SHAMROCK FUND and TEACHER’S FUND 
Teachers are the heart and soul of a school. For the first 100 years, Sacred Heart was blessed with dedicated religious women who poured their hearts and souls into the school, forming young hearts and minds.
Today, Sacred Heart is blessed with dedicated and talented lay teachers. Our challenge is to pay our teachers a fair and just wage and at the same time to keep our tuition affordable for families seeking a faith-based education.
The Shamrock Fund was created to keep tuition low and affordable for all families. Sacred Heart never has been and will not be a school only for the wealthy. Unlike tuition, donations to the Shamrock Fund are voluntary gifts by parents, patrons and benefactors.
In 2010 a generous outside benefactor offered a challenge to Sacred Heart benefactors and families. He gave one year for the raising of funds to support the payment of teachers at Sacred Heart in order to make up the shortfall that tuition was not providing. $1,358,858.00 was pledged by Sacred Heart benefactors and families to be paid over five years. As money would come in he would match it dollar for dollar up to the full amount. The outside benefactor gave until February 2016 for the pledges to be paid and final commitments were paid by Feb. 1 of 2016. Over $2.7 million was raised and for over five years money has been withdrawn from this account to take care of the average monthly shortfall at the school to the tune of approximately $32,000.00/month.
As of this time the outside benefactor has other charitable commitments and has invited schools to get creative in their own development plans. We would love to have some generous benefactors rise up to offer similar challenges to our families whether through matching gifts or in any other way.
Update: In 2018, generous benefactors Emmett and Mary Jo Tangeman donated $50,000 to establish the Falls City Sacred Heart School Fund for Teachers, a donor-designated fund held by the Catholic Foundation of Southern Nebraska. The fund continues to earn interest, with the principal remaining available to support the school’s needs when necessary.
Update: In 2024, Richard Harpeneau, a 1950 Sacred Heart graduate, generously donated $50,000 which was added to the Falls City Sacred Heart School Fund for Teachers, which is held by the Catholic Foundation of Southern Nebraska. The fund continues to earn interest, and the principal remains readily available to support the school’s needs when necessary.
Update June 30, 2026 -Teachers funds held in Catholic Foundation total $326,655.24 and Shamrock Fund total is $
Please contact CAO Doug Goltz, (doug-goltz@cdolinc.net) at the school office (402.245.4151) or Development Director, Renee Kopf (renee-kopf@cdolinc.net) if you interested in donating to either the Shamrock or Teacher’s Funds.
