News: St. Luke Parish & School Break Ground on Addition
November 18, 2020
St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic School and Parish will expand its physical footprint with a building addition to serve a growing student and parish population. Project plans include six new classrooms, a multipurpose meeting room, expanded parking, storage, and a storm shelter that will position the school and parish for continued growth in the booming Ankeny community. 
Funding for construction is provided through a capital campaign effort titled, Growing Together: Building in Faith. The total project cost is $3.5 million and to date, the St. Luke the Evangelist community has secured $3.2 million in pledged gifts and cash for the project. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Wednesday, October 27 to officially kick-off construction. The anticipated completion date for the project is July 30, 2021 - just in time for the new school year.
“This project has been a long time coming and we have had a number of iterations of the plans, but it is finally happening,” said Father Ken Halbur , Pastor of St. Luke the Evangelist Parish. “ It is a wonderful blessing for the parish to add classrooms, meeting rooms, and more storage space to accommodate our growth now and for years to come.”
St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic School, grew by more than 35 percent this past year - unprecedented growth for any private school. The key to this enrollment growth is likely connected to the educational continuity the school provided to families during these times of uncertainty. Last spring as schools across the state closed, Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools - including St. Luke the Evangelist - quickly implemented a high-quality interactive distance learning program for all students. Classes transitioned from a traditional synchronous model of education where students learn together at the same time, to an asynchronous model where students learn apart and independently through virtual distance learning facilitated through Learning Management Systems including Google Classroom and Seesaw.
“I am so excited to see our building expand, which will allow our school to continue to grow,” shared Misty Hade, school administrator. “This expansion provides more opportunities for the Ankeny community to join our school and parish and to be a part of the St. Luke the Evangelist family.”
The newest school in the Diocese of Des Moines, St. Luke the Evangelist, opened in 2015 to support the growing Ankeny community. Students in kindergarten - eighth grade receive an education rooted in Catholic values that provides a caring, creative and quality learning environment. To learn more or to inquire about enrollment opportunities, visit www.slte-school.org , or call 515-985-7074.
The Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools includes 16 schools in 23 counties in central and southwest Iowa. Catholic schools in the Des Moines Diocese build Christ-centered, collaborative, inclusive partnerships with parents, students, and parishes to provide innovative academic excellence and inspirational faith formation for students.
To learn about more Catholic schools in the Diocese of Des Moines, visit www.dmdiocese.org/catholic-schools or email schools@dmdiocese.org.