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School Commission

- What is the School Commission's Role?
  
  Serving on a Catholic school commission or a Catholic school board is fundamentally different from serving on most any other type of governance body. These are not analogous to public school boards or other such governing bodies and should not be compared to these in most cases. Catholic school commissions/boards form the Body of Christ when they gather together in His name and unite their individual gifts to build the Kingdom of God. This giving of self and reliance on the gifts of others is life-giving to the ministries through which the Church continues Christ’s saving mission.
  
  According to Catholic School Management (CSM), the general responsibilities of commission or board members are as follows:
  
  Demonstrate an interest in and a commitment to Catholic education and to the philosophy and mission of the local school
  Be available to attend commission/board meetings regularly and fully participate in the inservice programs and committees of the commission/board
  Maintain the highest level of honesty and personal integrity, actively and fully support commission/board decisions, and avoid disclosure of confidential commission/board matters
  Abide by the bylaws and policies of the commission/board and support the school administrators in the performance of their duties
  Deliberate on all matters before the Board in good faith and for the common good of the school, the community that it serves, and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis (no special interests, axes to grind, etc.)
  Be a credible witness to the Catholic faith and to Catholic moral values and religious teachings in the school community and beyond (this does not mean that all members need to be Catholic)
  Demonstrate a willingness to actively participate in and provide leadership for resource development and advancement programs for the schools and financially support the schools to the best of their ability. Adapted from Catholic School Management, Inc
School Commission members 2024-2025
- Fr. Sengole Gnanaraj, STL, Pastor/Administrator
  
  Fr. Sengole T. Gnanaraj, Pastor of our parish arrived in Richmond in July 2019.
  He was Pastor of St. Pius and St. Michael in Perry County prior. He has a post-graduate degree in Theology from the Angelicum, Rome through the Faculty of Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, MI. He was an attorney at Law in India before moving to the United States.
  His hobbies include sketching, playing the guitar and graphic designs. The most favorite Bible text for him is John 3:16.
  One of his favorites in being at Seton School is being able to say Mass for the school students three times a week and spending brief time with them during lunch hours.
- Mrs. Jane Brack, Seton Catholic High School Principal
  Mrs. Brack lives on a farm in southern Franklin County. She and her late husband Rob, have three children, Amber, Alex, and Aaron, and six grandchildren, Jackson '26, Lily '27 (SCHS students) Violet, Eivin, Jude, and Evelyn. Mrs.Brack is a member of St. Michael parish where she is a member of their school commission. She attended Indiana University East for her Bachelor of Education degree, Xavier University for her Master of Education degree, and Indiana Wesleyan for her administrator's degree. She has been in education since 1998. Her hobbies include horseback riding, quilting, and spending time with her children and grandchildren.
- Mr. Victor Berger, Seton Catholic Elementary Principal
  Mr. Berger grew up on a dairy farm north of Richmond with six brothers and three sisters. His parents, Don and Melanie, still live there. He attended Seton from 3rd to 8th grade. He graduated from Purdue and was a high school English teacher for twenty years in public schools and five more at Seton Catholic High School. He and his wife Karen were married in St. Mary’s church and have six children; Dave, Paul, Josh, Jill, Kara and Kylie. In his spare time, he dabbles in furniture making and writing. He appreciates the opportunity as the principal of Seton Catholic Elementary to give back to the church and community that has given so much to him.
- Mrs. Beth Van Der Burgt, Chairperson
  A retired pharmacist, Beth volunteers as parish Sacristan at the St. Andrew campus and serves as Past Board President of the Richmond Area Rose Garden in addition to serving on our school commission. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from Butler University and also graduated with a Master's in Theology from St. Meinrad in May of 2022. Beth and husband, Marty, are very active in the parish and are long-time supporters of Seton Catholic Schools. “I chose to serve on the school commission for Seton Catholic Schools because Marty and I greatly value Catholic Education, and I felt honored to be asked to be more involved with our school. We must catechize our youth to ensure a solid future for our Church. Seton is a vital part of this process, and I feel it is important to support our school in ways other than just financially. I look forward to serving with everyone during our 2025-2026 school year.”
- Mrs. Amy Meyers
  Vice Chairperson
  Amy Meyers is a current parishioner at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, former teacher and counselor at Seton Catholic High School, as well as a parent of a Seton Catholic elementary student.
  She has over 10 years of high school education experience both as a math teacher as well high school counselor at Seton, Noblesville High School and Blue River Jr/Sr High. She earned her bachelors of education at Anderson University and her Masters of School Counseling at Indiana Wesleyan University. Amy and her husband Allen live in Richmond with their three children; Jack, Owen, and Callie.
- Mr. Tony Talbert, Finance Committee Chairperson
  Tony Talbert is a lifelong Catholic along with his wife Donna. He recognizes that the Catholic School is our most important ministry shaping our future parishioners and the future leadership of the Catholic church. Giving our students a Christian foundation as well as a premier academic educational experience is the top priorities of our schools. With our principals, teachers, staff, students, parents and commission members working together we can collectively make our catholic school experience one of great impact on our community and society today, tomorrow and for decades to come keeping Christ and His love as our center.
- Mrs. Kelly Knapke
  Kelly is a proud cradle Catholic. Her grandparents, Linus and Alma Lamm, had dreams of establishing Holy Family Church. Kelly’s mother, Ruth, along with her aunt and uncle, attended Holy Family Catholic School from its time of conception. Kelly was enrolled in Holy Family School for eight years along with her brother, Troy. She graduated from Centerville High School and settled in Richmond, Indiana, after marrying her spouse, Dave.
  Kelly and Dave’s two sons, Klinton and Kurtis, attended Seton Catholic Schools for their preschool through eighth grade years. Kelly has worked her professional career in the Richmond area and encourages everyone to get involved and volunteer for something they enjoy and receive fulfillment. Dave and Kelly are members of Holy Family parish and active in our Catholic community. Forever Luke 18:16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God”.
- Claire Moriarity '17
  Claire Moriarity is a proud graduate of the Seton Catholic School system. After graduating in 2017, she went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Since May 2021, Claire has been employed by NielsenIQ, a data analytics firm, where she consults major Fortune 500 companies to optimize new product innovations before they launch.
  Although her role is based in Chicago, Claire works remotely from Richmond. Upon returning to the area, she met her now-husband, Dr. Joe Moriarity, at St. Andrew after Mass. They married in 2023 and recently welcomed their son, William.
  Claire and Joe are actively involved in the parish, Seton Catholic Schools, and the wider Wayne County community. Claire is enthusiastic about giving back to her alma mater through service on the school commission and continued volunteer work.
- Dr. Tom Huth
  Dr. Tom Huth is a semi-retired physician who has been a member of the parish since the early 1990s.Originally from Cincinnati, he and his wife, Mary, came to Richmond after his medical training and then
  four years in the U.S. Army. They raised their four children in Richmond and now have several beautiful
  grandchildren. Tom previously served the parish as a catechist in the religious education program for
  eleven years. He joined the school commission in the fall of 2025.
  “My goals”, Tom says, “are to work as part of a team of parishioners dedicated to preserving and
  improving the high academic standards of the schools, helping the schools continue to be financially
  viable, and most importantly to ensure that the schools stay focused on imparting the fundamentals of
  our Faith to the children entrusted to our care, and thereby remain a shining beacon of faith, hope and
  love in our community.”
- Mr. Brad VanVleet
  Brad was born and raised right here in Richmond, Indiana. After graduating from Richmond High School in 1997, Brad headed to the University of Dayton, where he met his future wife, Kelly. Brad played on the Dayton Flyers football team through all four years of college and was voted captain during his senior season.
  After graduating from the University of Dayton with a degree in Marketing, Brad moved home and started working with his father, Eric VanVleet, founder of VanVleet Insurance. Today, Brad is President of VanVleet Insurance. He takes pride in the relationships his family has built with clients. “I see myself as an insurance advisor more than a sales agent,” Brad says. “I really enjoy helping people. That’s why we’re here: our goal is to educate clients about risk management, come to shared understanding, and create realistic solutions.” Brad and his wife, Kelly, have two children, Drew and Bryn. A true Richmond local, Brad has served on several local boards. He has spent time on the Boards of Directors for the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, Cope Environmental Center, YMCA, and HYPE Wayne County (Helping Young Professionals Engage). Brad and Kelly are parishioners of St. Andrews parish and avid supporters of Seton Catholic Schools.
- Joe Schroeder
  Joseph A. Schroeder is a life-long resident of Richmond, Indiana. He attended St. Andrews
  School, as did his five siblings, parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents from the first
  through the eighth grade. Daughters Tess and Kate, along with granddaughter Bess, attended
  Seton from kindergarten through eighth grade. Joe graduated from Richmond High School in
  1979.
  Joe worked for his father’s business, Schroeder Plumbing & Electrical Contractors, until Frank’s
  passing in 1998. Joe assumed the role of owner of the family business for twenty years. In 2018,
  Joe became the Facilities Manager for Mayer Management. Joe holds an Electrical and Plumbing
  Contractor’s License in the City of Richmond and the State of Indiana.
  Joe is an avid cyclist and enjoys spending time with his nine grandchildren.
- Seton Catholic Schools is extremely blessed to have an outstanding school commission. All commission members generously give of their time, talent, and treasure on behalf of our schools. We thank each member for answering this call to serve the young people of the greater Richmond community. The commission usually meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month, beginning at 5:30 p.m., in Father Hillman Hall at Seton Catholic High School. All are welcome to attend. Please notify the commission at least two weeks in advance
  if you wish to be added to the agenda.
  Commission Intranet
  
  Meeting Schedule 2025-2026 School Year