Parent Memo: April 30, 2021
PRINCIPAL’S CORNER:
The following students have earned Shout-Outs this week:
Ramses Inniss (PK): During playtime, he offered to help a teacher pull weeds out of the raised planter beds in anticipation for planting. Not only did he help, but he told the teacher how important it was to loosen the dirt for the plants to grow!
James Bacanto (KG); Every day since Earth Day, James has taken time to look for trash to pick up during recess. He even recruited a friend, Jax Phayrin, to help. They’re doing their part to take care of the earth.
Joseph Donovan, Catherine Thiel, Hannah Cassibba, Ruthann Weekley (KG): These students stopped playing during morning recess to pray a Hail Mary for an ambulance and firetruck that were rushing by on the street.
The Second Grade: The whole class gets a big Shout-Out this week because they did such a good job at returning to onsite Mass for the first time this year. They followed all the distancing requirements and were very reverent. Good job!!!
In Service,
Ms. Laura
TUITION LETTERS
The tuition letters for 2021-2022 are being sent out presently. This letter records the tuition rate for your child(ren). The amount DOES NOT include any deductions to be taken for scholarships or tuition assistance at this point. Those are deducted from your total tuition amount in late May and June once we have received all the information.
SHAMROCK STATE WINNERS!
Congratulations to some St. Patrick School students who achieved victories at state level competitions recently.
Reagan Grambusch (gr 8) – Reagan won 3rd place at the State level competition for her North Carolina History Project about the Wright Brothers. This is no small feat since her project was pitted against hundreds of students all over North Carolina. Great job, Reagan!
St Patrick has also had not one but FOUR state winners in the Zaner-Bloser handwriting competition. Winners are: Ava Cobb 1st, Haela Valencia 2nd, Sandra Jimenez-Martinez 4th, and Diego Jimenez-Martinez 7th.
PARENT VOLUNTEER HOURS
This is just an early notice to think about. Prior to Covid, the school has required parents who receive the parish reduced rate of tuition to perform 10 volunteer hours at the school every year. These hours can be achieved through various opportunities throughout the year such as volunteering in the school health room, coaching sports programs, assisting in special school events and PTO fundraisers, etc. We suspended this requirement for this year because of Covid. However, it is anticipated that the volunteer hours requirement will be reinstated next year. You don’t have to do anything at this point. We just wanted to update you on the expectation, so that you could plan in advance.
SPRING FINE ARTS PROGRAM
Please mark your calendars for our annual Spring Fine Arts Program: Joyful Noise; Beautiful Mess: The Arts Reimagined. This program will be presented virtually, with the links made available Thursday May 6th at 6pm. Students have continued growing as artists and musicians this year, and we are excited to share this with you. Please take time to view it with your family!
SOCCER PROGRAM NEXT YEAR
The school is optimistically looking forward to being able to return to more normalcy next year and hopefully resume our school extra-curricular sports programs. The first season that begins in August is our Soccer Program. We are in need of soccer coaches to coach both boy and girl soccer teams. Our long-time soccer coach stepped down after the 2019 season, so we need an infusion of new soccer volunteers. If you would be interested in coaching or co-coaching a soccer team for the 2021-2022 school year, please email [email protected]. The season runs from August to October for boys, girls’ soccer is in the Spring and it’s a GREAT way to get those required parent volunteer hours in.
PTO and SAC NEXT YEAR
The school was not able to engage a PTO (Parent/Teacher Organization) or a SAC (School Advisory Committee) this year because of Covid restrictions. We are optimistically looking ahead, however, in the hopes that we will have more relaxed restrictions next year and be able to restart these important committees. In general, the groups function as noted below:
- PTO – The fundraising and community building arm of the school. The PTO organizes special events which raise extra money for projects above and beyond those accomplished through the regular school budget. They are our “wish list” projects. The PTO has no advisory capacity. It is strictly for coordinating fun social events which build school community and managing our annual fundraising events like the St Patrick Day Fun Run, our Halloween Trunk or Treat and hopefully our golf tournament. There is a PTO Board of Officers and then representatives for each grade level.
- SAC – This committee functions to advise the Principal on “big picture” issues. The Principal is not a specialist in everything, so SAC advisors who have specific experience areas like facilities maintenance, budgeting, marketing, public relations, etc…are always welcome to provide their expertise to help advance the school’s mission and vision. It meets 4 times a year in the evenings.
If you would be interested in joining the PTO as a Board member or a classroom representative or joining the SAC as an advisor, please email [email protected]. Parent service hours are also achieved by participation in these organizations.
DATES TO REMEMBER
May 3 Beginning of teacher appreciation week.
May 6 Spring Fine Arts Virtual Program – 6:00 pm
May 17 8th grade advanced math EOC 1 test
May 19 8th grade graduation practice and brunch
May 20 8th grade graduation Mass
May 28 Virtual awards ceremony and 12:15 dismissal – last day of school – NO EXTENDED
CARE