Cedar Valley Catholic Schools

I am a recent alumnus of Columbus Catholic High School (2016). They do a fantastic job of preparing their students for college while providing a communal environment that fosters success. I would highly recommend Waterloo Catholic to anyone (Catholic or not) who wants their kids to receive a good education, and be able to be involved in multiple extra-curricular activities. Many of my classmates have gone on to be incredibly successful and a lot of the credit can be placed on the education we received from St. Pats (CF) and Columbus. I am very thankful for the dedicated teachers and coaches who make going to a smaller school a truly unique and rewarding experience.

I graduated CHS almost 15 years ago. Once I got to college and met people from all over the country I really got a good perspective on what a poor high school experience I had. The good teachers had been there for decades, but the rest of the teaching staff were the rejects from the higher-paying public schools. There is ZERO diversity. The "elective" course selection was more limited than any other high school I have ever heard of. There was very little organization around extracurriculars that doesn't involve athletics or the arts (ie. student government, homecoming activities, yearbook, etc.) There was actually no clubs of any kind that I remember. Teachers often couldn't control the classrooms. The only thing I got from Columbus was something for my alumni peers and I to laugh about in our later years. I don't doubt it was a good school at one time- that was pretty clear. But nowadays it just isn't worth the tuition just to try and keep your kids separated from the kids on the other side of the bridge.

The school board could care less about the open racism that occurs at Columbus.

Honestly these people try but they rarely succeed. Some great kids but teachers need to help their students instead of sitting on their cell phone. Some kids here do really bad things. Which can make a good kid turn bad. I would not send my child. It would take lots of work to make this school decent. I hope one day it could be like it once was. They need a renovation badly. Double check before you send your kid here.

I am a recent Alumni of Columbus High School (Class of '14) and I can honestly say that Columbus Catholic High School has changed my life. Cedar Valley Catholic Schools are based around 4 principles: Faith- through daily theology classes, weekly prayer services in the gym, and various masses throughout the year, faith plays a very important role in day to day actions in CHS. Knowledge- Teachers really know what they're teaching and are excellent at teaching it to students, especially a few teachers that have been at Columbus for 25+ years. Discipline- Students know the rules and they are enforced fairly. Service- Columbus offers opportunities for serving throughout the community, enhancing our impact on the community. Though the facilities may not be in the greatest condition, the teachers make the difference. I invite you to take a tour of Columbus, talk to the teachers, and learn that you can participate in many activities (I participated in 15 in a single year including athletics, arts, and even academic events) while still maintaining good grades! Columbus is truly a school you should consider. Trust me, you won't regret it.