St. Columbkille Renovation Updates

As plans develop, and throughout the renovation process, this page will serve as a resource for construction updates and information.

Timeline & Upcoming Events:

Construction timeline: June 2024–August 2025

Ground Breaking Ceremony: Wednesday, May 29, 2024, 12:30 p.m.

24-25 Temporary Site Schedules

Shuttle Bus Schedule St. Joe's Campus Schedule Resurrection Campus Schedule

Shuttle Bus Schedule

A.M. Schedule

Shuttle bus arrives at Resurrection from Holy Ghost: 7:55 a.m.
Bus loading at St. Joseph the Worker: 8:05 a.m.
Bus departing St. Joseph the Worker: 8:10 a.m.
Shuttle buses arrive at Resurrection from St. Joseph the Worker: 8:25 a.m.

Due to capacity constraints, the shuttle bus is only available to St. Columbkille families with children split between St. Joseph the Worker and Resurrection campuses. Families will drop bus riders off at bus, and the bus will leave promptly at 8:10. If a student misses the bus departure, parents will be responsible for transportation.

P.M. Schedule

Shuttle bus departs Resurrection to St. Joseph the Worker: 3:40 p.m.
Shuttle bus arrives at St. Joseph the Worker: 3:55 p.m.

Please note that all shuttle buses are at capacity at this time. For more information, contact Rebecca Mueller, director of enrollment, rmueller@holyfamilydbq.org.

St. Joe's Campus Schedule

2105 St. Joseph Street
Preschool – Grade 1

Arrival

Before care: 6:30 - 8:05 a.m.; registration required.
Breakfast: 7:45 - 8:10 a.m. in the cafeteria; $1.90 per breakfast
Morning Drop off: 8:05 - 8:20 a.m.; drop off location by youngest child
Morning Gathering: 8:20 a.m.
Late arrivals after 8:45 a.m. must enter through main St. Joseph the Worker Early Childhood entrance

Dismissal

Dismissal: 3:20 p.m.
After care: 3:20 - 5:30 p.m.; registration required
Shuttle Bus Arrival: 3:55 p.m.

Resurrection Campus Schedule

4329 Asbury Rd.

Grades 2-5

Arrival

Before care: 6:30 - 8:25 a.m.; registration required.
Breakfast: 8:10 - 8:35 a.m. in the cafeteria; $1.90 per breakfast
Morning Drop off: 8:25 - 8:40 a.m.; drop off location by youngest child. Car Line by Door 6
Morning Gathering: 8:40 a.m.
Late arrivals after 8:45 a.m. must enter through door 1 by office.

Dismissal

Dismissal: 3:40 p.m.
After care: 3:15 - 5:30 p.m.; registration required
Shuttle Bus Departure to St. Joseph the Worker: 3:40 p.m.

Renovation Q&A

There are many more plans to be made, and we will continue to share additional information as developments occur and new information becomes available. If you have a question not addressed here, please submit it using the form below.

Click to Expand:

When will construction begin and how long will it last?

Where will classes be held during construction?

For the 2024-2025 school year:

Preschool through first-grade students will be relocated to St. Joseph the Worker.
Grades two through five will relocate to the south wing of Resurrection Elementary, which is currently unoccupied.

These temporary relocation plans will support student safety, avoid day-to-day disruptions and provide an environment conducive to learning and growing in our faith.

What is the scope of the renovation?

The renovation will bring about 19,000 square feet of new space to the school and renovate about 33,000 square feet of existing space, creating school building of approximately 52,000 square feet in total size.

The renovated school building will have the capacity for three classrooms per grade in K–5, as well as two classrooms each for preschool and pre-K students.

There will be dedicated classroom space for specialist subjects, support rooms and a new cafeteria.

Improvements to existing space will include central heating and cooling; new flooring, windows, ceilings and fixtures; elecrical work and plumbing.

When completed, how many students will our school accommodate?

Do we have the demand for this much space?

When considering current enrollment demand and the number of Baptisms at St. Columbkille and nearby parishes, we are confident the school will be sized appropriately to accommodate the demand of parishioners and other local families.

For example, the new school will have the capacity for 66 kindergarteners (22 in each of the three sections). In 23-24, St. Columbkille had to cap kindergarten enrollment at 61 due to our current space limitations.

Temporary Transition Q&A

This section addresses questions related to the temporary relocation of St. Columbkille students to the Resurrection and St. Joseph the Worker campuses during construction in the 2024-2025 school year. We will continue to add information as plans are finalized.

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What is the plan for school Mass?

Will transportation be provided to the temporary locations during construction?

Standard transportation services or reimbursement will be available through Dubuque Community School District to Resurrection or St. Joseph the Worker for students who live more than two miles from the respective schools.

Site-to-site transportation will continue to be available from Holy Ghost to the Resurrection campus.

Holy Family will facilitate shuttle transportation for St. Columbkille students (of split-campus households only) traveling between St. Joseph the Worker and Resurrection, using our four “Goldie” and “Eagle” mini-buses. These shuttles will be driven by Holy Family employees.

What is the Arrival/Dismissal procedure

The 24-25 start and dismissal times for the Resurrection and St. Joseph the Worker campuses are listed below. Please note that Resurrection and St. Joseph the Worker students will maintain their existing schedules.

School	A.M. Shuttle	Doors Open	Start	Dismissal	P.M. Shuttle
RES (including TK)	N/A	8:00 a.m.	8:15 a.m.	3:15 p.m.	N/A
SC at SJTW	8:10 a.m. departure	8:05 a.m.	8:20 a.m.	3:20 p.m.	3:55 p.m. arrival at SJTW
SC at RES	8:25 a.m. arrival	8:25 a.m.	8:40 a.m.	3:40 p.m.	3:40 p.m. departure

School

A.M.

Shuttle

Doors

Open

Start

Dismissal

P.M.

Shuttle

RES (including TK)

N/A

8:00 a.m.

8:15 a.m.

3:15 p.m.

N/A

SC at SJTW

8:10 a.m. departure

8:05 a.m.

8:20 a.m.

3:20 p.m.

3:55 p.m. arrival at SJTW

SC at RES

8:25 a.m. arrival

8:25 a.m.

8:40 a.m.

3:40 p.m.

3:40 p.m. departure

Wrap-around care will be offered at both sites. Arrival and dismissal procedures regarding car lines and other logistics are still being determined and will be communicated by school staff this summer.

Will St. Columbkille students combine with students from the hosting schools (Resurrection and St. Joseph the Worker) during the 2024-2025 transition year?

We will take a "yours/mine/ours" approach to our routines next school year. St. Columbkille will not merge with Resurrection and St. Joseph the Worker and will continue to be treated as an independent school with its own classes/teachers, administration and school communications. However, some activities may be combined such as lunch and recess, due to scheduling and the shared facilities. To reduce traffic congestion, school start/end times will likely be staggered. However, these logistical details are still under evaluation.

Facilities-Related Communications:

Oct. 6, 2023 | Strategic Planning Update | Announcing St. Columbkille Renovation

Dear families and staff,

I am pleased to announce that transformative changes are on the horizon for St. Columbkille Elementary. After months of dedicated planning and securing financial support, parish leaders are set to begin renovations at the end of this school year!

While there is much to look forward to, I am most excited for the opportunity to welcome more families to St. Columbkille and the Holy Family community, as the renovation will expand our school’s capacity to serve three sections in each grade level, K-5. Beyond that, the new layout will house all school activities – including lunch and early childhood programming – under one roof, elevating the day-to-day experience for our students.

Temporary Relocation for 2024-2025

As always, safety and efficiency guide our work, and we are making arrangements for a temporary transition of students during construction to St. Joseph the Worker (preschool through grade 1) and Resurrection (grades 2 through 5). Our St. Columbkille students will find a warm welcome during the 2024-2025 school year, and we are deeply grateful for the partnership and neighborly hospitality of these hosting parishes and schools. As a result, we’ll avoid day-to-day disruptions and provide an environment conducive to learning and growing in our faith. We know there will be many questions about the logistics of these transitions and we are confident we can address them as plans come together in the next few months.

Stay Informed

We invite you to attend one of our upcoming community meetings to be held in the St. Columbkille gymnasium:

Sunday, Oct. 22, at 11:30 a.m.
Monday, Oct. 23, at 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 26, at 1:00 p.m.

There, we’ll provide a preview of the building plans, welcome community questions and discuss campaign opportunities. Please join us!

As plans continue to develop and throughout the renovation, we'll keep families and staff updated through ParentSquare and our renovation updates page on the Holy Family website, where you’ll also find answers to frequently asked questions. Though we are still working through many of the details, you may always direct your inquiries to Principal Willman, Fr. Schatz, Fr. McDermott or me. You may also submit questions through the website.

Campaign Support

I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the tremendous momentum already underway for St. Columbkille’s $14 million Our Future in Christ campaign. In its earliest phase, the parish has secured more than $6.2 million in pledges – a resounding endorsement from the St. Columbkille community for this defining moment in its school’s history! As a project partner, Holy Family has pledged $5 million, leaving $2.8 million to be raised. Those who wish to contribute to the project may contact the parish office at 563-583-9117.

We truly look forward to embarking on this transformational journey with you!

Yours in Christ,

Phil Bormann, Holy Family Chief Administrator
Meredith Willman, St. Columbkille Principal

May 17, 2024 | St. Columbkille Important Times for 24-25 School Year

St. Columbkille Renovation Updates

As plans develop, and throughout the renovation process, this page will serve as a resource for construction updates and information.

Timeline & Upcoming Events:

Construction timeline: June 2024–August 2025

24-25 Temporary Site Schedules

Renovation Q&A

There are many more plans to be made, and we will continue to share additional information as developments occur and new information becomes available. If you have a question not addressed here, please submit it using the form below.

Click to Expand:

Temporary Transition Q&A

This section addresses questions related to the temporary relocation of St. Columbkille students to the Resurrection and St. Joseph the Worker campuses during construction in the 2024-2025 school year. We will continue to add information as plans are finalized.

Click to Expand:

Facilities-Related Communications:

Still have questions about the renovation?

Submit your question here and we'll be in touch. If your question is one others might also have, we'll post it here on the website.