FAQ's

At St. Cecilia’s, Christ is at the heart of everything we do. We believe each child is a precious gift from God, called to be nurtured, protected, and guided in faith and love. In partnership with parents, we educate the whole child academically, spiritually, and morally, preparing students for future success and a life rooted in Christ.

Our close-knit school community and small class sizes allow every child to be known, supported, and encouraged to discover their God-given strengths. Through a strong academic foundation and a deep immersion in the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church, our students grow in confidence, compassion, and faith.

At St. Cecilia’s education is more than academics, it’s belonging to a loving school family where children are formed in knowledge, character, and faith that lasts a lifetime.

Religion class is taught daily in all grades and All School Mass is celebrated on Thursday morning at 9:00 AM. 

Other religious opportunities include Rosary in the month of October and on Good Friday, Advent prayer services, Stations of the Cross during Lent, and grades 2nd and up celebrate Reconciliation. In addition, we begin and end each day with prayer, as well as praying during lunch.

Students from all faiths are welcome.

We welcome families from many Catholic parishes.

Financial Aid is available to families through Iowa's Education Savings Account program, The STO program from the Archdiocese, and local tuition assistance.

Tuition is paid through the FACTS Tuition Management. Links can be found under the Parents tab.

Standards and benchmarks are used in each subject area to guide teacher instruction and student assessment. Students are assessed on these standards and benchmarks using a standards-based reporting system. Currently, all Archdiocese of Dubuque, including St. Cecilia, follow the Iowa Core mandated by the State of Iowa. K-5 use Into Reading from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for language arts, and Illustrative Mathematics (IM) for math. 6-7 will use Into Literature from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for language arts, and Illustrative Mathematics for math K-7.

Yes, St Cecilia’s School is accredited by the State of Iowa and all teachers are licensed and endorsed by the State.

St. Cecilia partners with Ames Public Schools and First Student, Inc to provide transportation for students living within the Ames Community School District. More details can be found on our website. Nonpublic Transportation Reimbursement is available for families living outside of the Ames School District. More information can be found on our website.

Catholic second graders are guided through First Reconciliation and prepared for First Communion. Students must be Catholic to receive the Sacrament.

St. Cecilia’s School has art, music, band, physical education, life skills, and library.

St Cecilia's School serves hot lunch on-site daily for an additional fee, following the State of Iowa hot lunch policies.

Yes, students may wear red, navy blue or light blue polos with navy blue or khaki bottoms. The full dress code may be found on our website.

Yes! Extra-curricular activities are available throughout the school year for all students, such as Lego League and Creative Kids Club. Through a sharing program with Public Schools, 7th and 8th grade students can take advantage of all middle school sports and activities opportunities in their home district.

Our students learn that faith is lived through action. Throughout the school year, they grow as servant leaders by participating in meaningful service projects that reflect Christ’s love in the world. These opportunities allow our students to support local non-profit organizations and social causes, fostering compassion, responsibility, and a lasting commitment to serving the Ames community and beyond.

Students participate in a 1:1 learning environment, with each student provided an individual Chromebook.

Please contact our principal to inquire about your specific child’s needs and if they can be addressed at St Cecilia’s. The school can accommodate 504 plans, and most Academic Individual Education Plans (IEPs). A speech-language pathologist comes to St. Cecilia’s for students who are identified as needing speech therapy.

Students may attend any high school in their home district upon graduation from St. Cecilia. The majority of our students are in the Ames or Gilbert school district.