Why Choose SJCA?

Joleen Aberer and Kristi Rasmussen may not have a lot in common when it comes to their families in Catholic schools. 

Joleen, second-grade teacher at St. James School, and her husband, Mike, have seven children who all attended St. Joseph Catholic Academy. Their two youngest are currently at Bishop LeBlond High School, and they currently have four grandchildren who attend St. James. They have had children in the Academy for almost two decades. 

Kristi Rasmussen, director of Communications and Marketing for the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, and her husband, Paul, have one daughter, Katarina. She began attending St. Gianna Early Childhood Center and is currently in seventh grade at Cathedral. 

But they do share this in common: Both are very happy with their choice to send their children to the Academy. They appreciate the strong academics in a faith-based atmosphere, and both feel a strong sense of community within the schools. 

Joleen said she grew up attending Catholic schools in Omaha, Nebraska, and Mike attended two years at St. Patrick School in St. Joseph (now closed) before attending public school. 

When the time came to choose a school for their children, Joleen said they never really had a conversation about it. 

“It was just an assumption that we would send them to Catholic school,” she said. “Mike knew what he didn’t get growing up and he wanted it for his kids.” 

Kristi said she always figured they would send her daughter to public school, but they had such a great experience at St. Gianna’s that they decided to continue at Cathedral. 

Then her husband, who went to a Catholic church as a child but was not confirmed, had an interest in becoming Catholic and went through RCIA classes. “I wanted us all to be able to take Communion together, so I went through the classes the next year,” Kristi said. 

She said one experience when Katarina was in kindergarten cemented their decision about Catholic school education. 

“Before my mother passed, we used to talk on speaker phone every day on the way to school. Mom was talking about a friend of hers who was sick. A few minutes later I looked in the back seat and saw Katarina praying. When she was done I asked her what she was praying about and she said, ‘for Grandma’s friend to get better.’ As much as I’d like to say that was my great parenting skills, I think that was more Mrs. Supple’s (her kindergarten teacher’s) influence. It warmed my heart and is something I’ll never forget.”

Joleen remembers feeling a sense of belonging and validation of her and Mike’s decision from the moment she registered her oldest daughter for school at St. James. “A mom came up to me and gave me several uniforms, all clean and pressed. She saw that I had several daughters and knew I could use them. I know it seems like such a small thing, but I felt so welcomed,” Joleen said. “It was nice to immediately feel a part of the community, especially since I didn’t grow up here.”  

(She also noted that she had five girls go through Catholic schools and she only had to buy one uniform skirt. “Later, someone gave me skirts, so if I had waited two weeks, I wouldn’t have had to buy any,” she said with a laugh.) 

Joleen believes the relationships that her family formed with their children’s teachers is another great benefit of Catholic schools. “The teachers have helped us through the difficult times. It’s bigger than academics; the teachers really get to know the kids and their needs. No system is ever perfect, but when you are on this parenting ride with like-minded people, it really helps.” 

“Overall, I’m totally confident with our choice in sending our daughter to a Catholic school,” Kristi said. “The small class sizes are great and she knows all the teachers and administrators in the building. She’s known most of the kids in her class for so long, they feel like extended family. And she is exposed to God every day.”

Joleen had been teaching part time, but began teaching full time this academic year because all  full-time Academy teachers now receive free tuition for their children, no matter which Academy school their children attend and no matter where they teach. 

“Every day in the Catholic school, children are surrounded by people whose faith is important to them,” Joleen said. “Faith becomes more of the fiber of their lives rather than just a small part of it.” 

One of the most powerful ways SJCA grows is through the enthusiasm and recommendations of our current families. By sharing the many benefits of Catholic education, along with the scholarships and financial aid opportunities available, you can help others see that a Catholic education is an achievable and life-changing option for their family. Potential families can visit www.stjoecatholicacademy.com/tours to set up a tour!

Maximizing the Benefits of 529 Plans for Private School Tuition

Cristina Wiebelt-Smith

For families invested in providing a quality Catholic education, the cost of tuition is often a significant consideration. Fortunately, a powerful financial tool can make these expenses more manageable while offering tax benefits: the 529 plan.

What is a 529 Plan?

A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for future education expenses. While traditionally associated with college savings, federal tax laws now allow families to use 529 plans to pay for up to $10,000 per year per student in tuition for K-12 private schools, including Catholic elementary and high schools.

How Does it Work for Missouri residents?

Missouri families enjoy additional benefits when contributing to a 529 plan. Contributions to any 529 plan are tax-deductible on state income taxes—up to $8,000 per year for individuals or $16,000 for married couples filing jointly.

For example, if a married couple contributes $10,000 to a MOST 529 plan and uses $8,000 of that to pay for private school tuition, they will still receive a $10,000 deduction on their Missouri state taxes. It’s a simple yet impactful way to save on taxes while supporting your child’s Catholic education.

Contribution Limits

Although Missouri offers state tax deductions for contributions up to $8,000 (or $16,000 for married couples), you can contribute much more to a 529 plan. The lifetime contribution limit for a Missouri 529 plan is $550,000 per beneficiary. While you may not need to save that much for K-12 tuition, these plans are an excellent long-term savings vehicle if you plan to fund both private school and college expenses.

Benefits of Using a 529 Plan for K-12 Tuition

1. Tax-Free Growth: Any earnings in a 529 plan grow tax-free, meaning you won’t pay federal or state taxes on investment gains while the money is in the 529 plan. You also won't pay taxes when you take distributions to pay for qualified educational expenses, which includes K-12 tuition.

2. State Tax Deduction: Contributions reduce your Missouri taxable income, providing immediate tax savings.

3. Flexibility: Funds can be used for tuition at private elementary schools, high schools, and colleges, giving families the flexibility to plan for their child’s entire educational journey. Funds can also be transferred to another family member if one child doesn't need the money. 

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How to Get Started

If you’re new to 529 plans, opening an account is straightforward. You can visit Missouri’s MOST 529 website to create an account and set up automatic contributions. Even small, consistent contributions can add up over time and make a big difference in covering tuition costs.

Once you have a 529 plan, you can deposit the amount of your child's tuition in it to get the tax deduction. If you’ve already paid some of the tuition, you can reimburse yourself. If not, you can use it to pay the school. You can put the money in at any time during the year and reimburse yourself at any time.  

By leveraging the benefits of a 529 plan, our families can reduce the financial burden of tuition while ensuring their children receive the values-based education that Catholic schools provide.

For more information about using a 529 plan for Catholic school tuition, consult your financial advisor or CPA. For general questions, I'm happy to help as well. 

Cristina Wiebelt-Smith, CPA & Wealth Advisor 816-259-5060 cristina@gertsema.net

Festival of Arts Offers Valuable Student Experience

Before the written word was developed, our ancestors communicated with pictures, music and oral recitations to convey the important truths about their world to the next generation. Yet, with the advent of the written word, art and music continued, but the practice of recitations slowly diminished as people preferred the permanence of written communication.

However, for the second year in a row, the St. Joseph Catholic Academy revived the tradition of recitations at its Festival of Arts in March. In addition to over 500 fine arts projects and several musical selections including voice choirs, handbells and recorders, there were recitations of Bible verses, poems and prayers.

Teachers selected pieces for students in each grade level from kindergarten through high school. The three elementary schools collaborated, and each grade level performed the recitations together at the festival.

“The festival recitations are especially fun because it showcases skills that not all children learn at a young age,” said Natalie Newville, Academy president.

Krystyn Schmerbeck, director of the graduate programs in classical education at Benedictine College, said she was happy to see recitations added to the festival last year and continued this year. She said recitation and memorization are a large part of students developing a deeper understanding of the world around them.

“When they recite important works, the goal is to understand what they are reciting, not just memorizing it,” she said. “It also equips children with confidence in speaking.”

Krystyn noted that recitation also expands students’ vocabularies and develops their public speaking skills. Additionally, it helps students connect with their own experiences and stretches their abilities.

“It is a fundamental part of the curriculum for a Catholic liberal arts education,” she said.

Some of the festival recitations included “One Solitary Life,” Psalm 23, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, the Nicene Creed, Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and “Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue.”

“It takes a lot to memorize a recitation, and then get up on stage to recite it,” Natalie noted. “The students all worked so hard at it.”

Brianna Kostick, teacher at St. Francis Xavier School, had memorized the poem, “One Solitary Life” by James Allen Francis when she was a Catholic school eighth-grader. She remembered that the piece had an impact on her, and suggested it for the fifth-graders to perform at the festival. “It all came back quickly,” she said with a smile.

Brianna noted that the first step in the month-long preparation before the festival was to read the poem in class and discuss it so the students could understand it. Then they broke the poem up in sections, and students worked with a partner to recite it separately several times, then with their partner, and then as a class. Brianna also tested the students where they had to write out sections of the poem, and encouraged them to practice it at home.

“I told them they had to practice in front of an audience, whether that was a family member, a mirror or a dog.”

Brianna said she sees a lot of value in memorization and public recitations, but believes schools have gotten away from both, even since she started teaching 12 years ago. She is happy it has become an annual component of the Festival of Arts.

“It was great seeing the students so excited to share the recitation and their proud ‘lightbulb moments’,” Brianna said. “Some of them said they were nervous before they went on stage, so it was good for them to get out of their comfort zone for a moment.”

Dr. Karen Hopson, associate superintendent of schools for the diocese, said the first festival of arts in the spring of 2023 was created as a way to bring the entire Academy together for an event, but it did not include every student. The next year, she said, they wanted to include all students and decided that recitations would also be a valuable addition.

“The Festival of Arts was wonderful,” Natalie said. “I love seeing our entire student body and their parents come together for an Academy event. The students like doing projects with students from the other campuses, and it gives our community an opportunity to support our students in the arts.”