Jordan in Rock Island celebrates 50 years
During the 2023-2024 school year, Jordan Catholic School in Rock Island will celebrate 50 years of faith, academics, and service, a news release says.
To kick off this special celebration, the Most Rev. Louis Tylka, Bishop of Peoria, will celebrate a special Mass with students, families, and faculty, both past and present, at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30 at St. Pius Catholic Church, 2502 29th Ave., Rock Island.
A light informal brunch will be served in the school after Mass.
A history of Jordan
In January of 1974, Bishop Edward O’Rourke approved the consolidation of St. Pius, Sacred Heart, and St. Joseph Schools in Rock Island. Eventually three more parishes were included: St. Ambrose, Milan; St. Mary’s, Rock Island; and St. Patrick’s, Andalusia.
The Right Rev. Monsignor T.J. Jordan, a retired pastor who had served many years in Rock Island and a strong advocate of Catholic Schools, was honored by the use of his name for the consolidated school. Jordan Catholic School began.
The consolidation of these parishes brought the total enrollment in August 1974 to 1,014 students. Four campuses were originally used to house these students, the Villa de Chantel, St. Pius, Sacred Heart and St. Joseph.
The school colors for the Jordan Trojans were brown and gold. These were chosen to distinguish the new school from the charter schools. The colors and mascot have since been changed.
The Jordan Jaguars now wear blue and gold. “Jordan has been served well by several coordinators and administrators,” the release says. They include Grover Cleveland, Brother Ralph Krull, Sister Ann Mary Rischar, Don Novotney, Mariann Hesik, Bill Meehan, Daniel Lievens, Michael Daly, Joan Leonard, Jacob Smithers, and current principal, Kelly McLaughlin.
Jordan expanded the range of services offered by adding a 4-year-old preschool in 1987. In 1990, preschool was expanded to include a 3-year-old class. Daycare was added in 1992. In the fall of 1998 Jordan began the all-day kindergarten program. The addition of these programs allowed a full day of service to children three years of age through eighth grade.
Beginning in 2011, Jordan Catholic School was located on two campuses. St. Pius was known as Jordan Elementary and was located at St. Pius where daycare, preschool, and kindergarten through sixth grade were educated. Jordan Middle School was located at St. Ambrose Parish for the seventh and eighth graders. There were two classes in every grade level in grades kindergarten through grade eight. At that time there was an enrollment of more than 400 students.
In January of 2012, an addition to the elementary building included six classrooms, with a science lab, computer lab, and multipurpose room. The seventh- and eighth-graders were moved into the new addition over Christmas break.
Jordan today
Now Jordan, at the St. Pius campus, houses preschool through grade 8. The daycare is a year-round program from 6:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. each day. There is an aftercare program for students in the other grades.
In 2015 there was an enrollment of 385, with two classes in each grade level, first through eighth, as well as a 3-year-old preschool class and one 4-year-old three day or five day a week preschool. There were two sessions of five days a week 4-year old preschool.
In 2023 projected enrollment is about 338. At the end of the 2022-2023 school year, there were two classes of each grade K-8, with one 3-year-old preschool and two 4-year-old preschools. All preschool programs allow for all day options.
Jordan offers special-education resource services, Title I, art, music, and computer classes, in addition to the regular curriculum.
Jordan has several extracurricular activities: Chess Club, sports, including basketball (boys and girls), volleyball (girls), softball (girls), and track in conjunction with the other Catholic elementary schools (boys and girls), Alleman Booster football, and Alleman Junior wrestling.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7sMHRqqyanJOewaqx0meaqKVfo7K4v46lppyZnGK7psPSaKGoqpSWu261zWapqJubYra0uMCnm2ablaGyo77ArZysZWVlerqxwKuqaA%3D%3D