Columbus High School (Waterloo, Iowa)

Columbus Catholic High School
Address
3231 West 9th Street Waterloo, Iowa, (Black Hawk County), 50702-5310  United States
Coordinates	42°27′50″N 92°20′37″W / 42.46389°N 92.34361°W / 42.46389; -92.34361Coordinates: 42°27′50″N 92°20′37″W / 42.46389°N 92.34361°W / 42.46389; -92.34361
Information
Type	Private, Coeducational
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Established	1959
Principal	Tom Ulses
Grades	9–12
Color(s)	Green and White
Athletics conference	WA-Mac Conference
Team name	Sailors
Athletic Director	Aundra Meeks
Website	http://www.columbushigh.org
Columbus High School

Columbus High School (CHS) is a Catholic secondary school in Waterloo, Iowa. It opened its doors on 31 August 1959 after three years of fund-raising by its primary advocate, Father A.A. McAvoy. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque.

History and financing

Columbus High School first opened its doors to a class of 406 men and 431 women on 31 August 1959 following a three year fund-raising effort. The school's primary advocate, Father A.A. McAvoy, began directing fundraising efforts in 1956 for the school. By 1959, McAvoy's efforts had yielded nearly two million dollars worth of pledges, a remarkable amount in the small community of Waterloo, and the largest raising effort in the history of the community at the time.

In 1958 the cornerstone was blessed by Archbishop Leo Binz, and Father John Paar was named principal later that year. In 1968, Father Walter Brunkan, the assistant principal, was promoted to principal and remained in that role for over twenty years. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque reassigned Fr. Brunkan to St. Mary Catholic Church in Greene, Iowa, in 1991, and Michael Palmer became the first lay principal. Mr. Palmer retired in 1999, and once again the assistant principal, Todd Dirth, took over. In 2004 Richard Caye took over as principal of Columbus, his tenure lasted only one year before being replaced in 2005 by Tom Ulses.

Namesake

Columbus High School was named after Christopher Columbus, and the use of his name was meant to evoke a sense of adventure and the faith required to embark of a voyage into the unknown that has no certain end. The school mascot is the sailor, also after Columbus. School colors are kelly green and white, although, today other versions of green are accepted such as forrest or hunter, while, black, and yellow are strictly prohibited as secondary colors.

Classes offered

Religion
Values (1st semester, 9th grade)
Theology 9: Christology (2nd semester, 9th grade)
Theology 10: Sacraments (1st semester, 10th grade)
Hebrew Scriptures/Relationships (2nd semester, 10th grade)
Catholic Heritage/World Religions (1st semester, 11th grade)
Catholic Morality (2nd semester, 11th grade)
Social Ministry courses (12th graders are required to take one Social Ministry course)
Covenant Living (2nd semester, 12th grade)

English
English 9B
English 9
Accelerated English 9
English 10
Accelerated English 10
English 11 Composition/Literature
Advanced Placement English Language and Composition (11th grade)
Surveys in Literature and Composition (12th grade)
College Prep Composition and Literature (12th grade)
Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition (12th grade)
Independent Reading (any grade)
Creative Writing (any grade)
Journalism 1 (10th, 11th, 12th)
Journalism 2: Newspaper or Yearbook (11th, 12th)
Speech (10th grade, required for graduation)

Math
Pre-Algebra (9th grade)
Algebra 1 (any grade)
Accelerated Algebra 1 (8th, 9th)
Geometry (any grade)
Accelerated Geometry (any grade)
Algebra 2 (10th, 11th, 12th)
Modern Analysis (11th, 12th)
Accelerated Algebra 2 (11th, 12th)
Accelerated Pre-Calculus (11th, 12th)
Advanced Placement Calculus (12th grade)

Science
Physical Science (9th grade)
Biology (10th grade)
AP Biology (11th, 12th)
Human Biology (11th, 12th)
Chemistry (11th grade)
Physics (12th grade)
Ecology and the Environment (10th, 11th, 12th)
Dr. FixIt (10th, 11th, 12th)
CSI (11th, 12th)

Computer Science
Web Master Program (10th, 11th, 12th)
Intro to Computer Science (any grade)
World Wide Web (10th, 11th, 12th)

Social Studies
World History 1 and 2 (1st and 2nd semester, 9th grade)
We The People (10th grade)
U.S. History 1 and 2 (1st and 2nd semester, 11th grade)
U.S. Government (12th grade)
Applied Economics (10th, 11th, 12)
Sociology (was offered in the 2009-2010 school year and will be offered again possibly in the 2011-2012 school year, 10th, 11th, 12th)
Current World Issues (10th, 11th, 12th)
Psychology (will be offered in the 2010-2011 school year and again possibly in the 2012-2013 school year, 10th, 11th, 12th)
Advanced Placement European History (12th grade)

Foreign Language
Spanish 1 (any grade)
Spanish 2 (any grade)
Spanish 3 (any grade)
Spanish 4 (10th, 11th, 12th)

Physical Education
Foundations (9th grade, must be a prerequisite for other PE classes)
Lifetime Activities 1 (10th, 11th, 12th)
Lifetime Activities 2 (10th, 11th, 12th)
Weight Training and Conditioning (10th, 11th, 12th)

Business Education
Computer Skills (any grade)
Accounting 1 (10th, 11th, 12th)
Accounting 2 (10th, 11th, 12th)
Accounting 3 (11th, 12th)
Accounting 4 (11th, 12th)
Intro to Business (any grade)
Marketing (10th, 11th, 12th)
Business Law (10th, 11th, 12th)

Home Economics
Clothing 1 (1st semester, any grade)
Clothing 2 (2nd semester, any grade)
Food and Nutrition (10th, 11th, 12th)
Food and Nutrition 2 (11th, 12th)
Child Development (11th, 12th)
Housing and Home Interiors (11th, 12th)
Independent Living (12th grade)
Family and Consumer Science (these are actually two electives, 11th and 12th)

Industrial Technology
Practical Technology Education (any grade)
Woodworking (any grade)
Advanced Woodworking (10th, 11th, 12th)
Metalworking (any grade)
Advanced Metalworking (10th, 11th, 12th)
Auto Owner (10th, 11th, 12th)
Power Mechanics (10th, 11th, 12th)
Advanced Power Mechanics: Power Trans and Suspension and Engines (These are two separate classes; 11th and 12th for first and 10th, 11th, and 12th for Engines)
Industrial Arts (These are three separate classes; 11th and 12th)

Art
Art 1 (any grade)
Art 2 (any grade)
Art 3 (10th, 11th, 12th)
Art Major (12th grade)
Ceramics (10th, 11th, 12th)
Advanced Ceramics (10th, 11th, 12th)
Creative Jewelry (10th, 11th, 12th)
Creative Photography (10th, 11th, 12th)

Music
Chorus (any grade)
Sound Coalition (any grade, auditioned group)
Sound Connection (any grade, auditioned group, only females can audition but in the 2009-2010 school year they allowed males to join)
Band (any grade)
Jazz Band (any grade, auditioned group)

Other
Resource Room
Columbus 101 (9th grade, introduced in the 2008-2009 school year)

Athletics

Columbus supports a wide variety of athletic programs, some of which have been very successful.

The Sailor baseball team made their first appearance in the summer state baseball tournament in 2008.

The Sailor volleyball team had a streak of 5 consecutive trips to the state tournament, going all the way to the state championship match in 2007 before losing. (04-08)

The Sailors won the Class 3A football championships (1976, 1986) and 2A football championship in 2004.

The school also has a long history of very successful competitors in girl's tennis. Girl's Tennis Coach Dave "Chester" Will won the National High School Women's Tennis Coach Award in 2004.

Columbus boys' tennis has sported the individual state champion or runner-up in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010. -Elliot Rausa teamed with brother Nathan in 2004 and 2005 as runners-up and then champions, respectively. -Elliot Rausa was the individual runner-up in 2006. -Brothers Joe and Jim Nora won the state doubles championship in 2007 and were runners-up in 2008. -Michael Goerdt and Alex Bernt won the state doubles championship in 2010.

Columbus's boys' tennis team won the Class 1A State Team Title in 2010.

Columbus's wrestling team won the Class 2A Title in 2004. -Zach "Bubba" Kressley and Sam Hansen both individual champions

Columbus boys golf team won the Class 2A Title in 2004. - Tim "Threat" Hansen was the individual champion

Columbus boys golf team won the Class 3A state title in 1999, 2000, and 2002. The Sailors were victorious in the 2004 Class 2A state golf tournament, as Tim "Threat" Hansen was crowned individual champion and lead his team to another state title. - Ben Hanson was the individual champion in 2002

The boys basketball team made the State Tournament in 2003 behind a powerful student section called The 6th Man. The sixth man made a comeback during the 2007-2008 season, carrying the team deep into the tournament before the team lost on a last second buzzer-beater in the sub-state final.

Notable alumni

• Dr. Tim Cordes, a blind American physician
• Tracie Spencer, Winner of Star Search in 1987 as a singer, recorded music across many genres, acted and modeled
• Larry Nemmers, NFL Referee
• Chuck Yagla, two-time NCAA wrestling champion at the University of Iowa and a wrestler on the 1980 Olympic team.
• Michael Hogan, President of the University of Illinois former University of Connecticut President, past Provost of the University of Iowa

External links

• Official school web site