Alum wears many hats at Gehlen Catholic

"I started here as a first-grader," Loutsch says. "My parents lived right across the street, where my mom still lives."

Betty Loutsch, one of 10 children raised by the late Orville and Marge Livermore, began her educational journey at Gehlen Catholic in 1967, most likely. That was nearly 50 years ago.

"Family" is the term she uses to describe this special school, where her husband, Kevin, earned his diploma in 1978, two years before her commencement ceremony was held. The couple has seen all five of their children become Gehlen Jays and graduate. Now, the third generation of their immediate family attends class there each day.

And, so does Betty. She's been a teacher's assistant for nearly a decade, having started in that role when Gehlen expanded its programming to offer a TK (transitional kindergarten) curriculum.

"I worked in TK for six years and then went to work in kindergarten, and then first grade," says Loutsch. "This year, I'll be with the 25-student second grade class taught by Mrs. (Kim) Wick."

Loutsch, and TA's like her, are invaluable in the education arena. Loutsch helps keep learners on-task as Wick directs a busy classroom.

"I assist with a teacher's needs, whatever that may be," Loutsch says. "I tend to move as the bigger classes go through."

That's not all, not by a long shot. Betty Loutsch also coordinates Tier 2 of Gehlen's Problem Behavior Intervention Supports. She helps head a committee of a half-dozen staff members, including the building principal and counselor as well an an AEA professional, in implementing interventions for students with behavior needs.

"It's always positive reinforcement," Loutsch is quick to say. "We conduct daily check-ins for the student with an adult. I also started a High School Buddy Program that matches freshmen and sophomores with elementary students who get to see that high school student once per week, as a friend or a mentor."

Loutsch also has frequent recess duty and has, in the past, aided in monitoring the lunchroom. She still has bus duty and works each day to help elementary students make the block-long trek to where buses wait in line to pick up students heading home.

"My job is to bring the first kids to the bus," she says. "We kind of have that down to a science."

It's no wonder, as a person like Betty Loutsch probably knows every inch of this campus. There's rarely been a time she's not been directly affiliated with the Catholic school in Le Mars.

"I think my first coaching at Gehlen took place in the mid-1980s," she says. "I remember bringing Mandy, our oldest child, to practice with me while she was still in a stroller."

It wasn't uncommon for Betty Loutsch to help coach a practice while one of her toddlers napped in the coach's office.

Loutsch has helped coach volleyball, track, basketball and softball at Gehlen. She and Kevin have had children participate in all those activities.

"I began as a volunteer junior high volleyball and basketball coach, not long after Kevin and I got married," she says.

The ties to Gehlen were reinforced on an almost daily basis while growing up. Legions of young Jays, over the years, would depart the school after an athletic practice and end up across the street at the Livermore home, relaxing in the swimming pool out back.

"My mother, who still lives in that house, had a candy drawer that kids had access to," Betty says. "Our home had a very open-door policy. Now, I've got grandchildren and their friends who are getting candy from that drawer!"

Betty remarks that her father, Orville, who went to Le Mars Community School, became a great Jays backer, through financial assistance and in-kind contributions. The founder of the O.H. Livermore Construction Company did all sorts of physical plant work at the school. He also made the dressing used for an annual dinner fundraiser at the school.

"After my dad died, we learned from several people about the financial assistance he provided to people in need, assistance in addition what went with sending 10 of his own kids here," Betty says.

Betty's brother, Bob Livermore, now runs the construction company. Bob Livermore, like his sister, has helped coached basketball and football. He also put his working expertise to use for Gehlen in helping construct the new weight room facility a few years ago.

And, their sister, Pat Beitelspacher, served as the librarian at Gehlen for close to three decades. Beitelspacher just retired.

Betty smiles and mentions even more family ties. She'll have five grandchildren at Gehlen this fall, including one, Josslyn Weiland, who will be in "Grandma's" room as a second-grader.

Josslyn's mother, Mandy Weiland, is also at the school each day. That little girl who sat in the stroller while her mother coached 30-some years ago? She's now the school nurse.