SIDNEY — What an exciting time to be part of the Lehman Catholic community.

”My time as the interim president has been transitional, challenging, and rewarding. During this time, Lehman has stayed strong and true to its mission. This has been an extraordinary year. Here are just a few of our highlights,” said Thomas Stein, Lehman interim president.

Commitment to academic excellence

Lehman’s legacy of academic excellence continues with a strong curriculum and dedicated faculty. Last year 100% of Lehman seniors graduated with 96% pursuing higher education and 4% pursuing the armed forces or employment.

Lehman introduced two new classes – Criminal Justice and Life and Career Development. Students in Criminal Justice receive an understanding of knowledge that may be utilized in law, forensic science, federal agents, or law enforcement. The Life and Career Development class is designed to build basic skills to be an independent and successful adult.

After a two-year study, Lehman transitioned from a mod to a block class schedule. Students now have more time in the classroom and between classes. Reflective of college-style learning, the block schedule affords our teachers time for classroom preparation.

Faith in action

Faith is a central part of our mission at Lehman. In November, our students participated in faith retreats. The underclassmen focused on their call to serve the world through local community service projects and seniors attended the traditional capstone Kairos retreat led by faculty and student leaders.

Our students lead active prayer lives, attend weekly mass and put their faith into action by giving back! Student-led blood drives, food drives, community fundraisers, and donations of time, treasure, and talent are just a few examples of how our students give back to our community and share the love of Christ.

Our community

Athletics are an integral part of the Lehman community. Our student-athletes and coaches have a long standing tradition of success and this year was no different. Our community celebrated the following achievements:

• Kiersten Franklin ‘22 placed first in the 100m, setting a new record, and placed first in the 200m, setting a new record in the Division III state competition. She was named Female Athlete of the Year by the Three Rivers Conference (TRC).

• Michael McFarland ‘22 placed fifth in discus in the Division III state competition.

• Girls Track was named TRC Champions in 2022.

• Noel Petersen, junior, was named TRC Golf Player of the Year.

• Eva Dexter, junior, was named First Team All Ohio and ranked as one of the top 60 female varsity soccer players in the state by the Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association. She was named Female Athlete of the Year by the TRC.

• Girls Soccer was named TRC Champions 2022.

• Girls Soccer Coach Josh Duncan was named Coach of the Year by TRC.

The year ahead

We are looking forward to the year ahead – especially to a few very impactful facility improvement projects. Lehman recently received two grants – $100,000 from the Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant Program and additional funding from the Shelby County Community Fund. The first grant will be used to cover safety and security enhancements occurring within the next two years. The second is to assist with COVID-related costs to keep students safe during the school day. In addition, due the generosity of donors, we are refacing the chairs in the Elizabeth Ann Seton Chapel and giving a facelift to the baseball field.

Ultimately, we are focused on growth – to increase enrollment and to attract and retain faculty and staff who have a fierce dedication to our mission. This year our overall student enrollment was up – Lehman is growing!

To learn more about Lehman Catholic High School, visit LehmanCatholic.com.