News & Events – St. Ignatius of Loyola School

A remarkable team of eighth graders at St. Ignatius of Loyola School has taken a meaningful step to support the mental wellness of their peers. Their dedication culminated in a successful grant proposal, which enabled the school to create personalized mental health wellness kits for every student in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades—approximately 360 kits, each individually decorated with the student’s name.

Each wellness kit includes thoughtful items such as a sensory sticker, fidget toys, a rosary ring, and a personalized note, all designed to promote mental well-being. This initiative was made possible through a partnership with bi3, Interact for Health, @HopefulEmpoweredYouth, and The Joe Burrow Foundation. St. Ignatius was one of 83 local schools awarded grants of up to $1,000.

“There’s no better way to encourage positive mental wellness in middle school students than through middle school students themselves. This was a brand new initiative for our school, so as the trail was being blazed, the core team of students didn’t hesitate to think creatively. It was a beautiful reminder that there truly is power in numbers, and this power can be utilized to create positive change in entire school cultures, for good,” said Ms. Van Berkel, school counselor.

What began as a small team of seven eighth graders grew to over 15 current students and two alumni, all dedicated to personalizing each mental health kit. This project not only fosters a sense of community but also allows students to develop team-building and leadership skills while encouraging them to think beyond themselves.

Our students emphasize that support is always available, whether through friends, family, teachers, or mental health resources. You are never alone.

Congratulations to our second grade teacher Ms. Stephanie Schoenfeld. She is the Warm 98 Teacher of the Week for the week of March 3, 2025.

We are so proud of her and not at all surprised! She is such a gift to her students and our school. We are so blessed at St. I’s and truly have the BEST teachers.

Check out Ms. Schoenfeld’s reaction when she heard the news!

Ms. Schoenfeld received a gift package from Mortenson Family Dental and Once Upon A Child. Plus, she is a finalist to join Amanda and other teachers on a dream vacation at Sunseeker Resorts Charlotte Harbor, Florida this summer!

Congratulations to the 2025 Bible Bowl Champions – our very own St. Ignatius team! Congrats to Parker B., Ryan H., Beckett N., Nate R., Eli S., and Olivia S. coached by Mrs. Bender.

Thanks to all of the 6th grade participants and their coaches from Our Lady of the Visitation, St. Bernard, St. Ignatius, St. James, St. Jude, and St. Michael Schools; as well as the many St. Ignatius staff members that volunteered time at the event.

Special thanks to our Corporate Sponsors: LaRosa’s Pizzeria, Supreme Nut and Candy, Knights of Columbus – LaSalle Council 5621, Skyline – Monfort Heights, The Place, Trinity Church Supply Company, Dr. John Rewwer DDS, White Oak Coffee House, Roosters – Western Hills.

Each year, we honor one of our alumni who exemplifies the spirit of St. Ignatius of Loyola parish and school. This year, we are proud to award Mrs. Gina Kling Menninger, a 1998 graduate.

If it seems like you see Mrs. Menninger everywhere, you probably do! She works a full time job as the Trauma Prevention and Outreach Coordinator for UC Health, coaches her boys’ soccer teams, gives CPR lessons in the community or at school during the Health & Safety Fair, coordinates the Holiday Stop N Shop, serves as a Eucharistic minister, coordinates a toy drive for Cincinnati Children’s that brings in about 1500 toys, volunteers with the Whitney/Strong Foundation that focuses on ending gun violence, serves as a board member of the Congenital Heart Alliance of Cincinnati, and captains a team for the American Heart Association – and I truly could go on…

But why does she do so much? Part of that started here at St. Ignatius. This school helped her to build the qualities and find her passions, giving her the opportunity to explore so many ways to develop her faith, academics, and service to others.

Our Distinguished Alumni are chosen as examples of living out one or more of the core values of St. Ignatius. Many of the values speak to Mrs. Menninger, but she identifies most with the core value of Cultivating Community. She takes pride in her ability to to be an integral part of the community. Even in ways that you wouldn’t think of – like keeping up the appearance of the entrance to her neighborhood. She says, “I have developed a sense of responsibility to help grow our community, to make it better, to make it stronger, to make it welcoming and to make it a team.”

As a mom to three students at school, she sees the school continuing to encourage students to be better in every way, by supporting and encouraging all of us to achieve one’s maximum potential.

Thank you Mrs. Menninger for being such a dedicated servant to our school, parish, and the Cincinnati community. You remind us that each day is an opportunity to do what is right and serve others.

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St. Ignatius is the 2024 Bible Bowl Champion! Five schools participated in the 26th annual Bible Bowl hosted by St. Ignatius of Loyola School. Sixth graders from Our Lady of Visitation, St. James, St. Jude, St. Bernard and St. I’s competed on Jan 11.

This year was even more special as Fr. Bolte, the founder of the Bible Bowl, served as one of the moderators for the first time in many years.

The goal is to encourage and stimulate an understanding of the Bible. Students were selected based on competitions at their own respective schools. A faculty advisor at each school helped prepare the students for several weeks prior to the event. Mrs. Val Bender served as the St. I’s coach.

All schools competed twice, once in a qualifying round and then again in a final round. Each first place team in the qualifying round competed for the Fr. Bolte Bible Bowl Championship trophy.

Many thanks to the pastors, principals, parents, and teachers for their help and support in making this Bible Bowl Competition a success.

Thank you to the following event sponsors: LaRosa’s, Trinity Catholic Bookstore, Skyline, The Place, Roosters- Western Hills, Dr. John Rewwer DDS, Supreme Nut and Candy, the Knights of Columbus-LaSalle Council, and St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish.

Each year, we honor one of our alumni who exemplifies the spirit of St. Ignatius of Loyola parish and school. This year, we are proud to award Mr. Lou Eichhold, a 1989 graduate.

Mr. Eichhold has dedicated his life to education and shepherding the academic and spiritual growth of young students. Upon graduation from Mount St. Joseph with an elementary education degree, he taught in the Southwest School District and several years later moved to administration in the Oak Hills District.

Then God called. A position opened at Our Lady of Visitation, but this move would involve sacrifices. He vividly remembers a rough Sunday morning, the kind when it was a miracle his family made it to Mass. But Fr. Pete St. George, the then pastor of St. Ignatius, welcomed the congregation by celebrating the Feast Day of the Visitation. There was the answer – Mr. Eichhold found his home in Catholic education.

His journey continued to St. Jude where he spent 12 years as the principal. This is his first year as principal at his alma mater, LaSalle High School. He continues to be a parishioner at St. I’s with his wife Nicki, and is the proud father of three graduates Kate: ’10, Lou: ’13, and Jack ’18. He continues to serve his parish and community being a retreat leader, serving on the board of LaSalle, and received the Lasalle Alumni Service Award in 2011.

Our Distinguished Alumni are chosen as examples of living out one or more of the core values of St. Ignatius. Several of the values speak to Mr. Eichhold especially The Centrality of God and the Catholic Faith as a leader of faith at LaSalle. Mr. Eichhold said, “Our faith is the reason why we do what we do; it’s not just because we’re good people, it’s because we are Christlike.”

He reflected on his time as a student here at St. Ignatius. The truth is, he was challenged. He struggled and was not the model student. Yet, he is grateful for his teachers who held him accountable, especially Mrs. Koch. She was his toughest teacher and also the one who had the highest expectations for him.

Thank you Mr. Eichhold for being a strong example to our students. You remind us that despite the daily struggles, we are each one of God’s children. We are the body of Christ.

All applications submitted to the school office have been processed and submitted to the State of Ohio. We are waiting for the State to approve the submissions. You may check your status by logging into your account, Income Verification and hovering over EDChoice Exp next to the student’s name. Most families who have submitted the EDChoice application will be receiving some scholarship amount. If you look at the chart, you should be able to determine the amount of your scholarship.

Many families have been receiving “Acceptance” forms from ODE. Please fill it out, sign, date and return to Patty Thomas via email or paper copy. Please note that a student will not receive more than our tuition amount, even though the Acceptance form may show a higher amount. Also, it is a lengthy process for ODE to Award these scholarships, and is usually a 4-6 week time period, especially if a family submitted applications in late August or September. If you have not received one yet, please continue to be patient.

After families have been “Accepted”, the parish office will be notified of scholarship amounts. You may continue to receive statements every month until tuition is paid in full. EdChoice checks will come monthly through next June, but if you will be receiving the full tuition scholarship, you do not need to make any payments. Monthly EdChoice checks will be made payable to both St. Ignatius School and the primary guardian. If you would like to avoid the inconvenience of coming in each month to sign these checks, you are welcome to sign the waiver and return to Patty Thomas so that we can just deposit them.

Parents are welcome to go into their ODE account to check status of their students’ applications and other important information.

TUITION ASSISTANCE

If you will not be receiving the EdChoice Scholarship because your child is receiving another state scholarship, (ie. Peterson, Autism, etc,) or you live outside of the state of Ohio, we highly encourage you to apply for tuition assistance. In order to do this, you must create an account and register through FACTS: FACTS log in. Even if you have applied in the past, I encourage you to do so again, as we are finding ways to disperse money to our families who are not eligible for Ed Choice this year.

Update: Please submit ALL required information, including the request form and a utility bill to St. Ignatius by Friday, September 1. Although the state deadline is October 15, this September deadline helps us to better handle the volume of applications. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

As primary educators, parents should have the ability to choose a school that best fits the academic and spiritual needs of their children. We are honored that you’ve chosen St. Ignatius for your child(ren). We know that a St. Ignatius education is an investment and a sacrifice for many. With the generosity of our donors and the help from the parish subsidy, we do our best to make this financially possible. Another way we are able to do this by accepting tuition grants paid by the state of Ohio as part of the Ohio Educational (EdChoice) Scholarship Program. Ohio established this parental choice scholarship many years ago, and it has significantly impacted our families. Ohio legislators have been looking to expand the program and Governor DeWine signed a bill that expands EdChoice to include ALL OHIO FAMILIES. The EdChoice Program is only available to students who live in the state of Ohio and are also not accepting any other state scholarship (i.e. Jon Peterson).

We would encourage all those who are able to apply for the Ohio EdChoice Scholarship to do so. For those who are unable to apply (those who live out of state or are receiving the Jon Peterson Scholarship) and may need financial assistance, I encourage you to check out other financial aid options through both the archdiocese and the parish https://catholicbestchoice.org/affordability#cef. While the state is accepting EdChoice applications for the current school year until October 14, 2023, I encourage you to get your application in as soon as possible.

Many questions still remain about the nature of EdChoice and how it may affect each family and their household situation. In consultation with finance and Father Tom, we have decided that we will not change the tuition scale for the 23-24 school year. Moving forward, we will work toward best implementing EdChoice, and will carefully evaluate what steps we may need to take in order to do so. We are mindful of how this may impact our families in a variety of different ways. We will continue to make all decisions based on what is best for our parish and parish school. Thank you for your support, patience and prayers as we navigate this new system together!

EdChoice TRADITIONAL (based on school district of residence)

EdChoice Traditional Fact Sheet

● The EdChoice Scholarship amount is currently $6,165 for grades K-8. EdChoice will pay either the scholarship amount or the private school’s actual tuition amount, whichever is less.
● Applications submitted on or before October 14, 2023, will be awarded the full amount of the scholarship. Applications submitted after October 14, 2023, will be awarded at a prorated amount based on how much of the school year remains after the date of the student’s enrollment in the private school.

EdChoice EXPANSION Scholarship (income-based)
EdChoice Expansion Fact Sheet

● The EdChoice Expansion program eligibility has been expanded. If a family’s household income is at or below 450 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, they will be awarded the maximum scholarship amount. If a family’s household income is at or above 451 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, the student’s scholarship award will be prorated to reflect the totals outlined by the State of Ohio EdChoice Expansion Income Eligibility Requirements.
● Applications submitted on or before October 14, 2023, will be awarded the full amount the student is eligible to receive based on the household’s federal poverty level. Applications submitted after October 14, 2023, will be awarded at a prorated amount based on how much of the school year remains after the date of the student’s enrollment in the private school.

The Ohio EdChoice application process is NOW OPEN

APPLY NOW

1. Visit Ohio EdChoice website and learn about the steps to apply.
2. Families interested in receiving the EdChoice scholarships must
complete a Scholarship Request Form and return that, along with your
proof of current address and child’s birth certificate, (if they are a current
St I student we likely have this in their fie already) to Ms. Patty Thomas
in the school office.
3. St. Ignatius will submit all student applications to the state of Ohio
through the secure online application system.
4. If you are applying for EdCHoice Expansion, you will need to also fill out the “income verification.” In order to start this process you must have an OH/ID. How to create an OH/ID.
5. The State of Ohio will notify families of awards.

The State of Ohio opened the online application system on Monday, July 17, 2023, at 8:00 am for schools to submit student applications. The system will remain open until June 30, 2024.

Questions? Please contact Ms. Patty Thomas at pthomas@saintischool.org.

Congratulations to our 8th grade team for taking first place at the Academic Bowl sponsored by Lasalle High School! We’re thrilled for these hard working students.

Congrats to Ryan D., Will L, Nicholas P., Nick L., Dominic B. and Ava P! Special thanks to Mrs. Conneighton and Ms. Bojarski for guiding the team to victory.

Registration is open! The 2nd annual Iggy 5k, presented by Roger Bacon High School, will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2023, at 5:30pm. The event consists of the 5k, the Kids Dash and an after party.

Over 200 runners participated last year with the course on St. Ignatius of Loyola’s campus. Children and families raved about the Kids Dash, sponsored by Elder High School and Haverkos Family Orthodontics, with a start and finish line just for them, medals for each participant and other fun surprises. Afterward, the community gathered for fellowship, bonfires, medal ceremony, food and fun.

Not quite ready for a 5K? The Iggy 5k couch to 5k training program will be offered again this year! The 8 week 5k training program will begin on Tuesday, August 15th and will be held every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 6:00-7:00 pm. Please contact krewwer@sainti.org for more details or to sign up.

The Iggy 5k is an opportunity for current families and parishioners to connect, and for past parishioners and school alumni to reunite with the St. Ignatius community. The 5K also brings St. Ignatius into the surrounding neighborhood, inviting friends in Green Township and beyond to join the fun, while also raising money to support student and parish activities.

We need your help and participation! Sponsors, volunteers, runners, and walkers are needed. Check out the Sponsorship Levels. Many thanks to our sponsors including Roger Bacon High School, Elder High School, Haverkos Family Orthodontics, LaSalle High School, Seton High School, Dr. E John Rewwer, DDS, Mercy McAuley High School, Marco’s Pizza, Queen City Running, Mr. Label and Q102.

For more information about sponsorship opportunities or questions about ways to get involved, please contact: Iggy5K@saintischool.org

Two St. Ignatius of Loyola student artists currently have artwork displayed in exhibitions sponsored by the Ohio Art Education Association (OAEA) at the King Arts Complex in Columbus, Ohio.

Congratulations to fourth grader Beckett N. who has a paper collage displayed in the Young People’s Art Exhibit (YPAE), and to fifth grader Camryn P. who has a fabric artwork displayed in the Youth Art Month Exhibit (YAM).

The OAEA sponsors the annual exhibitions every March, which is recognized as Youth Art Month, to celebrate and honor K-8 student art throughout the state of Ohio. Less than 100 artworks were chosen by K-12 students across the state of Ohio for each of these exhibits. The artwork will be on display until March 18.

Beckett’s collage was inspired by the artwork of Cincinnati artist Charley Harper. After studying Harper’s artwork, Beckett created a cut paper collage depicting a blue jay.

Camryn’s fabric artwork was inspired by South American arpilleras. After learning about the history of arpilleras, and seeing the methods and materials used to make these artworks, Camryn created a “family portrait” scene using fabric, thread, yarn, pom-poms, and produce netting.

“Having their artworks included in these statewide exhibits is great recognition of their artistic achievement,” said Mrs. Kate Mills, St. Ignatius art teacher.

We are proud of you Beckett and Camryn!

Beckett’s collage was inspired by the artwork of Cincinnati artist Charley Harper. After studying Harper’s artwork, Beckett created a cut paper collage depicting a blue jay.

Camryn’s fabric artwork was inspired by South American arpilleras. After learning about the history of arpilleras, and seeing the methods and materials used to make these artworks, Camryn created a “family portrait” scene using fabric, thread, yarn, pom-poms, and produce netting.

We are extremely proud to announce that the 116 students in the Class of 2023 have collectively earned 3.2 million dollars in high school scholarships!

Each November, all 8th graders who are interested in attending one of our Catholic high schools take the High School Placement Test for placement in classes and scholarships.

High schools review the results from these tests along with essay applications, teacher recommendations, grades, leadership and volunteer activities to award students with scholarships.

“We are elated and proud of the Class of 2023 and celebrate their vast accomplishments! It’s also important to acknowledge the over 100 staff members who work with our students, challenging them to be the best version of themselves by utilizing their God-given talents,” said Mr. Vance, principal.

We will continue to track these scholarships as the families share the information with us.

by: Marlee Tuskes

Posted: Jan 14, 2023 / 08:44 AM EST

Updated: Jan 14, 2023 / 08:44 AM EST

Hundreds of miles away from Buffalo, students at St. Ignatius of Loyola School in Cincinnati were watching the Monday Night Football game when Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest.

“It had to have been so hard for them to see this happen, these kids that play sports. Here in Cincinnati, you’ve got Damar Hamlin and Josh Allen and we talked to them like, ‘what if that was Joe Burrow? What if that was Tee Higgins? What if that was Ja’Marr Chase?’” said Matt Meyer, a science teacher at St. Ignatius.

Read full article

St. Ignatius of Loyola is proud to announce we will receive a grant for $100,000, the maximum amount. More than 700 schools in the state of Ohio will receive a State of Ohio Safety and Security grant. Over 2000 schools applied for this opportunity to improve safety and security of our campus and building while students are present.

As a part of the application process, schools had to be assessed through a safety and security audit that was conducted in August. Items identified from the audit can be remediated through the use of the grant funds. School administration will work with the School Committee, Maintenance and the Principal Advisory Committee to set priorities for this grant.

To learn more, read the full story here: Cincinnati Enquirer.

Nick, Geograph Bee Champion & Will, Spelling Bee Champion

Congrats to the dynamic duo, brothers Will and Nick L.! Will took first place in the school Spelling Bee and Nick won the school Geography Bee. Over 40 students competed in the annual St. Ignatius Spelling Bee and Geography Bees this month. Language arts teachers for grades 4th – 8th organized “classroom bees” to determine which students will represent that class in the school wide competition.

Will will take the Spelling Bee online test in January, and if he qualifies, he will participate in the WCPO Regional Spelling Bee. The Bee is an opportunity for students “to compete and perform in public, often boosting their self-confidence,” said Mr. Donoghue, Bee coordinator.

The Geography Bee gives students an opportunity to showcase their global knowledge. It’s a unique skill set and there are limited opportunities to share this knowledge. “The Bee is a chance to shine light on the fact that Geography is still an important and necessary topic for students,” said Mr. Edge, social studies teacher.

Congrats to all students who participated!

Check out the latest issue of the Alumni and Friends Newsletter!

Thank you so much St Ignatius of Loyola School’s outreach project supported our Mary Garden Shower Ministry! Several baby showers are hosted throughout the year for mothers in need. Students helped provide baby essentials from their registries, food and decorations to make the showers a beautiful and special event. We were also able to donate diapers to Pregnancy Center West!

Thank you also to all of the students who created beautiful baby shower cards for our most recent baby shower recipient, Alivia. These heartfelt notes were truly appreciated.

Mary Garden Shower Ministry is a way that our parish serves families in need. MGS is truly an entire parish ministry; everyone is invited to attend the showers to celebrate the mom, pray with her, and provide needed gifts from her registry. Being present to these women can be just as great of a gift as a material gift, and is a way to evangelize and share Christ’s love. Find more info about the ministry here.

National Merit Scholarship Recognizes St. Ignatius Alums

St. Ignatius Loyola School is proud of our alumni recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for the 2022-2023 school year.

The following alums are Semifinalists:

Lindsay Woodard (Mercy McAuley)
Isaiah Roman (Lasalle)

The following St. Ignatius graduates are Commended:

Brooke Hube (Mercy McAuley)
Eric Kabitsch (St. Xavier)
Nolan Hines (St. Xavier)
Luke Weintz (St. Xavier)
Hana Winchester (St. Ursula Academy)

“It is with great pride that we acknowledge these student leaders and their accomplishment of being recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program. The rigorous education and spiritual formation they received at Saint Ignatius School serves as a foundation for all future learning and accomplishment. We look forward to their many future accomplishments, contributions to the community and in the Catholic Church,” said Kevin Vance, principal of St. Ignatius Loyola School.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and college scholarships. There are 34,000 commended students across the nation and 16,000 Semifinalists.

Save the Date!

The 1st annual Iggy 5K will be held on Saturday, October 1, 2022, at 6:30pm, celebrating St. Ignatius of Loyola School’s 75th Anniversary. The event is an opportunity for current families and parishioners to connect, and for past parishioners and school alumni to reunite with the St. Ignatius community. The 5K also brings St. Ignatius into the surrounding neighborhood, inviting friends in Green Township and beyond to join the fun, while also raising money to enhance educational opportunities for St. Ignatius students.

The Iggy 5K Committee includes Molly Edge, Andy Schwartz, Kate Rewwer, Megan Mears, Liz Schurrer, Jill Weber, and Melanie Crowe. We need your help! Sponsors, volunteers, runners, and walkers are needed. Please save the date and watch for sponsorship, volunteer signups and registration details in future communications.

Proceeds from the Iggy 5K will support St. Ignatius School’s focus on the whole child, recognizing the importance of not only the spiritual, intellectual, academic, and physical development of each student, but also their emotional, moral, artistic, and social development as well. This comprehensive, whole child approach provides an environment where each student’s unique abilities are both embraced and challenged, building the foundation for greater self-worth and life-long happiness.

Many thanks to our sponsors Roger Bacon High School, Elder High School, Haverkos & Reddy Orthodontics, Queen City Running, Mercy McAuley High School, John Rewwer DDS, Mr. Label, Seton High School, Lasalle High School, and Q102.

Category: News & Events

For more information about sponsorship opportunities or questions about ways to get involved, please contact: Iggy5K@saintischool.org

National Merit Scholarship Recognizes St. Ignatius Alums

Save the Date!

For more information about sponsorship opportunities or questions about ways to get involved, please contact: Iggy5K@saintischool.org

We thank you for supporting this whole-child approach to Catholic education!