Philosophy and Mission Statement
The mission of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School is to develop strong values in our students and educate them spiritually, intellectually, culturally, and physically.
About Our Lady of Lourdes School
Our Lady of Lourdes is a Catholic school located on the north side of Decatur, Illinois. The school is part of a Catholic parish complex consisting of Our Lady of Lourdes Church and School. The church and school are surrounded by a quiet, well-kept residential neighborhood on Decatur’s north side. Our Lady of Lourdes parish complex is home to a vibrant Catholic church and a thriving, family- focused school, which serves students from preschool to grade 8.
Our Lady of Lourdes parish was established in 1957 by the Diocese of Springfield. In 1960 the school, staffed entirely by Dominican Sisters, welcomed its first students. Today a staff of 25 serves a diverse, 200+ student population. Our Lady of Lourdes admits students of any race, color, nationality or ethic origin. Priority admission is given to children of parish members and those interested in a faith-oriented, academically challenging curriculum, as class size permits.
Building on Tradition
- Promotes a faith based education emphasizing service.
- Promotes a high academic achievement
- Teaches personal responsibility through firm and loving guidance
- Member of the National Catholic Education Association
- Member of the Illinois Elementary School Association
- Recognized and Accredited by the Illinois State Board of Education
Our Philosophy
Our Lady of Lourdes School was established to serve the People of God of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. Its chief function is to work with the priests and parents in fostering the development of children as whole persons. This implies providing the best possible academic program suited to the age and ability of each child, but it also encompasses incorporating opportunities for spiritual, social, emotional, and physical growth.
We believe that students learn best when they are involved in their work; when they, as individuals, are accepted, encouraged, and supported by teachers who have a positive attitude toward their profession, and when the atmosphere is one of faith, love and concern. In this atmosphere, each person seeks to attain a self-discipline which reflects a genuine respect for self and others.
We believe that in an effort to build a community of faith and love among priests, parents, faculty and students, everyone at Our Lady of Lourdes strives to express a God-like concern for each person, appreciating differences, encouraging worthwhile activities, constantly improving self, and witnessing to Christian values. Two-way communication between home and school is seen as primary in creating an environment of understanding and cooperation.
We believe that the faith community of Our Lady of Lourdes School recognizes its special place within the local Church, which is the parish, and within the broader Church community and the world. It lives out this vision by praying for and pursuing justice and peace and by engaging in mission activities and a variety of other community projects designed to minister the compassion of Jesus to others. In this way, they hope to respond to His call to proclaim the Gospel to the whole world.
School Board
The Our Lady of Lourdes School Board meets on the 2nd Tuesday of Every Month. More information will be added to this page soon.
Faculty and Staff
The administration, teachers, and support staff at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School are always available to help in any way they can to insure a quality educational experience for the students. You may contact most of the teachers and staff members directly through School Speak.
- Balance of experienced staff, some with Master’s Degrees
- Ongoing staff development through Illinois State Teacher Recertification
- Principal has Illinois Administrative certification and Master’s Degree
- Parish priests involved in religious instruction
School Staff
Pastor – Fr. Michael Friedel
mfriedel@dio.org
Operations Director – Mr. Justin Reed
jreed@ololchurch.com
Principal – Mrs. Jennifer Brummer
jbrummer@ololschool.com
Administrative Assistant – Mrs. Dianna Wagner
dwagner@ololschool.com
Lunch Room Coordinator – Mrs. Julie Bresnan
jbresnan@ololschool.com
Maintenance Coordinator – Mrs. Autumn Watts awatts@ololschool.com
Elementary Teachers
Preschool-3 Year Olds – Mrs. Kathy Hamiliton
khamilton@ololschool.com
Preschool- 4 Year Olds – Mrs. Emily Erickson
eerickson@ololschool.com
Preschool Classroom Aide – Mrs. Rhonda Kupish
rkupish@ololschool.com
Preschool Classroom Aide – Mrs. Jenny Collins
jcollins@ololschool.com
Kindergarten – Mrs. Kathy Barringer
kbarringer@ololschool.com
Classroom Aide/Floating Sub – Mrs. Nikki Macke
nmacke@ololschool.com
1st Grade – Mrs. Cheryl Valdahl
cvaldahl@ololschool.com
2nd Grade – Mrs. Julie Baldwin
jbaldwin@ololschool.com
3rd Grade – Mr. Jason Pittman
jpittman@ololschool.com
4th Grade – Mrs. Ashley Glidewell aglidewell@ololschool.com
5th Grade – Mrs. Traci Friel tfriel@ololschool.com
Junior High Teachers
English/Literature – Mrs. Becky Dunscomb
bdunscomb@ololschool.com
Mathematics – Mrs. Pam Stewart
pstewart@ololschool.com
Science/STREAM – Mrs. Judy Saloka
jsaloka@ololschool.com
Religion/Social Studies – Mrs. Rachel Bauer rbauer@ololschool.com
Curriculum Specialists and Resource Teachers
Technology – Mrs. Andrea Watson
awatson@ololschool.com
Physical Education – Mrs. Andrea Dorsey
adorsey@ololschool.com
Resource/Student Academic Support – Mrs. Amy Blackburn
ablackburn@ololschool.com
Music/Band/Choir – Mrs. Rae Ann DeSutter
rdesutter@ololschool.com
Art – Mrs. Tricia Shumaker
tshumaker@ololschool.com
Library – Mrs. Amber Chapman achapman@ololschool.com