This lit cross with a ceiling of stars is in the main entrance of St Joan of Arc Catholic School.
By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
When developing the design of St. Joan of Arc Catholic School in Bettendorf, Mark Miller said he wanted it to “look and feel Catholic. Help people make the connection with their faith.” The project leader and architect at Bray Architects in Davenport added, “I think it was very successful.”
Discussion about a new school to replace Lourdes Catholic School in downtown Bettendorf began years ago, he said. The involvement of parishioners, staff and teachers was instrumental. They had a lot of input.” The original feasibility study provided ideas for what became the final design, Miller said. People’s input helped him to understand what they really wanted, along with financial parameters.
St. Joan of Arc, just shy of 80,000 square feet, is located south of Interstate 80 at the corner of Hopewell Avenue and Criswell Street in northeast Bettendorf.
Miller envisioned something “timeless and not so trendy. We wanted a design that would last for the ages.” Among the highlights of the new school: two 24-karat gold leaf crosses grace the exterior, inspired by the expansion of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport, which Miller helped design several years ago. “The crosses really stand out,” he said. Another highlight is the “learning stairs” in the commons area, which students sit on for formal and informal gatherings or learning experiences.
Mosaics, murals, crosses and verses from Scripture are prominent features across the campus. Crosses designed in tiles accent the walls near the drinking fountains. All who enter the main entryway will view a lit cross, suspended from the ceiling.
One of the murals features St. Joan of Arc. A statue of St. Carlo Acutis, the newest canonized saint — the Church’s first “millennial” saint — is located on the school’s second floor. St. Carlo, who died at age 15 in 2006, wears a backpack, holds a rosary and carries a prayer journal with a monstrance design on the front. He carries a cellphone in his pocket.
Miller gives much credit to Father Jason Crossen, then-pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Bettendorf, and Father Rich Adam, pastor of St. John Vianney and Our Lady of Lourdes parishes. They were “instrumental in the design and feel of the chapel,” he said.
“The designs of this school were well thought out,” Miller said. “And construction went super smooth — especially for this size of a building.”
