Kuemper Catholic Elementary School awarded a $15,000 grant to provide salary assistance to hire an additional para-professional for the upcoming school year. This funding provided by the FIRE Foundation of Northwest Iowa is awarded to Catholic schools to offer more educational resources and fundraising and promote a culture of belonging with the inclusion of students with disabilities. Kuemper Catholic currently services 70 kindergarten through sixth-grade students with special education or resource teachers. Elementary Principal Kathi Milligan says that with the funding of the FIRE Foundation, Kuemper could assist a student with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) inclusion within the regular classroom setting. The parochial school will now look to hire a para-professional to be with the student, providing one-on-one assistance as needed and allowing them to participate alongside their classmates actively. FIRE Foundation of Northwest Iowa’s Board President, Dr. Ryan Allen, says, “Kuemper Catholic School has a strong partnership with the Carroll Community School District and Area Education Agency. We are honored to assist Kuemper Catholic Elementary School in their mission of serving students with disabilities so they can achieve their academic goals, grow spiritually, participate in the Sacraments, and create lasting friendships and relationships with their peers.”
