A pair of Catholic schools in Dyersville have merged to create one K-12 school system. Beginning today, St. Francis Xavier Elementary School and Beckman Catholic High School officially joined to create Beckman Catholic Schools. Both schools will retain their names but will now operate as one school system. Beckman Catholic High School principal, Marcel Kielkucki, says the high school and elementary school are sponsored by the same five parishes but have previously operated as separate entities. He says In 2019, both schools agreed to work together for a strategic planning initiative. That plan was renewed in 2024 with a focus to explore the idea of merging the schools together through formal consolidation. Parish councils from each of the five sponsoring parishes (St. Francis Xavier, Dyersville, St. Joseph, Earlville, St. Boniface, New Vienna, Sts. Peter and Paul, Petersburg, and St. Paul, Worthington) approved the creation of a study committee, representing each parish which met from May to October of 2025. The committee provided recommendations and a framework for the consolidation of both schools back to the parish councils for their approval. Parish councils gave their approval in December of 2025 with an effective date of July 1st, 2026.
