On Wednesday, Feb. 12, Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki will host the annual Catholic Schools Dinner at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, 333 West Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee.
This gathering of more than 600 guests will highlight the success of Catholic education and raise funds in support of grant opportunities available to the 102 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
Funds raised support Grant Initiatives for Today’s Students (GIFTS), a new Catholic schools grant program. Last year, donations from the dinner enabled the Office for Schools to award 28 grants to area Catholic schools of $5,000 and $10,000 for a total of $205,000.
The Archbishop’s Catholic Schools Dinner also provides an opportunity for Archbishop Listecki to recognize individuals for their dedicated commitment to the vitality of Catholic education. This year’s Elizabeth Ann Seton Awards will be presented to three individuals.
Lauren Beckmann, Principal at St. Robert School in Shorewood. Beckmann, principal of St. Robert School since 2006, is one of the shining stars in elementary school leadership in the archdiocese. Her efforts are grounded in best practice, as she has served in many leadership capacities and committees to help move the needle forward in Catholic education. She has been in the forefront of serving students with intellectual disabilities and other special learning needs at St. Robert School. She has worked to ensure that all students are integrated into the school community with the support of dedicated staff.
Fr. Thomas Biersack, Pastor at St. Andrew, LeRoy; St. Mary, Mayville; and St. Theresa, Theresa. Fr. Biersack has been a priest in the archdiocese for 39 years and has served as the pastor in Dodge County since 2005. He is a champion for rural Catholic education and has been a cornerstone in maintaining St. Mary School in Mayville, the smallest school in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Fr. Biersack shares the Gospel by visiting students throughout the week in their classrooms, as well as presenting homilies that are relatable to young people. Because of his leadership, students at St. Mary grow academically and spiritually in this unique rural school.
William O’Toole, President and CEO at Catholic Financial Life. Under O’Toole’s leadership for the past 13 years, Catholic Financial Life provides staunch support of Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He is passionate in providing volunteer services and support to benefit Catholic schools, parishes and organizations. Early in his career, he worked in fund development roles for several religious institutions, including the Sisters of Divine Savior in Milwaukee, St. Joseph High School in Kenosha, and Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners.
The Catholic Schools Dinner starts with a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and the program beginning at 6:30 p.m. Dinner sponsorships to support Catholic education and the GIFTS program are available for $10,000, $5,000 and $2,000. Each sponsorship includes a table for 10 at the dinner. Tickets are available for $200 each. Register online at archmil.regfox.com/schools-dinner-2020.
Archdiocese of Milwaukee
2019 GIFTS School Grant Recipients
| School Name | Project Name |
| Category 1: Catholic Identity | |
| Divine Mercy Parish School, South Milwaukee | Project U.N.I.T.Y. |
| Mary Queen of Saints Catholic Academy, West Allis | Mission and Identity in Our New Home |
| Prince of Peace, Milwaukee | Culturally Relevant Catholic Identity |
| St. Mary Parish School, Hales Corners | Faith In Our Families |
| St. Agnes Parish School, Butler | Facilitating Encounters with the Living Jesus Christ for Students, Families, Faculty and Parish |
| St. Catherine Catholic School, Milwaukee | Catholic Faith Development |
| St. Mary Parish School, Menomonee Falls | Strengthening our Catholic Identity & the Faith Life of our Faculty, Parents & Students |
| Category 2: Development/Marketing | |
| St. Boniface Catholic School, Germantown | School Marketing Campaign |
| Holy Angels School, West Bend | Website Update for Community Engagement |
| St. Anthony School, Milwaukee | Parent Ambassador Program |
| All Saints Catholic School, Kenosha | Annual Fund Campaign |
| St. Matthew School, Campbellsport | School Marketing Project |
| St. Sebastian Catholic School, Milwaukee | Development and Marketing Initiative |
| Category 3: Educational Innovation | |
| Blessed Sacrament School, Milwaukee | Celebrate Literacy |
| John Paul II Academy, Racine | Personalized Learning Tools For Differentiated Instruction |
| Northwest Catholic School, Milwaukee | Culturally Relevant Literacy Circles |
| Our Lady Queen of Peace School, Milwaukee | Increasing Student Engagement |
| St. Bruno Parish School, Dousman | Kiln for Art Outreach |
| St. Eugene School, Fox Point | STEAM Rollers |
| St. Thomas Aquinas Academy, Milwaukee | STEM Enrichment Program |
| Catholic Central High School, Burlington | Technology Update and Advancement |
| St. John Paul II, Milwaukee | Creating 21st Century Classrooms |
| Category 4: Project Initiation – Seed Money | |
| St. Kilian School, Hartford | Play System Project |
| St. Mary School, Mayville | ProCare Management Software for Childcare |
| Mother of Good Counsel, Milwaukee | The Magic of a Social Emotional Learning Infusion |
| Pius XI Catholic High School, Milwaukee | Progress Monitoring Assessments for Competency-Based Learning |
| Saint Mary’s Springs Academy, Fond du Lac | Blazing the Trail |
| St. Joseph School, Racine | New K3 Program |
