Tag: Immaculate Heart of Mary

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Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Monona school teaches love

ihm teach love
Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) School in Monona Principal Callie Meiller stands with speaker and Paralympian Lloyd Bachrach as IHM kicked off its “Teach Love” campaign. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash)

MONONA — As the Paralympic Games are being held from March 9 to 18 in Pyeongchang, South Korea, students at Immaculate Heart of Mary School (IHM) in Monona heard from a former Paralympian.

The talk by Lloyd Bachrach, called “Yes, You Can!” was given during the school’s kick-off of its “Teach Love” campaign, which also included the students, faculty, and staff performing 10,000 acts of kindness around the school.

‘Yes, You Can!’

Bachrach, a motivational speaker and Paralympian who, while born with a congenital bone deficiency which left his legs unusually small, was able to overcome challenges, live out his dreams, and participate in sports at many levels, including the Paralympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 on the United States sitting volleyball team.

The Paralympic Games, both summer and winter, involve athletes with a range of disabilities. They are held almost immediately following the respective Olympic Games.

Sporting his artificial legs, Bachrach told the students, “I have a disability” and it “makes me a little bit different . . . I use a cane to help me walk.”

With the artificial legs, Bachrach is five-foot-eight inches tall. Without them, he is about three-foot-nine.

Bachrach said his talk would be about “the challenges I had when I was growing up, but also about the success that I’ve had.”

“You know that in life, we all have challenges,” he added, “we’re all trying to succeed at something.”

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Sandy Bakk, For the Catholic Herald

Hispanic families plan festival on May 2

MONONA — On Saturday, May 2, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., parents and friends of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Catholic School Advantage (CSA) program will be hosting the third annual Hispanic Heritage Festival at 4913 Schofield St.

CSA parents invite all those in the community to support the children and their families by attending the festival. The Hispanic Heritage Festival is the primary fundraiser that supports the CSA program and the scholarships necessary to meet the needs of an increasing population of Hispanic families in the area who desire a Catholic school education for their children.

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Fr. Bart Timmerman, For the Catholic Herald

Immaculate Heart of Mary School nears record enrollment

Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Monona has increased its enrollment by 49 percent, primarily due to recruiting Hispanic and Asian students through its Catholic School Advantage Program. (Contributed photo)

MONONA — Five years ago, a trend toward decreasing enrollment at Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) School in Monona had become an increasing concern.

To respond to this concern, a five-point strategy was implemented to retain and increase school enrollment.

Five-point plan

The five-point plan included:

  1. Prayer — putting faith in God to provide opportunities for increasing enrollment
  2. Public school partnership — becoming a 4K site for the Monona Grove School District
  3. Retention — commitment to improving student retention between elementary and middle school
  4. Outreach — implementing the Catholic School Advantage (CSA) Program for Hispanic immigrant families
  5. Enrollment management — hiring a development director to focus on building and retaining enrollment
Exciting new program

Since implementation of the plan, with God’s help, this five-point strategy is working.

One of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of this strategy is the Catholic School Advantage (CSA) program. This program is a ground-breaking student recruitment effort that reaches out to Hispanic-immigrant students from families who want to send their children to a Catholic school, but are unable to afford tuition.

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IHM run/walk May 18

What do you get when you mix Immaculate Heart of Mary School (IHM) in Monona; six mascots; four students performing the National Anthem; a logo designed by students; free ice cream; a guest emcee who is not only a local radio personality but an alumni of IHM School; great music; a bunch of door prizes; a bunch of medals; some trophies; food for sale; a giant inflatable finisher’s arch; a certified 5K course; a one mile course; and over 200 excited runners?

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