KCRG honors Sacred Heart’s JoEllen Schlarmann

     Sacred Heart Catholic School’s long-time secretary JoEllen Schlarmann was recently named KCRG-TV9’s A+ for Education winner.

     Last week, a crew from KCRG visited Schlarmann to tape a short segment for the local news with the Sacred Heart students hugging and congratulating her on the honor.

     “It was a total surprise,” shared Schlarmann. “It’s nice to feel as though I’ve done a good job here.”

     She said while Scared Heart Principal Will Spencer knew she was selected before Spring Break, everyone kept it a secret until the day of, Wednesday, March 21.

     “The kids were excited about,” said Schlarmann. “That was fun to see.” She said the staff kept it a secret from the students so no one spilled the beans.

     The students at Sacred Heart eat lunch in the basement of the church in two different time slots. When all of the students were kept in the lunchroom Schlarmann said she thought it was odd.

     Schlarmann joked that some notice would have been nice so she could have stepped away to get her hair done.

     Schlarmann has been with Sacred Heart for 25 years. Third-grade teacher Leanna Manternach started working for the school before Schlarmann came on board, holding seniority.

     Schlarmann was working in Cedar Rapids at the time and on her one day off every week, she would attend Mass during the day with the school children.

     “It was such a nice environment,” she said.

     Then, the school had an opening for school secretary and the rest is history as they say.

     “We were building a house in town at the time and I thought this would be a nice temporary position,” recalled Schlarmann.

     On just her second day of working at the school, a student came into the office with a homemade card and told Schlarmann she loved her. “I thought, ‘OK, I’ll stay!’”

     One of the biggest changes in Schlarmann’s time at the school has been the introduction and change in technology, something she’s had to adapt to as well.

     “It’s all new to me,” said Schlarmann. “There have been a lot of new things at once.”

     The school went from simple blackboards to white boards and now smart boards.

     Schlarmann said she has also worked with some great teachers and school staff along the way.

     “But I enjoy the kids the most,” she said, showing off the numerous hand-drawn pictures taped to the office door or on display around the school office. “We have a great staff and good families here that support us.”

     Schlarmann said the families and parishioners at Sacred Heart “thoroughly embrace the mission of a Catholic education.

     “We’re a family unit,” she said.

     She said the parish is always helping to support the school financially and through the use of volunteers.

     “The parish takes that on so that we remain vital,” explained Schlarmann.

     In her time at the school, Schlarmann is now seeing children come through whose parents attended years before.

     “It’s fun to see the second generation,” she said.

     Schlarmann also saw her own grandchildren on a daily basis as they also attended Sacred Heart. Four of her grandkids are still attending today.

     “I really enjoy having them here,” she said, an extra perk for being a grandparent. “I get to see them every day.” Schlarmann joked that her granddaughter Emily used to think she had the upper hand because Grandma worked at the school.

     Part of being named KCRG’s A+ for Education winner, Schlarmann was awarded a check for $250. She said she plans to donate that money into Sacred Heart’s playground fund for new playground equipment.