A New Home for Sacred Heart School!
Thank you for your interest in our Preparing a Place Special Appeal!
This appeal will fund our NEW home for Sacred Heart Cathedral Catholic School and our Faith Formation Programs. We greatly appreciate your sacrificial gift towards our historic journey.
Below is more information about our project. If you would like to make a pledge or donation click here to access our online giving page!
If you would like to give a gift of cash, check, IRA distribution, stocks, land or bequests please call the parish office at 620-225-4802 and ask for Becca Studt. You can also email Becca at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Specific Purpose
To build a multipurpose school building that will be used as a Pre-K-8th grade parochial school during the day, and in the evenings and weekends, utilized for other faith based educational space for other children and adults. We currently have three separate campus locations spread over Dodge City and this building would help us to consolidate and dispense other properties that have lived well past their useful life. Updated school facilities will create a better learning environment for our students and an enhanced working environment for our teachers and staff.
Problems and Goals
Our parish is large with many members but few who have the financial means to support such a building endeavor. We are considered a “mission parish” with several different cultures intertwined in our community. We believe that to continue to be good stewards of our resources, this new learning environment is the way forward, providing a safer, more secure, technologically advanced, efficient, and modern atmosphere.
The need for a new facility is immediate and great. The current building: Sacred Heart Cathedral Catholic School, began after a remodeling of an old structure in 1916. School enrollments grew and building additions were made in 1929, 1949 and in 1954. The choppy layout and multiple levels are nearly impossible to navigate for persons with physical restrictions or disabilities. This historic building has become extremely outdated and inefficient and must be retired as a school.
We own the property where the new school facility will be located, it will be attached to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe which was built in 2001. Our Cathedral was built due to the growing needs in our community by combining two parishes into one. The Cathedral was moved to a spacious campus, and a long-term goal of moving our parish school to the Cathedral campus was set during the planning phase of the Cathedral. Over 20 years later, our parish is long overdue for a school facility that can fulfill today’s needs. Not only will a new and improved facility be more secure and allow for growth, but it will also be more visible and easier to navigate in this new location on North 14th Avenue.
Continuing a 115-Year Legacy
For more than 115 years, Sacred Heart Cathedral Catholic School (SHCCS) has educated generations of students
from its original Dodge City location. While the tradition remains strong, the existing facility no longer supports
the demands of modern education, safety expectations, technology integration, or program growth. Parish
leadership responded by advancing construction of an entirely new school designed to serve students and
families for decades to come. Designed by GMCN Architects of Garden City and Manhattan, Kansas, and constructed by Hutton Construction of Wichita, the project reflects disciplined planning, strong financial oversight, and exceptional parishioner support.
Serving a regional population of approximately 26,000, SHCCS provides an important private education option
that complements public offerings and strengthens the community’s educational infrastructure. Construction is
well advanced, funding for the academic building is secured, and the school is scheduled to open for the 2026–
2027 academic year.
Academic School Building — Fully Funded
The centerpiece of the project is a 53,350-square-foot academic facility designed for up to 400 Pre-K through 8th
grade students, with two classrooms per grade level, and dedicated Pre-K and special education spaces. The
building also features a dual-purpose band room that functions as a storm shelter capable of protecting
approximately 400 occupants. With a total cost of $17.8 million, the academic building has surpassed fundraising expectations. As of January
31, 2026, the project has secured $18,000,700 in gifts and pledges, including $14.8 million (82.3%) received in
cash. A $3.5 million loan guarantee from a local banking partner provides short-term liquidity through the pledge
redemption period ending in January 2027, allowing construction to progress without long-term debt exposure.
The building is now more than halfway complete and remains on schedule for opening. Notably, the majority of
funding has come directly from parish families. A feasibility study projected the parish could raise approximately
$4 million; that expectation has been exceeded many times over, demonstrating strong confidence in the school’s
future.
Gymnasium — Completing the Project
The final component is an 18,000-square-foot gymnasium designed to support athletics, physical education, fine
arts programming, and large gatherings. Plans include a regulation basketball court, two multi-directional
practice courts, seating for approximately 1,000 attendees, locker rooms, restrooms, storage, and a mezzanine.
The facility is intended to benefit both students and the broader community by providing space for youth
activities, events, and civic functions. The gymnasium carries an estimated cost of $4.7 million. As of January 31, 2026, $1.39 million in pledges and $440,000 in cash have been secured. To maintain construction efficiency, project leadership authorized $2.2
million in early work, including site preparation, utilities, structural steel, and exterior enclosure. This is possible
by using available funds and the capacity within the existing construction loan. This phase is currently underway.
Approximately $3.3 million in additional gifts and pledges are needed to complete the facility and deliver the
full vision of the project. The original feasibility study anticipated that support beyond the parish would
ultimately be necessary for a project of this scale.
An Investment in Dodge City’s Future
Strong educational opportunities support workforce recruitment and retention, attract young families, and
contribute to long-term economic stability. In a community the size of Dodge City, access to both public and
private education enhances choice and strengthens the overall infrastructure and attraction to our city.
Parishioner generosity has brought this project to a decisive stage. Completing the gymnasium ensures the new
school will fully support student development while providing a valuable resource for the community.
Invitation to Partner
With the academic building fully funded and construction well advanced, Sacred Heart Cathedral Catholic School
invites community partners to help complete the remaining portion of the project. Organizations that value
education, community development, and long-term investment in Dodge City have an opportunity to participate
in a project already demonstrating measurable progress and responsible leadership.
Partnership opportunities may include leadership gifts, matching contributions, or multi-year commitments. All
support will be stewarded with transparency and accountability consistent with the disciplined approach guiding
the project from its inception. Sacred Heart Cathedral Catholic School looks forward to opening its new school and continuing a 115-year
tradition of educational excellence — now supported by a modern facility built to serve future generations.
Other considerations or questions? Feel free to reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling the office at 620-225-4802.
Thank you for helping make this dream a reality!
More Information about giving ONLINE:Thank you for giving online to our new Sacred Heart Cathedral Catholic School & faith formation building. HELP SAVE US TIME & MONEY! ACH is our preferred method, but we gladly accept any form of payment. You may opt to pay by credit card, debit card (both of these we incur processing fees) or check. Checks should be made out to “Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe” and include the abbreviation “PAP” for Preparing a Place on the memo. Mailing address: WANT TO CHANGE YOUR PLEDGE AMOUNT? "My original pledge was made with sending checks" If you’ve been sending in checks, but are ready to help on saving time and resources, you may select recurring ACH payments below. You can select the amount and occurrences that you’d like to make moving forward. This will eliminate the need for us to send you a monthly statement. This is also a great opportunity to update your monthly pledge amount. If you’d like to continue making payment by "My original pledge was by online payments" |
DAR EN LÍNEA:¡Gracias por dar en línea para nuestra nueva escuela católica Sacred Heart Cathedral y edificio de formación en la fe! ACH es nuestro método preferido, pero aceptamos con gusto cualquier forma de pago. Puede optar por pagar con tarjeta de crédito, tarjeta de débito (ambas incurren en cargos de procesamiento) o cheque. Los cheques deben hacerse a nombre de "Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe; e incluir la abreviatura PAP; para Preparar un Lugar en el memo. Dirección de envío: 3231 N. 14th Avenue, Dodge City, KS 67801. ¿DESEAS CAMBIAR EL MONTO DE TU PROMESA? Mi promesa original fue con cheque: Si has estado enviando cheques pero estás listo para ayudar a ahorrar tiempo y recursos, puedes seleccionar pagos ACH recurrentes a continuación. Puedes seleccionar el monto y las ocurrencias que desees hacer en el futuro. Esto eliminará la necesidad de enviarte un estado de cuenta mensual. También es una gran oportunidad para actualizar el monto de tu promesa mensual. Si deseas continuar haciendo pagos con cheque pero quieres actualizar el monto de tu promesa, comunícate con Becca Studt en la oficina al 620-225-4802. Mi promesa original fue con pagos en línea: Si te inscribiste para pagos en línea recurrentes perodeseas hacer una promesa adicional, puedes inscribirte para una promesa adicional por separado a continuación, O comunícate con Becca Studt en la oficina al 620-225-4802 para ajustar el monto de tu pago en línea recurrente actual. ¡Muchas gracias por ayudarnos a Preparar un Lugar! – |
Gym 2025 Update!
Not in HERE!
