







In early 2020, we launched our current strategic plan - Ignite Change. Empower Growth. - that outlined important benchmarks and goals for our schools in the areas of Catholic Identity, Academic Excellence and Operational Vitality for 2025. At the end of each year, we assess our progress toward these goals, which include celebrating our successes and course-correcting as needed.
This year’s assessment has made one thing clear to me: Despite the curve ball and subsequent challenges that the pandemic presented - RCS is thriving! Students are growing their faith through annual retreats, weekly Mass, and daily prayer. At St. Pius X School, a different homeroom takes care of the school’s Vocations Cross and prays for vocations to religious life each week. Lourdes High School seniors made their Kairos Retreat to conclude what is for some almost fifteen years of Catholic education and launch them into the next phase of their life and faith. Our students are encountering Christ every day!
Academically, our programs are strong. For that reason, our enrollment has grown 10% since the fall of 2020. Families crave the faith, excellence, and character that our community offers.
Welcoming new families adds great energy to our schools, and I’m grateful our educators have jumped right in to welcome these students with open arms while fostering an environment of warmth, guidance, and support.
While our students and community are thriving, we continue to fall short of our goal of compensating our teachers 85% of their counterparts’ salaries in Rochester Public Schools. For that reason, we are relaunching our Fund for Academic Excellence with a specific focus to fund teacher salary increases and adjustments over the next few years.
We are so proud of what our community has accomplished over the past three years! It wouldn’t have been possible without the prayer and support of our alumni, parents and friends. Thank you for believing in our students. Thank you for believing in our teachers. Thank you for believing in our schools.
Our Lady of Lourdes… pray for us!
Annemarie Vega President Rochester Catholic SchoolsThey are traits noted by those who knew him best…qualities that would help form a new generation of high school athletes, and empower hundreds of young women to go out and be great. Ask anyone you’d like; Mr. Myron Glass was a true GOAT.
It was the early 70’s. Bell-bottoms and disco were on the rise, and the Vietnam War was coming to an end.
Lourdes High School was bustling with their near 500 students, and the Athletics Department had a new sheriff in town.
Mr. Marv Peters had just started his first (and only) job out of college when he remembers Mr. Dick Sherman and Mr. Glass, LHS coaches and educators, stopping by his office.
They had a simple yet profound request.
“They came to me, the new, young athletic director, to ask for some uniforms, some games to schedule,
some gym practice time, and some transportation needs,” Peters said.
Little did he know, this request would be the turning of a page and the start of a new era in women’s athletics. As if starting a new job in itself wasn’t daunting enough!
The first girls basketball team, coached by Sherman, became official in 1971 - and would build upon the first few women’s athletics programs that had begun at LHS a few years prior.
Glass had been coaching at LHS since 1968beginning with Football and B-Squad Boys Basketball. In 1970, he took over the Boys Cross Country and Track teams, and was instrumental in forming the first Girls Track and Cross Country programs.
“Myron wouldn’t hear the word ‘no.’ He was very persistent, and with that persistence came great outcomes,” Mr. Denny Nigon '64 said, who served as LHS principal from 19872007. “He felt that the girls certainly deserved to have an opportunity like the boys.”
“ From there on out, “It was full speed ahead in making sure our female athletes had everything they deserved,” Peters said.
LHS was on the leading edge of creating opportunities for female athletes when Title IX passed a year later, mandating equal educational opportunities for men and women.
The same persistence Glass demonstrated in advocating for the first female athletics programs, would lead his teams to win six State Titles in Cross Country (four in Boys and two in Girls) and two State Titles in track. It would also lead him to begin a legendary career as head Girls Varsity Basketball coach in 1984 - the team he advocated for 13 years prior.
Throughout his tenure as head coach, he impacted the lives of hundreds of female athletes.
“Mr. Glass taught me how important thorough preparation is to perform well in any task. He also had an uncanny ability to recognize the potential in each player, and orchestrate how best to optimize the strength of all players to benefit the team,” Melissa (Missy Sheehan) Rott '95 said, who played Varsity Basketball for Glass for three years.
He instilled important lessons in not only his players, but fellow coaches as well.
“He taught me to be ready for the little things, and it was a huge confidence builder for me,” Ms. Sarah Groven said, LHS director of counseling and head Girls Soccer coach.
“ Myron created an atmosphere of hard work, comradery, respect and enjoyment,” Ms. Tracy Reilly said, who served as his assistant coach from 1992 until his retirement in 2014.Glass and LHS Girls Basketball Team Glass and 1976 LHS Girls Track Team
of confidence in his athletes many still carry with them today.
“One of the great strengths that Myron had was encouraging the girls to believe in themselves and their team, and that through their hard work and preparations, they would be successful,” Reilly said.
During his +30 years coaching LHS Girls Varsity Basketball, his teams saw +700 wins, advanced to State a whopping 15 times, and won eight State Titles - not to mention whenever he made it to Finals, he won. “(There were) no second places,” Peters said.
This made Glass the winningest coach in LHS’ history, and the second-highest in girls’ basketball history in Minnesota.
Glass’ passion and ability to teach youth was demonstrated on and off the court during his 46 years at LHS. During that time, he also served as a beloved educator and math instructor.
“He had the mind of a mathematician,” Nigon said. “The students and athletes respected and appreciated his ability to do the little things. He was the ‘master of minutiae,’ I’d always say. He always taught the finer points, and his teaching and coaching went hand in hand.”
He also spent a great deal of time mentoring students outside of the classroom, and running youth athletics camps.
“He was a master at teaching, and early success meant high school success,” Peters said.
In addition, his phenomenal record and dedication to his teams landed him inductions into the LHS Sports Hall of Fame, Minnesota High School Basketball Hall of Fame, Minnesota Basketball, Rochester Quarterbacks, and an Honorable Mention in Sports Illustrated.
Often referred to as the Father or Grandfather of LHS Women’s Sports, Glass instilled a certain level
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He always believed in them. He knew they had great potential, and he helped them realize that,” Nigon said.Glass at his desk at LHS, 1971-1972 school year
Despite his great success, he had an unassuming and down to earth persona. His love for coaching and teaching was matched only by his love for the Lord, his dogs, fishing, and spending time at the cabin.
“If you were to have met Mr. Glass while out and about in southeast Minnesota, you would have had no idea he was one of the most successful high school coaches in state history,” Rott said.
Never married or with children of his own, his fellow coaches, colleagues, and players were like family to him. He often took them on various outings, including water skiing at the cabin, in true Minnesota fashion.
It was clear his athletes and the LHS community held the same notion toward this legendary coach.
“These past few years, there was always an endless stream of people stopping to say hello to the legend, some to talk basketball and others asked
about his retired life. Even the alums that played basketball stopped to reminisce and many brought their children to visit him, too,” Groven said.
“ His teams were his world, not just during the season, but all year round,” Rott said.Photo courtesy of Post Bulletin Sports Department
Shattering the GLASS in Girls Sports continued from page 7
This is one of the many interactions so many in the LHS community have missed and will continue to miss dearly.
After +40 years of coaching, 46 years of teaching at LHS, and his retirement in 2014, Myron Glass passed away on October 22, 2022, at the age of 78.
His legacy is one that not only broke records - but truly broke the glass ceiling in girls sports.
He and fellow coaches and colleagues changed the trajectory for women and athletics, which will forever be remembered by the hundreds of lives he touched, those who have followed in their footsteps, and throughout the walls of LHS’ gymnasiums.
“If you look back at the last 50 years of the rich history of Lourdes Athletics, winning 48 MSHSL state championships, 28 of the banners in our gym are girls’ titles. He truly was a GOAT,” Peters said.
“There’s only one Myron. He left a legacy, certainly in Girls Basketball, but whatever he did, he was very successful at. I miss him greatly,” Nigon said.
A GOAT, a colleague, an educator, a fishing buddy, a family member, a friend. Gone but not forgotten, and forever in our hearts.
“ I am grateful to have been a part of his legacy,” Rott said.(L-R) - David Jewison, deceased, January 2021, LHS coach, teacher, and counselor, Glass, deceased October 2022, Marv Peters, retired LHS athletic director, coach and teacher, Dick Sherman, deceased December 2021, LHS coach and teacher, Denny Nigon '64, retired LHS principal, coach and teacher
We are thrilled to announce Rochester Catholic Schools has caught the attention of local and national media including Rochester Post Bulletin, KIMT-TV, and Yahoo News, after seeing a +50% increase in new applicants in early preschool-grade 12 for the upcoming school year!
Christ-centered, excellent educators, small class sizes, and rigorous academics are a few of the many reasons our educational experience is in high demand.
Over the past two years, RCS has been gaining momentum and building to this point as we implemented several new initiatives, including:
• Curriculum enhancements to prepare learners with 21st century skills.
• Preschool expansion including an all-day age 2 program at Holy Spirit Catholic School, an all-day pre-kindergarten program at St. Francis of Assisi School, and a nature-based pre-kindergarten program at Lourdes High School.
• New grades 5-8 middle school reconfiguration at St. Francis of Assisi School.
• New marketing initiatives and grade-specific admissions events including Toddler Time, A Taste of Kindergarten, Soar with the Eagles at LHS, and Breakfast with Santa, in addition to the RCS Showcase of Schools.
• New alumni initiatives including relaunch of alumni magazine, Aquila, and alumni events.
• Growth of our summer opportunities, which include summer care for preschoolgrade 6, summer academy classes, sports camps, and summer tutoring.
We are thrilled about the growth of our school system and the opportunity to provide exceptional programming as we lead new families to Christ,” President Annemarie Vega said.
“We are blessed!”
If you or a family you know are considering RCS for your upcoming early preschooler (beginning at age 2)-12th grade student for 2023-2024, visit www.rcsmn.org/admissions or contact us at admissions@rcsmn.org. Don’t wait; spots are filling fast, and wait pools have formed in a number of our programs. We look forward to connecting with you soon!
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Students at St. Francis of Assisi School participated in “Dress Like a Teacher Day!” Mr. Krenik, their retired third grade teacher, served as a substitute teacher for the day and had quite the following!
Throughout February, St. Pius X School welcomed many guest readers into their classrooms including Rochester Mayor, Kim Norton, and our very own RCS President, Annemarie Vega. Thank you to everyone who visited and helped us celebrate “I Love to Read” month!
Congratulations to the following LHS student-athletes for signing National Letters of Intent: Lindsey and Ryann, who signed to play Volleyball and Tennis at the collegiate level, and Emily, Vivica, and Ella, who signed to play basketball at the collegiate level.
The LHS Winter Drumline earned a FIRST place finish at their FIRST competition of the season in Eden Prairie! Their show, “What Do You See?” used an exciting mix of battery and frontline percussion parts, sound effects, and props to explore self-image when looking in a mirror. To close out their flawless season, they took first place at the Percussion Independent A Class Championships.
celebrated the 100th day of school! In addition, St. Pius X
We had an amazing Catholic Schools Week from Jan. 24-Feb.4! Highlights included Mass at LHS, the President’s Reception, Day of Giving, field trips, indoor picnics, RCS giveaways, theme days, movies, and more! THANK YOU to our RCS community for celebrating with us and to all who donated on Day of Giving!
We love seeing RCS students giving back to their community! A few highlights include:
• Students at Holy Spirit Catholic School collected needed items for the Dorothy Day House.
• Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist Middle School Student Council members presented a check of $2,601 to The Landing Homeless Shelter after conducting “Penny Wars” fundraisers in their homerooms.
• The Nest Preschoolers at St. Francis of Assisi School shared their time and sewing talents by creating fleece hats which were gifted to St. Adelbert’s School in South Bend, IN. Beautiful work, Eagles!
To see ALL of the fun from this school year, follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
@ROCHESTERCATHOLICSCHOOLS
Congratulations to the HVL Honor Choir and Honor Band participants from LHS who joined together to perform in this year’s Honor Music event!
RCS preschoolers enjoyed “Stepping Up to Kindergarten,” where they had the chance to learn what to expect in the upcoming school year. We love watching our youngest Eagles grow up in the RCS community!
Our teachers and staff go above and beyond to provide our students with a school year filled with challenging curriculum and innovative, hands-on learning opportunities grounded in faith. In 2020, the Fund for Academic Excellence was created to support our teachers as they continue to provide our students with the best education possible.
In the next three to five years, our goal is to increase teacher compensation to the level of 85% of the Rochester Public Schools’ teacher compensation by raising $2.2 million for the Fund for Academic Excellence. Let’s invest in our teachers!
Help us honor and support our educators during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 8 - May 12, 2023. On Sunday, May 7, the RCS community is invited to Victoria's Ristorante & Wine Bar, who will donate 25% of the food sales to the RCS Fund for Academic Excellence! The celebration continues on Monday, May 8, at Crumbl Cookies, located at 2665 Commerce Dr. NW, Suite 200, Rochester MN, 5590. Enjoy your favorite sweet treats while supporting RCS educators! Crumbl Cookies will also donate a portion of the sales that day to the Fund for Academic Excellence.
You can also make a gift by visiting our website at https://www.rcsmn.org/ffae or via the QR code NOW through Teacher Appreciation Week. You will also have the chance to give a special shout out to an RCS educator who has impacted you!
Every gift, no matter how LARGE or SMALL, helps support our educators and our schools!
Thank you for your support!
We would like to thank the Rochester Catholic Schools community for attending the following events during the 2022-2023 school year!
More than 200 people attended the RCS President’s Reception, held at the Hilton Hotel on February 3rd, to wrap up Catholic Schools Week. The following individuals received awards for making a significant contribution to the RCS community and the Lourdes Foundation.
• Everyday Hero Award - Carrie and Christopher Boes
• Make a Difference Award - Barb Plenge
• St. Joseph AwardAnnie Stevermer
• Woodruff AwardChristine Stahl '85 and Natalie Victoria (not pictured)
• President’s AwardJay and Trina Morris
• Alumni AwardAndy Poterucha '01
This year’s Lourdes Foundation Fish Fry SOLD OUT, held at the Rochester International Event Center on Friday, March 10! More than 400 attendees enjoyed a delicious fish dinner, raffle, face painting and hair fun, and a special performance by the LHS Hi-Lighters! A special thanks to all who made the Fish Fry possible!
We were joined by dozens of RCS alums at the Workshop Food Hall and Bar on November 23 at our Thankful for our Alumni event! Attendees had a wonderful time connecting with former classmates, enjoying tasty food and beverages, and reliving old memories!
A special thanks to our sponsors: Beckley’s Office Products, J. Powers, Citrusy Boutique, and Premier Bank Rochester.
Class of 1963
• 60 year reunion • May 20, 2023
Class of 1968
• 55 year reunion • September 22, 2023
Class of 1973
• 50 year reunion • September 23, 2023
Information about upcoming reunions and photos from past reunions are also posted on the RCS Alumni Reunion webpage at rcsmn.org/reunions. If your class is planning a reunion, please contact us at alumni@rcsmn.org. We are happy to supply a class list, schedule a Mass and tour at Lourdes High School, and include your information on our webpage.
Class of 1993
• 30 year reunion • August 4-6, 2023
Class of 2013
• 10 year reunion • June 24, 2023
We are honored to remember our beloved alumni who have entered into eternal rest. We will do our best to include any recent notices of which we are made aware. Please email obituary information to alumni@rcsmn.org.
Albert Angelici, '67
William Bray, '71
Robert Conway, '62
Sharon Cook, '59
Mary Clare Doran, '54
Dennis Dormady, '72
Paul Feind, '61
Donald Fox, '54
David Funk, '52
Marilyn Greenway, '49
Robert "Scott" Kuluvar, '66
Thomas Mahon, '61
Barbara McGuire, '56
Marilyn Meyer, '64
Cherice Morrison Hays, '73
Brigh Mueller, '73
Neal Olson, '54
Joan Orke, '67
Mona Price, '44
Robert Schoenmann, '50
James Sheehan, '65
Mary Lou Smith, '52
Rosalie Stacy, '56
Anna Steffes, '55
James Walsh, '60
Mary Williams, '55
Michael Zabel, '73
We are excited to feature the following RCS alums as part of our Alumni Class Notes feature section! To share your story with us, email alumni@rcsmn.org.
Olivia Steinmetz ‘18 - With a goal of traveling to all 50 states by the time she is 25 and pursuing a degree related to health and wellness, Olivia Steinmetz finished her years with RCS and headed to the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. She credits her desire to be an informed global citizen to her experiences in music, world studies, psychology, and the sciences.
“Music is a universal language and my years with the LHS Concert Choir, Center Street Singers, SE MN Honors Choirs, along with the UST Concert and Chamber Choirs, enriched my understanding of culture and diversity,” she shared. “As I traveled with Semester at Sea in 2020, the stories of the people, the beauty of the countries, the perspectives of Eastern and Western medicines, and the challenges of the pandemic opened new opportunities for me.”
As she completed her voyage, Steinmetz knew she was being called to support people on their own health and wellness journeys.
Upon acceptance at the University of Western States in Portland, Oregon, Steinmetz furthered her education earning degrees in Biology, Sports Medicine and in December of 2023, will become a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine. Passionate about education, a positive growth mindset, and a balanced approach to wellness, she created her own Instagram tagline “Wellness for Every Body.” To connect with Olivia, visit her on Instagram at @livv.with.liv.
Rebekah Crowley ‘17 - We caught up with Rebekah Crowley in Big Sandy, Texas at The Pines Catholic Camp, where she lives each day sharing her love for God, relationships, and music! She smiled to include, all of which are made better if shared with a good cup of coffee! Following graduation from LHS, she attended the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN earning degrees in both Catholic Studies and Liturgical Music.
A love for music was instilled in Crowley during her time at RCS, beginning with “Try-It Night,” an evening for students to try out different instruments, weekly band lessons, as well as her experiences in LHS Concert Band, Marching Band, Hi-Lighters Jazz Band, and Liturgical Choir.
“I owe a lot to the RCS Music Department; time and time again, I am reminded of how much of a gift music is in my life,” she said.
In her roles with the Catholic camp, Crowley has served as a missionary, leading retreats for parish and school groups that come to the camp throughout the year. She is also excited about her new role as Associate Director of Formation! She is passionate about youth ministry and journeying with young people as they figure out who God is calling them to be.
She attributes her deep desire to connect with others to her time at RCS. “Catholic schools gave me the gift of relationships,” she said.
From the piney woods of Texas, Crowley sends her greetings! “I’m excited to be living in the present, experiencing the wonders of God’s creation, and looking forward to seeing where He leads me next!” To connect with Rebekah, email rebekah@thepines.org.
Emily Welhaven ‘07
- Peeking into Emily Welhaven’s first grade classroom at St. Francis of Assisi School, you are met with smiles and inspirational messages.
“This classroom is better because you are in it,” is the friendly greeting her students see each day as they laugh, learn, and listen.
Now in her ninth year of teaching, Welhaven is one of RCS’s many alumni educators that have returned home to their foundational roots. She reflects, “Ever since I was a kindergartener at St. John the Evangelist Middle School, RCS has felt like home to me. I don’t remember everything my kindergarten teacher said and did, but I always remember the way she made me feel. She loved each of her students like they were her own children.” Following in the footsteps of her own dedicated teachers, Welhaven hopes to inspire our youngest learners to share their Godgiven gifts in service of others.
“As an eighth grader, I stood in Mr. Carroll’s classroom and watched the Lourdes High School students walk into church for Mass. I said to my friend, ‘I’m going to work for Rochester Catholic Schools someday,” Welhaven shared. Following graduation, she earned degrees in both Elementary Education and Literacy Education, taught in Kasson and Albert Lea, and then decided it was the right time to return home.
And home is exactly what Emily’s classroom is - a place to practice, play, pray, and praise. She encourages all of us to follow the wisdom of the words on her classroom wall: “Be the reason someone smiles today!”
Francis “Fitz” Fitzgerald ‘69 - “One Stormy Night” was the title of Francis “Fitz” Fitzgerald’s autobiography, written in sixth grade, while a student at St. Pius X School. He still has this autobiography at his home in northern Minnesota which became an inspiration in the writing of his first book, Combat to Conservation, and the title of the first chapter!
Conservation of resources and service to his country are part of his journey. As a keynote speaker at the MN Department of Natural Resources in June, and a featured author with the Vietnam Veterans of America, Fitz is honored to share his story with the hope of leaving a legacy for his family and allowing others to heal through the words of his book.
While visiting with Fitz, it became clear that the love of his family, his foundation in the Catholic faith, and his experiences growing up in the woods and fields around Southeast Minnesota, shaped who he is today. “Dad and Mom were great parents and role models. Growing up, we didn’t even think about where we would go to school; our family’s moral character was fully rooted in the faith,” he shared. “I held the record for going to Mass the most consecutive days in a row!”
As he reflects on the impact RCS had on his life, the gift of a Catholic education, being immersed in academic excellence, and growing up with a brother who served as a priest in the Winona-Rochester Diocese, he is grateful for these blessings. While serving as a Marine in Vietnam, he could turn to his faith, family, and friends as sources of comfort, healing and hope.
Retired and loving the outdoors, Fitz continues to advocate for the conservation of resources, enjoy the beauty of nature, and is working to further his legacy for his four children and six grandchildren. To learn more about this RCS Eagle, visit Fitzgerald’s website at www.fjfitzgerald.com.
First and foremost: WOW; the Fish Fry was a sellout. Thank you, everyone, for participating!
The question was recently asked, what is the Lourdes Foundation and what do we do? Lourdes Foundation Inc. was formed in 1974 as Lourdes Development Fund, changing its name a few years ago. The Lourdes Foundation is governed by bylaws, is a tax exempt organization under the laws of Minnesota and has a governing board of 11-14 members with total assets of $10.5 million. The Lourdes Foundation is monitored by an area accounting firm and audited by a separate accounting firm to ensure that the funds are properly tracked and that Board decisions are in line with the generally accepted accounting principles.
The Lourdes Foundation was established as an endowment fund to raise money by seeking contributions and holding fundraisers to provide tuition support for students attending Lourdes High School.
The gifts the Lourdes Foundation receives are invested with Demarche Investment. Through growth of the investments made, 5% of those dollars are contributed yearly to scholarships for RCS students across the system. Contributions to the Lourdes Foundation are made by alumni, families, friends, sisters, priests, teachers, and businesses. We are grateful to the many community members who remember the Foundation in their bequests.
While we are extremely proud of what we have been able to do for RCS families, we can always do more, and we need your help!
If you or your family are interested in donating to the Foundation or establishing a scholarship, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 507.424.1817 or kcreed@rcsmn.org
KC Reed President Lourdes FoundationNewly Awarded Scholarships for 2022-23 School Year
Fitzgerald Family Scholarship
Virginia Jensen Scholarship
Adam Lentz '11 Memorial Scholarship
Reed and Melissa Leonard Scholarship Honoring
Barb Plenge
Barb Plenge Scholarship
Newly Established Scholarships
During 2022-23 school year
Class of 1972 Scholarship
Myron Glass Memorial Scholarship*
Bishop Harrington Scholarship
Robert Haggerty Scholarship
Glenn A. Anderson/ Margaret H. Anderson Scholarship
Lourdes High School Theater Endowment
*Not yet awardable
Provides Endowment Total: $10.5 million Tuition Assistance
$ Provided by Lourdes Foundation: $342,465
Total Scholarships
Awarded: 138 Awards: 200 Student
Recipients: 88
in the 2022-23 school year