Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools

What Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools does

Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools is a unified non-profit PK-12 Catholic school system headquartered in Sioux City, Iowa, operating under the Diocese of Sioux City. The system serves approximately 1,700 students across five schools and nine buildings: one high school (Bishop Heelan Catholic High School, grades 9-12) and four elementary schools (Cathedral Dual Language Academy PK-5, Holy Cross School PK-8, Mater Dei School PK-8, Sacred Heart School PK-8). The system is anchored by four supporting parishes — Cathedral of the Epiphany, Holy Cross, Mater Dei, and Sacred Heart — with an additional parish in South Sioux City, Nebraska. Reported outcomes include a 90%+ college-going rate and student test scores consistently above local, state, and national averages.

The system's core academic differentiator is the Cathedral Dual Language Academy, a bilingual English/Spanish program built on four pillars (Catholic values, sociocultural competence, bilingualism and biliteracy, and academic excellence). Underlying technology infrastructure consists of commodity K-12 SaaS: Infinite Campus for student information and the parent portal, Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Classroom) plus a 1:1 Chromebook program for instructional delivery, Finalsite for the public website, TADS for financial-aid assessments, Odyssey for Iowa Education Savings Accounts (ESA) administration, and Blackbaud for fundraising. Enrollment is handled through an online registration process with a $100 non-refundable fee.

The business model is a non-profit tuition-and-donation hybrid. Primary revenue comes from annual tuition (with schedules segmented by Iowa vs. Nebraska/South Dakota residency and grade level), supplemented by Iowa ESA funding (approximately $7,988 per eligible student for 2025-26), Diocesan and merit-based scholarships administered via TADS, the Annual Fund and Gold Club giving programs, the Annual Heelan Auction, planned giving/endowments, and parish support. GTM is relationship-driven: a dedicated Director of Enrollment conducts personalized campus tours and shadow days, while parish partnerships and word-of-mouth drive top-of-funnel demand. Leadership includes President Dr. John Flanery, five campus principals, and a development office led by Director of Major Gifts Tom Betz (since 1999).

Name

Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools

Legal name

Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools

Website

https://bishopheelan.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools is a unified non-profit PK-12 Catholic school system in Sioux City, Iowa, serving approximately 1,700 students across five schools and nine buildings under the Diocese of Sioux City, with annual tuition, Iowa ESA funding, and parish-driven fundraising as primary revenue sources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Catholic Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

Keywords

• Catholic K-12 education
• Faith-based schools
• Private school system
• PK-12 education
• Dual language schooling

Headquarters

HQ city

Sioux City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments supporting strong academics, vibrant faith formation, dedicated educators, and nurturing environment. Tuition rates vary by residency status (Iowa vs Nebraska/South Dakota) and grade level.
2. Iowa Education Savings Accounts (ESA): State-funded education savings accounts providing approximately $7,988 per eligible student (2025-26 school year) for Iowa residents attending accredited nonpublic schools, administered through Odyssey.
3. Financial Assistance and Scholarships: Diocesan scholarships including Monsignor Lafferty Tuition Foundation (MLTF), local merit-based scholarships for high school students, and Our Lady of Guadalupe scholarships for Hispanic students. Administered through TADS financial aid assessment service.
4. Annual Fund and Donations: The Annual Fund supports operational expenses including staff salaries, classroom improvements, technology, and student programs. Gold Club supports athletics and music programs specifically.
5. Special Events and Auctions: Annual Heelan Auction is the largest fundraising event of the year, bringing together alumni, parents, and supporters for fellowship, entertainment, and auction bidding.
6. Planned Giving and Endowments: Heritage Society recognizes individuals who include Bishop Heelan in estate plans through wills, trusts, retirement accounts, or other planned gifts. Endowments support teacher salaries and Campus Ministry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools operates a unified PK-12 Catholic school system in Siouxland serving approximately 1,700 students across one high school (grades 9-12) and four elementary schools (PK-8) in nine buildings. The system delivers Christ-centered education combining rigorous academics, faith formation, competitive athletics, fine arts, and service opportunities, with a unique dual language English-Spanish program at Cathedral Dual Language Academy. Tuition, Iowa Education Savings Accounts, scholarships, and annual fundraising sustain the operation under the Diocese of Sioux City.

Product overview

Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools operates as a unified PK-12 Catholic school system with five distinct educational programs: one high school (Bishop Heelan Catholic High School for grades 9-12) and four elementary schools serving preschool through eighth grade (Cathedral Dual Language Academy offering English-Spanish bilingual education, Holy Cross School with dual campus structure, Mater Dei School with dual campus structure, and Sacred Heart School as a single-campus school). The system is supported by supplementary programs including Iowa Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) administered through Odyssey for tuition funding, tuition assistance and scholarship programs (including MLTF and merit scholarships), and annual giving programs (Annual Fund and Gold Club) that fund operational needs, athletics, and music programs. All schools share the four pillars of Faith, Family, Knowledge, and Service, providing consistent Catholic identity and academic expectations across the system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bishop Heelan Catholic High School Faith-filled Catholic high school serving students in grades 9-12, dedicated to forming students academically, spiritually, and personally through strong academics, competitive athletics, fine arts, leadership opportunities, and college, career, and life preparation.
• Cathedral Dual Language Academy Faith-centered Catholic school serving students from preschool through fifth grade with a unique bilingual education experience in both English and Spanish, built on four pillars: Catholic values, sociocultural competence, bilingualism and biliteracy, and academic excellence.
• Holy Cross School Faith-centered Catholic education for students from preschool through eighth grade, operating across two locations: St. Michael's (PK-2nd grade) and Blessed Sacrament (3rd-8th grade), with a nurturing environment rooted in academic excellence and Catholic values.
• Mater Dei School Catholic education for students from preschool through eighth grade, operating across two campuses: Immaculate Conception (PK-4th grade) and Nativity (5th-8th grade), with a focus on academic excellence, character development, and spiritual growth.
• Sacred Heart School Nurturing, faith-centered Catholic education for students from preschool through eighth grade at a single campus, providing strong academics, spiritual formation, and a close-knit community with consistent relationships from early childhood through middle school.
• Tuition Assistance Programs Financial assistance offerings including Monsignor Lafferty Tuition Foundation (MLTF) scholarships, Our Lady of Guadalupe Fund for Hispanic students, merit-based scholarships for high school students, and parish support partnerships, administered through TADS financial aid assessment.
• Annual Fund and Gold Club Annual giving programs supporting operational expenses including staff salaries, classroom improvements, technology, and student programs, with Gold Club specifically funding athletics and music programs including travel, uniforms, equipment, and coaching development.
• Scholarships Merit-based scholarship funds and tuition assistance established by alumni, parents, and friends to honor loved ones and help students attend Bishop Heelan High School, including the Monsignor Lafferty Tuition Foundation for tuition assistance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% of graduates attend college, most to four-year institutions
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Odyssey (ESA Program Administrator)coreTechnology or Integration · 24 January 2023State-contracted administrator for Iowa Education Savings Accounts (ESA) program, handling applications, financial transactions, compliance, fraud prevention, and customer service for families receiving ESA funding.
• Cathedral of the Epiphany ParishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary supporting parish with Fr. David Esquillano Diaz as Pastor. Includes Cathedral Church (1000 Douglas St.), St. Boniface Church (703 West 5th St.), and St. Joseph Church (1112 8th St.). Carla Kramper serves as Director of Operations.
• Holy Cross ParishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting parish with Fr. Randy Schon as Pastor. Operates St. Michael's location (PK-2nd grade) and Blessed Sacrament location (3rd-8th grade). Patty Kime serves as Business Director.
• Mater Dei ParishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting parish with Fr. Brad Pelzel as Pastor. Operates Immaculate Conception location (PK-4th grade) and Nativity location (5th-8th grade) with offices at 1212 Morningside Ave. and 4242 Natalia Way.
• Sacred Heart ParishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting parish with Fr. Tim Friedrichsen as Pastor. Located at 5000 Military Road. Jessica Taylor serves as Business Manager.
• St. Michael's Parish (South Sioux City, NE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting parish in South Sioux City, Nebraska with Fr. Matt Niggemeyer as Pastor. Located at 1414 3rd Ave.
• Diocese of Sioux CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBishop Heelan Catholic Schools is a Catholic school system within the Diocese of Sioux City. The Diocese oversees Catholic education and provides support through policies, resources, and the Monsignor Lafferty Tuition Foundation.
• TADS (Financial Aid Assessment Service)coreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party vendor for confidential financial need assessments for families. Used for Monsignor Lafferty Tuition Foundation eligibility and general tuition assistance applications.
• Infinite CampuscoreTechnology or IntegrationStudent information system used for parent/student portals, online registration (OLR), and academic records management across all BHCS schools.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Providence Academy: Catholic, coed PK-12 school in Plymouth, MN operating under a similar model (academics + Catholic identity + partner-parish ecosystem); comparable tuition/financial-aid structure and outcome-based positioning.
• Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart: Faith-based Catholic PK-12 (girls) school in Omaha, NE; same faith-based education model, same regional Iowan/Nebraskan catchment, comparable mix of parish and independent enrollment.
• Seton Catholic Schools: Regional Catholic PK-12 system operating with parish-school model; comparable tuition, parish pipeline, and advancement/fundraising activities to BHCS.
• Roncalli Catholic High School: Catholic 9-12 high school (part of the Bishop O'Gorman system but often referenced independently) in Sioux Falls, SD; closest direct competitor for high school market within a ~100-mile radius of Sioux City.
• Marquette University High School: Catholic, college-prep Jesuit 9-12 high school in Milwaukee, WI; similarly benchmarks outcomes against local/state/national averages, has strong alumni fundraising, and competes in the same Upper Midwest Catholic-school market.
• Holy Family Catholic Schools: Unified Catholic PK-12 system in Bellingham, WA; same multi-campus, diocesan-style architecture with elementary feeders feeding a high school, comparable tuition/financial-aid model.
• Xavier High School: Catholic 9-12 college-prep high school in Cedar Rapids, IA; comparable Iowa-based Catholic secondary school competing for the same Iowa ESA-funded families and college-bound demographic.
• Bishop O'Gorman Catholic Schools: Unified diocesan Catholic PK-12 school system in Sioux Falls, SD - essentially the same model, same Upper Midwest market, same diocesan governance structure as Bishop Heelan. Most directly comparable peer.

Emerging players

• Chesterton Academy of the Sacred Heart / Chesterton Academy Network: Growing network of smaller Catholic classical PK-12 schools; competes for the same faith-seeking Siouxland families with a distinct classical curriculum, and represents a strategic threat/inspiration for BHCS's classical or dual-language offerings.

Others

• Trinity Schools Consortium (sample member: Trinity School at Meadow View): Consortium of independent, non-parochial Christian PK-12 schools; competes with BHCS for families seeking values-based private education, particularly non-Catholic Christians in Siouxland who want an alternative to public schools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/BishopHeelanSch
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@bishopheelancatholic
• Facebookfacebook.com/BishopHeelan
• Instagraminstagram.com/bishopheelan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools