Legacy of Love: From Student to Parent – ​​O’Gorman Graduate Gives Comprehensive Insights

This paid piece is sponsored by Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools.

By Mike Heineman, O’Gorman High School 1996 graduate and parent of a former student

Almost everything great in my life is connected in some way to Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools. I met my wife, Susie, at O’Gorman in the 1996 graduating class. I met many of my adult friends at O’Gorman. We have three children who I believe are prepared for life thanks to the teachers, priests and administrators at our schools. I am grateful for the impact O’Gorman has had on my life, so I want to make sure I help where I can so we can continue to have a positive impact on families.

When Father Rutten asked me to be St. Mary’s representative on the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools Board of Education, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it. After thinking and praying about it for a few days, I had to decide what was harder: spending hours in meetings for the next four to eight years of my life or saying “no” to Father Rutten – so I have been a member of the Board of Education for three years and I am so grateful for this opportunity. It has been a great experience for me. MI have had the chance to experience the dedication and loyalty of our teachers and school leaders. The opportunity to work with other people who love O’Gorman and understand the values ​​of our school system to ensure we continue to be successful in the future has been the most rewarding aspect for me.

Beautiful memories

One of the aspects I love about my experience at O’Gorman can be summed up by a recent parent-teacher meeting I attended. First, we sat down with Mr. Lindemann to talk about our boys’ math, then we moved on to U.S. history with Mr. Krier. Next, it was Mrs. Bradfield’s turn to talk about personal finance; and finally, we talked with our principal, Mrs. Mahoney. These are all teachers, coaches, and administrators who have been Susie and I went there. These are people I trust, Am familiar with, and I know how my children are taught and treated well because I a student in her classroom.

My fondest memory of O’Gorman happened before I took a class. It was at the freshman dance the summer before school started. I was sitting in the cafeteria leaning against a pole because dancing wasn’t always my thing. My buddy Ryan Martinson brought a girl over to introduce her to me and she said, “Hi, I’m Susie Baer.” Nine years later, Susie and I were married, and seven years after that, we sent our first child to a Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools kindergarten class at St. Mary Elementary.

Importance of mentoring

I am very grateful for the O’G experience my children have had. Our oldest son, Will, who graduated this spring, was a little lost as a freshman, looking for his “thing” to do in high school. One of the boys who HLucas Wagner, whom he knew from football, heard about it and invited Will to come to the weight room one day after school to lift weights. The coaches there changed his life. They gave him confidence and encouragement. The powerlifting coaches – Vinnie Olson, Nolan Cleary and Colin Fromelt – transformed Will from a quiet, insecure child into an outgoing, confident young man.

Our middle son, Zach, is a rising junior and soccer player. What I like most about the soccer team is how the older students bring the younger eighth graders, freshmen, and sophomores along with them.S under their wing. Transitioning to high school can be a very scary thing, but it was so important for Zach to have those older guys looking out for you and treating you like a peer and not a little kid. In his eighth grade year, Mason Fritz, then a senior, really set the tone for Zach about what it meant to be a part of the O’G football team. Wesley Zimprich looked after him his freshman year and Nick North was Zach’s mentor his sophomore year. I look forward to Zach continuing this great tradition of leadership now that he is a senior and influencing the next group of young players just like the older guys did for him.

Hannah just finished sixth grade at St. Mary Elementary. This fall, Susie and I will have no students at St. Mary for the first time in 15 years. My fondest memories of my children at St. Mary are definitely the school Masses: watching them serve at the altar, read the readings, or bring the offerings. They are fortunate to celebrate God with their friends and classmates, and that is truly a gift. When Hannah comes home and tells me how many siblings Father Doty has or where Father Rutten likes to eat, I am glad she is associated with the great priests at our schools.

Short appeal to the parents of our children at the schools

Today, with so many schools in Sioux Falls, parents have more choices about where to send their children for education, and many students make those decisions themselves. I know from my recent volunteer work that people learn about our Catholic schools primarily from our parishes and friends. My request to you is this: When you speak to parents whose children attend other schools and they inquire about O’G, please tell them why you are sending your children here and what you like about it. Offer to show them around, or invite them to a game or a visit with our admissions staff. Give them the opportunity to see what we all love about Bishop O’Gorman Catholic. SSchools.

If you are an O’Gorman graduate and have school-age children who are not in the system and are thinking about transferring, please contact the admissions office at [email protected] and you can connect with me there. I would love to talk to you about Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools and why we chose a Catholic education for our children!