The lenten season is upon us and along with lent comes St. Patrick's Fish Fry Fridays!  If you're looking for an affordable, delicious meal for the whole family, join us this Friday starting at 6:30pm for food, fellowship, and fun!

Our teachers work hard each day to push our students to be creative thinkers and problem solvers!  I am always blown away by the level of classroom instruction happening on a daily basis in our building.  

Today, I sat in with Kindergarteners who were learning different strategies to solve story problems in math, with 1st graders who were learning how to ask questions and make predictions about their reading,  with 3rd graders who were learning how to visualize, draw, write, and read fractions, and with 7th graders who were learning about the different parts of mass during religion.  The students in each class were engaged in active learning throughout the lesson and didn't even see me there!

This year at our school and parish auction, we offered some pretty fun items!  One of those items was "Fast Food Lunch for You and 2 Friends".  Parents had the opportunity to bid on this exclusive item and yesterday, we had the opportunity to fulfill it!  Mrs Nolan and I had the pleasure of taking these 3 young men out to the fast food restaurant of their choice for a little food and fun!

If you've never been to the St. Patrick Auction, make plans to attend in the fall of 2022!  There are many great items to bid on!

Today during mass, Father Matthew spoke to us about being Inclusive and Welcoming.  He reminded us of what we heard in the Gospel today - when John was concerned that he saw someone casting away demons in Jesus' name.  He said, "Jesus, he's not one of us, we should go tell him to stop."  But Jesus answered, "Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us."  

Jesus was reminding John that as Catholics, our umbrella is large enough for everyone. There is no Catholic who is "better" or "worse".  We all love the same God, we all put our faith in the same God, and we all want to follow the same God.  It is not a competition between believers, but instead a giant umbrella in which there is room for all.  

Father Matthew reminded us that this applies to our own lives.  He reminded us that while we are all uniquely designed, we are uniquely designed by one God and that God shows us time and time again that all are welcome under his umbrella!

Over the years, our middle school program has grown into a strong, challenging, preparatory program for students as they head into high school.   Our Middle School teaching team is made up of three dynamic teachers who not only push the students, but engage them in higher order thinking activities that prepare them for the next level.  Each year, our students who have graduated from St. Patrick School come back to tell us how well prepared they were for their freshman year of high school, and we are incredibly proud of the work our teachers put in to make this happen.

Middle School can be a challenging time for kids, but at St. Patrick, our students are learning in small groups, learning to communicate effectively, and practicing respect for each other daily.

Our teachers work hard to find creative ways to make learning fun, while challenging our students at the same time.  This week, our first grade and fifth grade students had a special math lesson with the one and only Greg Tang!  Mr. Tang challenges our students to think outside of the box, to practice new math skills, and to have fun while they do it.  

This was all set up by our 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Duran, and our 5th grade teacher, Mr. Kahmann, who participated in Greg Tang Professional Development last summer.  Not only did they come up with some great ideas for their classrooms, they gave their students some virtual learning of their own!

One of the greatest lessons we can give our students is the lesson of giving back.  We seek to find ways our students can give back to our parish, our community, and the greater surrounding area.  Last week, our Student Council students had the opportunity to take a large load of food to One City Cafe.  While there, they were able to meet people, learn about the mission of One City, and put in some work.  Upon their return, the students expressed how grateful they were for the experience and how eye opening it was.

What is One City Cafe?

One City Café welcomes all for a delicious, healthy dinner every weeknight.  If you are hungry and in need of a good, hot meal, or simply a friend who wants to enjoy nutritious food and support our community, stop in for a great dinner served with a smile in our spacious dining rooms.  Everyone is invited to join us at One City Café. We can’t wait to see you!

Click the button below to learn more about the programs at The Bishop Sullivan Center. 

Not all Catholic schools are fortunate enough to have a school counselor at all, let alone one who gives so freely of her time!  St. Patrick School is blessed with the best in our own, Mrs. O'Hara!  Mrs. O'Hara teaches whole class lessons, meets with small groups, meets individually with students and staff, and works with families outside of school.  She never hesitates to help when the need arises, regardless of what time of day or night.

When asked about Mrs. O"Hara, our students said:

"I love how she comes to talk with us and how she calms me down when I am sad."

"She is so kind, loving, and happy.  She cheers us up when we have bad times, sad times, or really ANY time!"

"She helps us when we are having hard times."

"She teaches us to be calm and inspires me!"

"She helps me when I have a problem and need to talk."

"She is funny, nice, and the best counselor ever!"

"She always has fun things for us to do!"

Our little school was hit was a horrible tragedy this month and Mrs. O'Hara stepped in without hesitation.  She reminded us that it's okay to grieve, it's okay to be sad, and it's okay to honor the one we loved.  She helped us stay calm, taught us to process our feelings, and helped us hold our school together. 

We are so grateful to have Mrs. O'Hara in our school!

 We capped off our day to day in the best way possible by celebrating and honoring our grandparents!  We know that it takes a village and we know that our grandparents help make it possible for their grandchildren to attend St. Patrick School.  It's so special to see our students' eyes light up when their grandparents walk into the room.  

​Thank you to all of our grandparents for coming and spending some time with us today.  We appreciate you!

Day 5 of Catholic Schools Week is full of tradition!  We started our day with the 8th graders versus teachers battle on the volleyball court and ended our day with a salute to our grandparents.  It was a day packed of fun, where we honored our school staff, our 8th graders, and our grandparents.  I'd say it was the perfect end to an amazing week!