and school board president from Pocahontas Catholic. "It is wonderful to see the displays of other schools and I noticed a lot of delight on the faces of people as they watched the young people perform. I think that all helps people realize who we are and why we are here."

Some key legislative items that are important to Catholic schools right now relate to tuition scholarship organizations and tuition tax credit options. Also of interest is legislation that relates to social justice and morals values.

Nonpublic school representatives met with legislators from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Iowa senators and representatives were treated to a free lunch, compliments of the nonpublic schools.

Catholic schools throughout the state joined with other nonpublic, accredited schools from throughout Iowa - Lutheran, Christian Reform and other Chrisitian schools - that are part of the Council of Iowa Accredited Nonpublic Schools (CIANS). The four diocesan Catholic school superintendents serve on the CIANS board and so does Sister Joan Stoffel, former superintendent for the Diocese of Sioux City and curriculum director due to her role as representative to the governor's nonpublic school advisory committee.

"This day was sponsored by CIANS to allow the legislators to see in mass all of the different things that we are doing in accredited, nonpublic schools," said Vickery, who noted that Iowa has 200 accredited nonpublic schools and Catholic schools make up about 75 percent of them.

Many of the groups, such as the students and adults from St. Mary's in Remsen topped off the day with an 80-minute tour of the capitol.

Norine Harvey, development director from St. Mary's in Remsen said, "It was a great day of camaraderie with school representatives of Christian and Catholic schools from our own and other dioceses of Iowa. Our tour guide, Laura, did an excellent job of making the tour a walking history lesson. I think each of us descended the steps of 'our' state capitol especially proud to be an Iowan."