Our school is blessed to have so many people support it with their time and money. I am particularly thankful for the five Catholic parishes that support our school – Sts. Peter and Paul-Falls City, St. Mary-Dawson, St. Anne-Shubert, St. Mary-Arago and Immaculate Conception-Rulo. Each parish has a yearly assessment that directly supports our school. This past year, the parishes’ financial support to our school was $418,836. Thank you to our priests who lead these parishes and the parishioners who generously tithe to help their parishes make their assessments. This past year, 20% of our budget came from parish assessments. Thank you for your supporting your parish which supports our school.
Thank you also to the Sacred Heart Foundation (previously known as the Sacred Heart Endowment). The SH Endowment was started in 1984 and recently transitioned to a foundation. Over the past forty years, people have generously contributed to this fund. The corpus is never touched but the interest generated each year helps fund our school and helps the corpus continue to grow. The Foundation Board is made up of some great volunteers that are very wise and knowledgeable. Thank you – Phil Froeschl, Merle Veigel, Bob Aitken, Matt Sells, Marc Morehead, Fr. Meysenburg, Fr. Rynearson and Renee Kopf. Thank you to the many people who have made donations to the SH Foundation over the years. It has grown to over $7,000,000. This past year the Foundation provided $373,978 to our budget.
Thank you to the Parchen farm and the farmers who make this happen. This farm by Shubert is voluntarily farmed with a sizable chunk of the income going to Sacred Heart School. This past year, $75,000 came to our school by way of the Parchen farm. Thank you to all those who volunteer their sweat and time to make this happen. This is yet another way our school is funded.
The Annual Fund was started seven years ago. This Fund helps make up the gap between our income and our expenses. We did not meet our Annual Fund goal in 2022-23. This past year we did much better and exceeded our goal. $119,167 came in through the Annual Fund. We budgeted $106,000. Thank you to all those who donate to this fund. Some of you contribute monthly. Some of you make a yearly gift. Whenever I receive a gift that is not designated to a certain fund or project, I put it in the Annual Fund because this money is vital to our budget. Please consider giving to the Annual Fund.
Parish assessments, the Sacred Heart Foundation, the Parchen farm, and the Annual Fund are very important pieces of the financial puzzle that keeps our doors open. We would not be able to keep tuition low without these other sources of income. There are so many people whose children no longer attend Sacred Heart that are financially supporting us through the ways listed above. Our community is blessed by all those who support Sacred Heart School. Thank you to all who contribute monetarily as individuals and businesses.
We have made strides in the past few years in teacher salaries. Of the six Catholic high schools in the Diocese, Sacred Heart’s base pay is higher than all except Pius which is in the city of Lincoln and is competing for teachers with Lincoln Public Schools. LPS has the highest teacher pay in the state. Our employee benefits are at the top of the Diocese. The strength of our school is our staff. We have teachers and staff who go above and beyond because they love our students and love Sacred Heart School. Thank you.
Our tuition is the lowest in the Diocese of Lincoln. It’s probably the lowest of any private school in the state. We want it affordable for all families. The reality is that tuition makes up only 30% of the cost to educate our students. This would not be possible without the funds mentioned above and all the fundraising done to keep tuition low. We ask our families to pay their tuition but to also give in other ways. Help with our fundraisers. Volunteerism is so important. Stewardship is so important. Thank you to all those who volunteer, donate, and pray for Sacred Heart School.
Sacred Heart School – a family educating heart, mind, body and spirit for this life and the next.
