This is an artist’s rendering of the proposed west wing at Holy Trinity Catholic Elementary in West Point. A capital campaign kicked off in January.
By Lindsay Steele
The Catholic Messenger
(Update: Holy Trinity has reached the 60% threshold to begin construction, according to a March 24 update from Menke & Company.)
WEST POINT — Rapid growth after a school expansion has led Holy Trinity Catholic Elementary to build for the future once again.
The school recently embarked on a $6.3 million capital campaign to address a lack of classroom space for the student body, which has nearly doubled since the new elementary wing opened in 2019. “We are out of room and our elementary population continues to grow,” Holy Trinity shared on its Facebook page recently.
At the start of construction in 2018, about 300 students were enrolled in pre-k through 12th grade, according to campaign documents. The new, 210-student-capacity wing allowed all pre-k-through-sixth-grade students to study under the same roof for the first time in many years. That is no longer possible; about 300 students are now enrolled in pre-k through fifth-grade alone.
Principal Craig Huebner attributes the rapid growth to “a combination of things.” Former students, now with families of their own, have moved back to the area. Education Savings Accounts have removed the financial burden for many families. The new east wing has been a draw, as well. It’s “a nice, vibrant building with up-to-date technology and resources for the students,” he said.
To ensure that no student is turned away due to space, Holy Trinity moved its sixth-grade classes to the junior/senior high building in Fort Madison in 2024. Preschool, pre-k and daycare programs moved to the St. Mary of the Assumption parish center building next door.
The proposed west wing addition — “phase II” for short — will raise the school’s capacity to 402 students. The new structure will include new classrooms, expansion of early childhood and pre-k spaces, and dedicated art and music rooms for all students. Sixth-grade classes will remain in Fort Madison.
Four local parishes support Holy Trinity: St. John the Baptist-Houghton, St. James the Less-St. Paul, St. Mary of the Assumption-West Point and Holy Family-Fort Madison.
School officials and retired business owner Dennis Menke, who donated time, talent and treasure as volunteer chairperson of the east wing campaign, began researching and setting foundations for the new west wing about four years ago. That’s when the need for more space became particularly apparent, especially among younger grades, Huebner said.
Menke passed away in September. “His final dream, still in the planning process, was to see the completion of the second phase of construction of the Holy Trinity Catholic grade school in West Point,” his obituary read. Menke’s family and school officials stepped up “to make sure his vision of continued Catholic education in southeast Iowa (was) still happening, even though he’s not with us anymore,” Huebner said.
The campaign kicked off in January. Holy Trinity recently hosted three public forums to discuss the new project and offer residents the opportunity to gather information and ask questions. An ongoing series of posts on the school’s social media pages address frequently asked questions about the project.
Two vacant buildings on the west section of the property were demolished last month to make room for the addition, Huebner said. The school hopes to raise enough funds to break ground in May, and complete construction by the start of the 2027-28 school year.
Construction can begin once 60% of the funds are raised, per diocesan requirements, and Huebner said the school is on track to reach that goal. He is touched by the community’s support for the project, especially considering the recent east wing campaign and construction. “The outpouring of support fills your heart and lets you know that our mission of Catholic education in southeast Iowa is not just important to us, but to a lot of people in the area.”
