Platform for Excellence: Inspiring Spaces focuses on visionary projects that will shape the future of facilities and programming at our flagship Central Campus. With the continued support of our Golden Eagle community, Holy Family will continue to be the school system of choice in the tri-state area.

How We Got Here | A Brief History

Holy Family Catholic Schools is built on a strong foundation of visionary leadership and a deep commitment to Catholic education in Dubuque. Since our formation in 2001, our mission – forming disciples of Jesus Christ through Catholic educational excellence – has strengthened and revitalized the Catholic school experience for generations of tri-state area students.

In 2006, the Building on Faith campaign led to the creation of Mazzuchelli Catholic Middle School, establishing a central hub for our secondary schools on the Wahlert Catholic High School campus.

A decade later, the Soaring campaign, launched in 2016, brought long-overdue revitalization to Wahlert’s academic facilities, originally built in 1959. This effort modernized our high school to match the quality and innovation of its middle school counterpart.

In 2020, the launch of Platform for Excellence envisioned a bold new future – delivering beautiful, engaging learning environments for all students in preschool through grade 12. Through this first phase, we embarked on a comprehensive elementary facilities plan and established endowments to support academic excellence, competitive teacher pay and benefits, and scholarships to protect educational choice.

Now, with updated facilities across our elementary schools, strong programming, and a growing student body, we again turn our focus to the heart of our system: our flagship Central Campus.

Phase II – Platform for Excellence: Inspiring Spaces – will transform the student experience through the creation of:

A premier auditorium for worship and performing arts
Future-forward academic spaces for hands-on learning in emerging fields like AI, robotics, and healthcare exploration
Competition-ready athletic facilities

With your continued support, Holy Family is poised as the premier school system of choice in the tri-states, offering an inspiring environment where students grow in faith, knowledge and purpose.

Our Campaign Goal

$30 Million by 2030

MAKE YOUR PLEDGE TODAY!

Tier 1 Goal: $25 Million

Faith and Fine Arts Auditorium
Future-Forward Classroom Renovations
8-Lane Track and Turf Field
Excavation for Athletics Facilities Plan
OAC Auxiliary Gym Renovation

Sample image based on similar project.

Tier 2 Goal: $27.5 Million

Rebuilding fields and courts
Expanded parking
Recording studio
Maker Space Equipment

Conceptual preview

Tier 3: $30 Million

Premium auditorium upgrades, including projector, AV and lights
Stadium features, including lighting, bleachers and press boxes for competition events
Centralized permanent concession stand
Weight room and cardio facility expansion

Conceptual dynamic preview

How will my support make an impact?

Inspiring Spaces aims to facilitate transformative projects that will enhance the educational experience for every Holy Family student today and for generations to come.

A Deeper Look At Our Central Campus Facilities Plan

Faith and Fine Arts Auditorium Future-Forward Academics Outdoor Athletic & Activity Complex Indoor Training Facilities

Faith and Fine Arts Auditorium

A 750-seat auditorium will become the epicenter of activity on Central Campus – a welcoming, multi-use facility, designed to host school liturgies, performing arts, and large community gatherings.

What was once a visionary idea is now a key priority. The talents of our Golden Eagles – on stage, in the classroom, and across our school community – deserve a venue that honors their tradition of excellence. This addition will elevate the student experience, enrich our fine arts programming, and strengthen community connection.

The auditorium will showcase Holy Family’s growing commitment to the arts, supporting orchestra, band, choir, show choir and theater. It will also provide a reverent setting for school Masses and a welcoming space for ceremonies, guest speakers, student showcases, workshops, professional development and more.

More than a building, this auditorium is an investment in student formation, culture and community. With your support, it will become the heart of our flagship campus – a place where faith and creativity come to life.

Future-Forward Academics

Holy Family is advancing a visionary academic facility plan at Central Campus – reimagining existing space while adding capacity to accommodate growth, support hands-on learning, and empower students to excel in an ever-changing world.

At the heart of campus, we will create a dynamic hub for future-forward academic exploration, where students are empowered to engineer, program, produce and problem-solve through hands-on exploration in AI, robotics and healthcare.

The innovation center will be a hub for community partnerships, workshops, seminars and robotics competitions, fostering a vibrant ecosystem for real-world learning, creativity, and next-generation technology curriculum.

The healthcare exploration space will include a functioning physical therapy lab – doubling as an athletic recovery room – to provide hands-on experience in biological sciences. Students will access specialized coursework, including introductory medical certifications, giving them a strong foundation in critical healthcare fields.

By investing in these facilities, we’re not only addressing enrollment growth – we’re cultivating a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and academic excellence that prepares students for meaningful success in an evolving world.

Outdoor Athletic & Activity Complex

A historic transformation of our outdoor athletic complex will give our Golden Eagle student-athletes and performing artists the top-tier facilities they deserve. This investment honors our tradition of excellence – not only in athletics, but in marching band, color guard, cheer, dance and our growing youth programming. The current track has exceeded its lifespan and is beyond repair. Through your support of Inspiring Spaces, we’ll reshape the landscape of Central Campus to serve as a true home for Golden Eagle competition and school spirit.

Key upgrades will include:

A new eight-lane competition track
Upgraded turf field
Varsity-level competition venues for track & field, football, soccer, baseball, softball and tennis
Permanent concessions, stadium lighting, accessible parking and expanded spectator seating

High-quality facilities will give student-athletes a competitive edge, attract coaching talent, and nurture our deep sense of school pride. These improvements will allow Holy Family to bring our Golden Eagles home to compete on campus, creating memorable experiences for students, families, alumni and the wider community.

Indoor Training Facilities

Holy Family will revitalize indoor athletic facilities to support year-round training and development for student-athletes.

A key area of focus is the renovation of Wahlert’s OAC auxiliary gym, which will be refreshed with branded wood flooring, modern lighting, and other high-quality finishes to create a welcoming and functional training and supplementary competition space.

Additionally, expanded weightlifting and cardio facilities will offer students improved access to strength and conditioning resources – ensuring every Golden Eagle is equipped to perform at their best, in every season.

Discerning Your Campaign Gift

How Much Can I Afford to Pledge?

While every act of charity represents a uniquely motivated and prayerful decision, considering your gift amount as a percentage of your annual household earnings and overall charitable giving can be a helpful approach to budgeting your five-year campaign contribution. Consider pledging one percent of your annual earnings each year for the course of the five-year campaign.

As an example: A family with a household income of $200,000 might consider a gift of $2,000 per year for a total gift of $10,000 in five years. Use the calculator on the right to help determine a pledge that fits your budget.

Your Annual Income

Suggested Contribution

1% Annual Pledge:
Total gift over five years:

Gift Clubs

Club Name	Gift Range	Club Name	Gift Range
Platform	$5 - $999	Advocate	$50,000 - $99,999
Patron	$1,000 - $2,499	Catalyst	$100,000 – $249,999
Friend	$2,500 - $4,999	Eagle	$250,000 – $499,999
Guardian	$5,000 – $9,999	Golden Eagle	$500,000 – $999,999
Diplomat	$10,000 – $24,999	Excellence	$1 million or more
Ambassador	$25,000 – $49,999

Ways to Give

Achieving this incredible campaign vision will take a whole-community effort. Please join us in this historic moment, knowing every contribution brings us closer to our goal!

Cash, check or EFT
Securities – stocks, bonds and mutual funds
Real estate

Gifts of grain or livestock
Life insurance
Company match

Consider making a commemorative gift to honor a loved one or someone who has made an impact in your life.

I'd Like to Make a Pledge!

Please submit the form below, and a campaign representative will be in contact with you.

Our Sincere Thanks

To those who have pledged their support:

To Our Campaign Leadership:

CAMPAIGN CHAIRS

Greg ‘76 and Connie (Moes) ‘76 Burbach

HOLY FAMILY LEADERSHIP

Kevin Mullen '94, School Board Chair
Phil Bormann, Chief Administrator
Bob Noel ‘95, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement

CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEERS

Ryan '05 and Raquel Burbach
Debi and Andrew Butler
CJ '69 and Mary Ann Gantz
Brian '75 and Kathleen (Fleming) '75 Kane
Scott and Emily (May) '02 McGuire
Mike '71 and Sally Portzen
Kevin and Valorie (Vance) '78 Schmitt
Mark and Sara Roling
Katie and Andrew Thomas
Kim and Thomas Timp
Michael '94 and Carrie (Wertz) '96 Welbes

Would you like to learn more?

We hope you'll consider joining us in this historic effort. Please reach out to schedule a personal meeting or phone call to discuss how your charitable efforts might align with our vision, and learn about other opportunities to support the campaign.