K E E P I N G T H E C A T H O L I C S C H O O L T R A D I T I O N A L I V E

www.holytrinityschools.orgHoly Trinity Catholic SchoolsDevelopment Office2600 Avenue AFt.. Madison, IA 52627www.holytrinityschools.org

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDDES MOINES, IA

PERMIT NO. 762

UPCOMING EVENTS

SEPTEMBER 5-8 Rodeo

SEPTEMBER 30 Harvest Festival

OCTOBER 6-7 God’s Acre Sale

OCTOBER 13-14 West Point Fall Festival

OCTOBER 27-28 God’s Portion Day

NOVEMBER 24 Alumni Basketball Game

JANUARY 25-26 Homecoming

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

FALL 2012

LOOK INSIDE. THE NEW HTC FALL NEWSLETTER IS HERE.

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1979

NEW CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

MeetChuck Elbert

the job. However, Chuck stood far above the rest and at its June meeting, the School Board unanimously approved hiring him to lead our school system. He assumed his responsibilities on July 1st and has been moving full force ever since. Chuck comes to Holy Trinity from Davenport Assumption where he had been the high school principal for the past three years. With a total of 27 years of educational experience, including 18 years serving Catholic schools, Chuck comes fully prepared to take on the task of overseeing the entire Holy Trinity school system. Chuck graduated from Indianola High School and went on to earn his BS degree in Science Education from the University of Iowa. He then earned a Master of Science degree and an Education Specialist degree in Education Administration from Drake University. Elbert has served as principal at Eddyville-Blakesburg, Saint Edmond Catholic Middle/High Schools

and Davenport Assumption. He says, “I am eager to put my experience and education to work at Holy Trinity Catholic Schools. It is currently a very strong school system, and I plan to work with staff, parents, students and all stakeholders to make it even better! It is an exciting time at Holy Trinity, and I am proud to be a part of such a dynamic system. Superior academics, excellent athletics, disciplined students (continued on page 2)

e are pleased to introduce Mr. Chuck Elbert as our new

Chief Administrative Officer and Principal for its K-12

program. Due to the unexpected passing of Dr. Facciolo

in March, the School Board was forced to start the search process

all over again and ended up with some very viable candidates for

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ST. JAMES • ST. JOSEPH’S • ST. MARY’S • ST. JOHN’S • CATHOLIC CENTRAL • AQUINAS • MARQUETTE

HTC SCHOOL BOARDGary Hoyer President

Brad Box Vice-President

Ray Menke Secretary/Treasurer

Craig Pieper

Roy Tinguely

Jeff Denning

Robyn Meierotto

Deanna Barr

Fr. Gary Beckman

Fr. Dennis Hoffman

Fr. Mark Spring

Fr. David Wilkening

“Chuck’s vision and leadership, plus his commitment to Catholic education, are what made him an ideal candidate to lead Holy Trinity into the future.”— GARY HOYER

Starting in 2005, the State of Iowa authorized a certain amount of money to be used for tax credits to increase philan- thropic activity and to enhance the quality of life for Iowans by encouraging investments to endowment funds established at qualified community foundations, such as the Community Foundation of the great River Bend. This tax credit currently is equal to 25% of a gift. In other words, 25% of the value of the gift comes right off the top of your state tax bill. Here’s what the Endow Iowa Tax Credit Program could mean for you:

The Endow Iowa Tax Credit Program The Endow Iowa Tax Credit also applies to gifts of appreciated securities. Making a charitable gift to an endowed fund with appreciated securities is tax-wise because it is possible to save taxes three times. Not only do you receive your federal income tax deduction, but you also avoid capital gains tax that would be payable if you were to sell those same securities. Then finally, you receive the 25% Endow Iowa tax credit for the gift.

Administered by the Iowa Department of Economic Develop-ment, the Endow Iowa Tax Credit program encourages individuals and organizations to make lasting investments in their communities by building charitable endowments. Since the program’s inception, $59 million has been leveraged and has impacted all areas of community life, such as the arts, education, health, environment, community development, human services and more. For more information on utilizing the program to give to HTC, contact Development Director Lori Wilson. Endow Iowa can be found at www.iowalifechanging.org/endowiowa HTC

1 25% of the charitable gift made to a permanently endowed fund at a community foundation.2 The entire amount of the gift is deductible on federal taxes, not state.3 Individual marginal tax rates vary.4 Assumes that individual taxpayer utilizes Schedule A (itemized deductions on their Federal tax return)

Amount of gift $10,000

Endow Iowa tax credit1 $2,500

Net Federal deduction2 $10,000

Federal tax rate3 35%

Federal tax savings4 $3,500

Total tax savings $6,000

Net cost of gift $4,000

Charitable gift to endowment amount $10,000

Federal charitable deduction (35% tax bracket) -$3,500

Federal capital gain tax savings ($8,000 gain x 15%) -$1,200

State tax credit (25%) -$2,500

Cost of gift $2,800

Adjustment on Federal taxes to reflect the tax credit $700

Final net cost of $10K gift of appreciated securities $3,500

BIG thanks to everyone who helped replace the roof on the Fort Madison Early Childhood Center. The crew, organized by Brad Box, spent several days in extreme heat to get the job completed. There were too many volunteers to mention here, but they came from all of our communities and parishes to help and we appreciate it very much! Special thanks to Holy Family Parish and to Theresa Panther for organizing food and drinks for the workers. We are so grateful for such an AWESOME support system! HTC

his summer, Alex Tinguely, son of Dr. Roy and Deb-bie Tinguely, spent ten weeks conducting optics research in the astrophysics division of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. Alex’s internship was a part of the Iowa Space Grant Consortium NASA Internship program. During his time at NASA, Alex measured the transmission of light through dust samples with a far-infrared spectrometer which was cooled and evacuated to simulate interstellar conditions. Alex said of his internship, “I really enjoyed exploring new areas of physics, meeting great people, and experiencing life on the East coast. Alex is a 2010 graduate of Holy Trinity Catholic High and is currently a junior at Iowa State University studying physics. HTC

Holy Trinity Alumni Interns at NASA

Fundraising While You Shop with Scrip top selling, start earning. When your non-profit organization takes advantage of Scrip, your families earn money just by making their regular household purchases. But instead of paying with cash or credit, they use prepaid gift cards from America’s favorite and most trusted retailers. More than 15,000 non-profit organizations all over the country are taking advantage of Scrip fundraising, and you can, too. Don’t use cash or credit to pay for your regular household purchases, use Scrip gift cards. When people hear about Scrip, many ask, “What’s the catch?” The catch—if there is one—is that families need to plan ahead a little and do their normal shopping with gift cards. By simply planning ahead on everyday purchases like groceries, gas, restaurants, clothes, entertainment and home repair, the average family can earn at least $11 a week. That modest number adds up quickly—over $500 a year for an average family is not unusual. How does it work? When you place an order, HTC buys the gift certificates from

Sthe participating businesses at a discount. This left-over “profit” is then divided evenly between the school system and the individual. It’s like free money. What more could you ask for? Signing up for Scrip is easy: just go to our website or stop by any of our schools or churches and get a registration form which can be filled out and returned to that same school or church. There’s no minimum or maximum order, no contracts, no fees, and no commitment. Individuals can then designate where they want their share of profit to go. Options include student tuition, the school’s general fund, the tuition assistance program or any of our parishes. Our schools will profit from every certificate you buy—and so will you! HTC

MONEY FOR YOU, MONEY FOR THE SCHOOL

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ave the date for this year’s Homecoming festivities which are planned for Friday, January 25th, 2013. The Marquette and Aquinas classes of 1988 and 2003 will be honored during the game and we will have a hospitality room where alumni can gather and reminisce about “the good old days.” If you have any plans for the weekend that you would like to share with your fellow classmates, let us know and we will spread the word. Or if you have any sugges-tions as to what types of activities you would like for us to have for our alumni, please let us know. We love new ideas and want to make our alumni feel welcome when they return. HTC

Homecoming 2013SAVE THE DATE

A New Roof for the ECC

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SWhen your non-profit organization takes advantage Scrip, your families earn money just by making their regular household purchases.

he ministry of development seeks to engage people to believe in a vision and mission of an institution. It invites them “as stewards” to share their gifts of wisdom, time, talent, finances, relationships, expertise, and prayer to make that vision come alive. With an extensive background in Development and Finance, I have never seen the level of passion, dedication, and giving of self, which exists within the Holy Trinity “family.” I feel both honored and blessed to have been chosen as an ambassador of outreach for HTC. And it is with great dignity, I will share my vision that anyone can leave a legacy, and everyone can make a difference in the lives that follow. The difference between development and fundraising is huge. One invites people to invest in the future of the institution and the other limits itself to “buy and sell” thinking. Here at HTC we have had fantastic success with annual fundraising. But, development is the process we must add to build capacity and sustainability. Development is a long-term vision and is contingent upon involvement. With the help of our boards, teachers, alumni, parents, and volunteers I am committed to helping our donor’s make the most of their philanthropy, by finding the correct gift arrangements to meet their needs. A donor doesn’t need tremendous wealth to make a gift. By

simply endowing their annual gift, a donor can rest assured that support will continue on after their lifetime. When we are able to educate and merge together those donors previously giving of their time and treasure with those uninvolved, a synergy emerges — one that is both dynamic and powerful. As these united “stewards” feel ownership and a broadened sense of responsibility,

this will lead to new channels of resources: people, finances, skills, connections, and more. Since the resources generated by an institution are in direct relation to the quality of people, processes, leadership, and vision it provides, I have complete faith that Holy Trinity Catholic Schools are positioned for a very bright future. Sincerely yours, Lori J. Wilson Development Director

MEET CHUCK continuedand a Christ-centered education will be the hallmark of Holy Trinity for many years to come. In the short time I’ve been here, I have met countless people who are committed to the school and who are eager to help in any way possible—that willingness to help is very encouraging.” Chuck has a vision for Holy Trinity and says that he will spend the next six to eight months learning and listening for ways to put his experience to use in order to achieve that vision. We feel extremely lucky to have found someone with such vast experience

plus a such a strong commitment to Catholic education. “Chuck’s vision and leadership, plus his commitment to Catholic education, are what made him an ideal candidate to lead Holy Trinity into the future,” said Gary Hoyer, Board of Education President. “His past employment experience as a teacher, coach, activities director, principal and education specialist, will ensure that our school moves forward on all levels. Chuck understands all that Catholic schools have to offer. We are confident that his leadership and inspiration will take our great school system to the next level.” HTC

Holy Trinity lost one of its strongest and most-loved supporters last November when Rich Rump

passed away from complications of a heart attack. Rich was a 1967 graduate of Aquinas and was a tireless advocate for Catholic education ever since. He was always the first to volunteer for any job, and donated his time to the Aquinas Athletic Board, the Aquinas School Board, the Chamber of Commerce, and was a God’s Portion Day chairman. Rich was also the chairman of the Tri-State Rodeo Concessions for 23 years which helped the school raise hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years. He helped merge the Aquinas and Marquette schools and was a member of the original Holy Trinity Foundation Board. Before his retirement, Rich also worked as the Holy Trinity Development Director for two of years. When people talked about Rich they used words like “integrity,” “meticulous,” “leader,” “consummate volunteer,” and “strong work ethic.” Rich was that and so much more. As one friend said, “Nobody out there has done more than he has.” His presence will be sorely missed in the community, on the basketball court and at Holy Trinity. His passion for Catholic education was contagious and his enthusiasm for sports was legendary—we will miss him terribly. HTC

Remembering Rich Rump

FROM THE DESK OF LORI WILSON

Why Development Makes a Difference

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On July 5, 2012, 33 voices, members of the HTC choir and recent graduates, stood behind home plate at Busch Stadium in St. Louis to lead off the Cardinals vs. Colorado Rockies baseball game by singing the National Anthem. The trip began with the dream of a former student to sing at a Cardinals game and came full circle when Judy Moeller (mother of Mitch Moeller) contacted the Cardinals’ office to obtain information about the requirements for the HTC choir to sing the National Anthem. Approximately 200 family members and HTC supporters were in attendance to watch the kids as they wowed the crowd with their talents. It was definitely a proud moment for Holy Trinity! Now that the choir has performed at Busch Stadium they will get near the top of the list to select possible dates to sing next year and we hope that this can become an annual event for our students. Check them out on www.youtube.com - Holy Trinity Catholic choir at Cardinals game! HTC

HTC Performs at Busch Stadium

Here at HTC we have had fantastic success with annual fundraising. But, development is the process we must add to build capacity and sustainability.

here’s something new and exciting happening at the HTC Elementary this year and it all begins with their new leader—Michael Sheerin. Since Michael was hired earlier this summer, the enthusiasm has grown, long-needed projects have been completed, and new technology is on its way. There is a positive buzz (and an Irish accent) all through the school, and we are very confident that this is going to be a great year at the HTC Elementary! Many people may recognize Michael only as a soccer coach—not knowing that he has an extensive educational background—not to mention his vast experience in the classroom as well as on the soccer field. Michael has taught at Aquinas Elementary, Central Lee, Iowa Wesleyan and most recently was the K-6 Resource teacher at Harmony Elementary. In addition to teaching, Michael has spent a great deal of time furthering his own education. He graduated from Culver-Stockton College with a BA in Elementary Education and a minor in Social Studies. After that he attended the

University of Iowa and graduated with a Master of Science Education and is currently working on a Master Degree in Educational Leadership at the University of Iowa. One of Michael’s biggest accomplish-ments so far is bringing iPad technology to the elementary. He believes that iPads are the wave of the future and has secured funds to order one for every teacher at the elementary. In return, he has asked the teachers to come up with ways to use iPads in their classroom curriculum with the hope that we will soon be able to give every elementary student an iPad to enhance their learning experience at HTC. Michael has also enlisted volunteers who helped update the playground surface with rubberized railroad ties and rubber mulch that won’t decompose and is much safer for the children. He has had crosswalks painted in front of the school and he has updated the computer lab and moved it into the library. This has freed up space so that the music department has their own classroom for lessons, etc. One of Michael’s main objectives is to keep class sizes as small as possible— especially at the lower elementary grades. The school is fully staffed to ensure that happens and a full-time religion teacher has even been put in place so that we can

we continue to teach our Catholic faith on a regular basis. Even though Michael is in charge of the day-to-day running of the school—it may be hard to find him sitting in his office. He will more than likely spend his days in the classrooms, on the playground, and just doing whatever he sees needs to be done around the school. Michael would like to invite everyone to stop in for a visit or to volunteer in our buildings —he would love to have the opportunity to share all of the great things that are happening at HTC this year. Oh, and for those of you who are concerned—Michael will continue to coach HTC Girls Soccer! HTC

Michael Sheerin Hired to Lead the Elementary

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he University of Iowa’s Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development notified Holy Trinity that we have been named as a Top 50 School based on the 2012 Iowa AP Index. The AP Index is a ratio that helps determine the extent of Advanced Place-ment opportunities at a school and as is an important indicator of the challenges schools provide for high-ability students. The Advanced Placement Program allows students to pursue college-level studies and take college-level exams while in high school. Holy Trinity was ranked #30 on the 2012 Iowa AP Index out of 365 Iowa high schools. HTC was the only SE Iowa area school to be included in the Top 50 rankings. This confirms that our commitment to preparing our kids for college with the rigor of AP coursework and a sold-core curriculum, is working. This honor, along with our test scores which are above State and National averages, is just another indicator of our academic success. HTC

HTC Named an Iowa Top 50 School!

5I O WA T O P

S C H O O L S

TIn addition to Mr. Elbert and Mr. Sheerin, HTC has several other new faces that will be wandering the halls this year.Jill Helling Stull will be teaching Jr. High Social Studies as well as working in Student Services at both the Jr./Sr. High and the elementary. In addition to her school duties, Jill is currently working on completing her Masters Degree in School Counseling. Jill has spent her last four years teaching 7th Grade Geography at Fort Madison Middle School. As a graduate of Aquinas, Jill is very excited to be back in the Catholic schools and says that she hopes to bring plenty of energy, hard work and dedication to the students and staff at HTC. Scott Teater has taken over the 5-12 Vocal Music program and will also be the new Show Choir Director. Scott is a recent graduate of Iowa Wesleyan and is looking forward to the challenge of continuing to expand and grow our music program. Lori Wilson was hired as our new Development Director as of June 1. She will be working for both HTC Schools and the HTC Foundation. Lori is a native of Burlington and has a Bachelor’s Degree from UNI and a Masters Degree from Manhattan School of Music. Lori most recently

worked as Director of the Annual Fund at Iowa Wesleyan where she managed multi-million dollar fundraising campaigns. Lori has been given the gift of an incredible voice which she will hopefully share with us! Alesia Hassan is our new Early Childhood Center Director and she has already brought many fresh ideas to our early childhood program. Alesia graduated from FMHS and then went on to obtain her B.A. in Political Science from Southern Illinois University. She began her professional journey working for Chirstopher House Head Start as a paraprofessional and then moved back to Iowa and began working as a Head Start teacher before moving on to join HTC. She has continued her education by taking classes in Early Childhood Education and has attended trainings for Early Childhood Positive Behavior Support. Other new faces are Nikki Wagner as the new Preschool Teacher in Fort Madison; Carol Delaney Wagner as a Daycare Supervisor at the FM ECC; Allison Arevalo is our new third grade teacher; Julie Vance will be teaching K-4 Music; Jolan Bishop is our new Government teacher and Diane Tone is our new Preschool Associate at St. Paul. HTC

CURRENT BOARD MEMBERSDennis Osipowicz

President

Gale ThomsonVice President

Greg GarrelsTreasurer

Dan KielerSecretary

Fr. David WilkeningLarry Menke

Rhonda Pieper Matt MohrfeldKaren Becker

Larry HoltkampPaul Mohrfeld

n December of 2008 the Aquinas and Marquette foundations combined to form the new Holy Trinity Catholic Educational Foundation. All interest and Income from the initial combined assets of $1,071,875 were set aside to provide tuition assistance for students. In a little over three years, HTC endowed funds have generated and paid out $180,770 to assist the schools. Now under the umbrella of the Community Foun-dations of North Lee County and Great River Bend, additional endowments have been established for Teacher Benefits, Capital Improvements, Technology, and General Operations, giving us a total of $1,379,847 under management to secure the future of Holy Trinity Schools. The HTC Educational Foundation Board are concerned not only with raising money, but doing so in a way that develops reliable sources of income that will sustain HTC through the realization of its long-term mission and vision. This involves building relationships with

benefactors, relating their gifts to the purpose and programs at HTC, and ultimate fiscal and moral accountability to our donors. Undoubtedly for the past few years, fundraising efforts have been especially challenged with the stock market decline and high unemployment rates. However, these are the same challenges that our valued alumni, parents, past parents, and friends have met head on. The HTC family continues to rise to whatever obstacle is presented and produce incredible results demonstrating their pride. We will continue to work very hard year- round to ensure the future of Holy Trinity Catholic School is bright. Our success is predicated on you—the family of HTC

believers. We thank each of you for making it possible for our students to dream and achieve!

—Holy Trinity Catholic Educational Foundation Board HTC

The Holy Trinity Catholic Schools Educational Foundation Year in Review

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NEW FACES IN NEW PLACES

More New Faces at HTC!

One of Michael’s biggest accomplishments so far is bringing iPad technology to the elementary. He believes that iPads are the wave of the future and has secured funds to order one for every teacher at the elementary.