The Blarney Stone

October 11, 2023

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Saint Patrick Catholic School, a ministry of Saint Patrick Parish, guides students in the pursuit of academic growth while inspiring joyful lives filled with love, service, and respect as disciples of Christ.

PRINCIPAL'S LETTER

This week's guest writer is John Nelson,

a school parent and current School Commission member.

Dear Friends,

As a Saint Pats parent since 2011, I am constantly reminded about the strength of our community and the deep fulfillment that comes from being a part of this school. I'm typically reminded in predictable ways—the early morning chats with other parents at drop-off, the excitement I see in the children when it's "donut" Friday, and the fun (and occasional thorn-produced pain) that comes through volunteering during events like "hedge fest." Yet, the unpredictable moments sometimes serve as the best reminders of how great the Saint Pats community is.

As one of the coaches for the middle school cross-country team, I have the pleasure of seeing teens and tweens push themselves to their limits. I also have the pleasure of trying to convince the same group that (1) running is fun (or at least more fun than watching Taylor Swift-inspired reels on TikTok) and (2) the pain they are feeling is personal growth. In September, Saint Pats competed in its first cross-country meet of the year in (predictably) windy, wet weather. While standing at the starting line, the middle school girls were experiencing a cocktail of emotions: excitement, stress, and intimidation. Phrases like "I feel sick," "This race needs to start ASAP," and "There are TOO many hills on this course" echoed from the team. Out of nowhere, in a simple yet profound fashion, the girls broke out into an unplanned Our Father. I don't know which girls led the prayer, but the entire team was engaged within seconds. A sea change commenced, and shortly after that, I heard words like "We've got this" and "Let's go!"

As the girls made their way across the finish line, I was reminded about what a gift it is to be part of this community—one guided by God's love. Just as scores of parents, guardians, parishioners, and students have done for decades, we must continue to cultivate the treasure that is the Saint Pats community. Indeed, as beautifully explained by Mother Teresa, "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

Saint Patrick, pray for us!

John Nelson

(more commonly known as "Henry's daddy" among the 3rd graders)

Scroll down to the article about Cross Country for a link to photos from practice and meets and a short video about why students love the sport.

Dear Friends,

Thank you for supporting the Annual Fund. Our goal is $250,000 and 100% participation by October 31.

The Annual Fund Participation Contest continues. It's an excellent opportunity to come together and celebrate participation. The first class to reach 100% participation wins a pizza party.

Which class will celebrate 100% participation with a pizza party? You can check the chart below for current standings and click on it for better readability. Mrs. Richard's Kindergarten class is still in the lead, with Mrs. Fitzgerald's 6th grade class still following close behind. Good luck.

If you would like to learn more, you can watch our Annual Fund 24 appeal video.

With love,

Leigh Ann and Matt Zehnder

Chairs, Annual Fund 2024 

Download a flyer to share with friends and family considering PreK opportunities.

No School

Mark your calendars.

There is no school on October 13 due to the staff professional development retreat and Teacher Conferences on October 23 and 24.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Conferences provide an opportunity to build positive and supportive relationships between teachers and families to support students better.

Conferences for all grades and specialists are accessible using the sign-up link.

• Fourth Grade families, please read the note on your sign-up page.
• Middle School families, sign up for a conference with your student's homeroom teacher.
• There is no school on October 23-24 due to parent-teacher conferences.

SPPA Meeting Rescheduled

Due to technical difficulties with the regularly scheduled SPPA Zoom meeting on October 10, we are hosting a make-up session.

October 17 | 5:30 pm

Zoom Meeting Link

Please add the meeting date, time, and the Zoom meeting link for this meeting only to your calendar and join us to learn about important news and upcoming events.

Attending SPPA meetings counts toward Volunteer Commitment Hours! The best part is that you can join from almost anywhere.

Disaster & Emergency Kits

Your support is essential in keeping our school prepared. September was Emergency Preparedness Month, October is Fire Prevention Month, and staff are getting trained. Their most recent professional development was about Emergency Preparedness and Protecting God's Children. The training started in the classroom and moved outside to set up mock evacuation and search and rescue teams and command centers.

Classroom Disaster Kits

Help us prepare for unexpected emergencies by contributing to our teacher disaster kits. We need the following to complete our classroom disaster kits. Donations can be dropped off in the school office.

• Toilet paper
• Tarps
• Paper cups
• Caution tape
• Work gloves
• Flat Sheets
• Blankets

Student Emergency Preparedness Kits

If you still need to bring in your student's emergency kit, please do so as soon as possible. By working together, we can ensure that every member of our school is well-prepared for unexpected situations.

View the list of recommended items. Kits can be sent in with your students and given to the classroom teacher.

Pastor's Letter

Are you reading our weekly parish newsletter, The Cornerstone?

To view Mass schedules and learn about faith formation opportunities, sacramental prep, outreach, advocacy programs, news from the Seattle Archdiocese, including Partners in the Gospel and more, subscribe to receive The Cornerstone in your inbox when published on Fridays!

In-Parish Tuition

If you are a registered parishioner at Saint Patrick or Holy Cross Catholic Church, your Stewardship Card for the 2024-2025 calendar year will be in the mail soon.

To receive in-parish tuition at re-enrollment for the next academic year, you must be a registered member of either parish, have a Stewardship Card on file, and be an active and tithing member of the Parish.

Pushpay — New Parish Online Giving Platform

Thank you for your consistent giving to our parish. We are grateful for your continued generosity and are excited to announce a new way to give. We value our parish community and want to ensure everyone knows about our new giving platform.

We are moving away from Our Sunday Visitor (OSV) Online Giving and EFT services. We have chosen to contract with Pushpay. We strive to be good stewards of your financial gifts and believe the significantly lower processing fees offered through Pushpay will allow your gift of treasure to support our parishes' mission further. As always, security is a top priority. 

We aim to complete this transition process to Pushpay by November 1, so we need your help moving your current OSV Online Giving and EFT gifts. 

Online Giving

If you currently donate online (via OSV), please click on the INSTRUCTIONS button below to set up your recurring gift through Pushpay and cancel your donation through OSV.

EFT

If you currently donate through EFT (donations processed via the Parish Office at Saint Patrick Parish), please follow the instructions below to set up your recurring gift through Pushpay. Then, email Michelle Carpenter to stop your EFT donations.

Envelopes

If you currently donate using envelopes at Mass, please consider donating online and setting up an account in Pushpay by clicking the PUSHPAY button below.

Trunk or Treat

Join us for games, crafts, costume contests, and candy at our annual Trunk or Treat!

This is a free event. Bring a non-perishable food donation to the St. Leo Food Connection to enter the costume contest. This month's greatest need is single-serve oatmeal packets.

October 28 | 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Saint Patrick Catholic School

Upper Parking Lot

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer to support the event and earn commitment hours. Trunks are needed— there is space for 25!

Baked goods are needed for the Cake Walk. Email Kasa from the Baking Committee to sign up.

Enjoy Recess with Students

Are you looking for a fun way to earn commitment hours? Volunteers are needed to help supervise recess. Surround yourself with happy little people while helping to keep them safe.

Volunteers must have completed Virtus Safe Environment. Go to the EVENTS tab in Track it Forward to sign up.

Track It Forward

Saint Patrick Catholic School has adopted a volunteer hour management program. With Track It Forward, you can log in, sign up to volunteer, select the event you volunteered at, enter your volunteer hours, or view your dashboard and see how many required hours you have volunteered.

Safe Environment Training

All adults must complete the Virtus Training to volunteer at Saint Patrick Catholic School.

Registration

To view and register for upcoming classes facilitated by Christy Johnson, Development Director, select Seattle, WA (Archdiocese).

October 17 | 9:00 am

Saint Patrick Catholic Church

Parish Center

Visit the Seattle Archdiocese Virtus Tool Kit for step-by-step how-to directions.

Adult volunteer requirements include

• Background check completed on or before the first day of service and every three years while in active service.
• Abuse prevention initial training is completed within 30 days of starting service, and refresher training is every three years while in active service.
• Policies are read and signed on or before the first day of service. 

If you have finished the initial training, please log into your account to ensure you are up to date with the background check and all modules!

Tuition Affordability

It's our goal that no child be denied the opportunity to attend Saint Patrick Catholic School because their family can't afford it. We are committed to doing all we can by offering fair and substantial tuition assistance packages.

Fulcrum and Saint Patrick Tuition Assistance Program use a common application called FACTS. Complete the form once to be considered for the Fulcrum TAP and the SPTAP.

The tuition assistance application for current and prospective families and supporting documents for the 2024-2025 academic year are open and must be submitted by December 31, 2023

Learn more

• Tuition Affordability
• FAQs

Watch the Reel of the morning announcements.

Candy Contest

Bring candy to school—yes, we said that! The homeroom classes with the largest candy haul for Trunk or Treat win an ice cream party.

—Candy Collection—

through October 12

So far, 304 total pounds of candy have been collected. Mrs. Sachwitz's second-grade class has the lead with 58 lbs. We are grateful for the students who have helped carry the candy down three flights of stairs and to the ones making morning announcements about the standings.

—Ice Cream Party—

October 20

—Trunk or Treat—

October 28

3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Remember to use RaiseRight gift cards when you shop. Bring your candy to school labeled with the teacher's name.

Welcome to Holland

Are you raising people with diverse learning needs?

Join Rachel Ford, LICSW, parent and parishioner at Saint Patrick Catholic School, for community building, knowledge, and resource sharing!

—starting October 26—

7:30 pm

every last Thursday of the month

except for December

Saint Patrick Catholic School

Library

Share

—save the dates—

October 26, November 30, January 25, February 29, March 28, April 25

Rachel finds great joy in building relationships among people who can support and nurture one another. As a therapist, perinatal mental health expert, and mom of three, she is dedicated to creating a community that can buttress and care for one another by sharing knowledge and resources. Read more to learn how the group got it name.

All-School Mass

Mass is an integral part of faith formation for Kindergarten-Grade 8 students. Students must wear full uniforms, including sweaters, sweatshirts, blazers, or vests. 

Thursdays | 9:00 am

Saint Patrick Catholic Church

—Unless otherwise noted below—

Wednesday, November 1

All Saints Day

Friday, December 8

Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

—No All-School Mass—

• October 26 | Living Rosary
• November 30 | Reconciliation
• December 14 | Advent & Christmas Service in the evening

Women & The Word

Ladies of any age are welcome to meet after Mass and reflect on God's Word. The start time for the popular Women & The Word group has changed to allow you to participate immediately after Mass with students!

—NEW TIME—

Thursdays | 10:00 am

immediately after the 9:00 am Mass

Saint Patrick Catholic Church

Parish Center

All are welcome. Need not be a parishioner or Catholic! Bring your friends.

After School Art Studio for grades 6-8

Middle school students can use the space and supplies in the Art Room as their studio to develop their skills with a particular medium or to explore something new.

starting October 12

Thursdays | 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Saint Patrick Catholic School

Art Room



Art Studio is a free drop-in activity! You don't need to register. Art Specialist Mrs. Emily Keller will help students with their independent work most weeks. A unique project is planned for once a month.

Homework Support Hour for grades 5-8

Need help with homework? Sign up for support. Space is limited to 20 students. Sign-ups are required in advance, one week at a time.

Tuesdays | 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Saint Patrick Catholic School

Mr. Ainslie's Classroom

Students go directly to Mr. Ainslie's room after school. Mrs. Paez will help students and ensure they are on task.

Students can be picked up from the main office at 4:00 pm. Please do not send siblings with your student. Feel free to email Mrs. Paez with questions.

Spirit Wear Friday

Every Friday is Spirit Wear Friday. We love seeing students wearing their Spirit Wear favorites, from t-shirts to sweatshirts!

Students can wear Spirit Wear tops with their uniform bottoms or regular uniforms.

Lunch Orders

The lunch program, catered by Love My Lunch, offers three daily choices, including snack and drink add-ons.

Each regular-size meal is $5.75 plus tax and includes fruit, vegetables, and a side item. Larger meals are more. Additional snacks and drinks, priced individually, are also available.



WEEKLY ORDERS ARE DUE BY

11:59 PM SATURDAY

Love My Lunch sends weekly email reminders to all families with registered accounts.

For food and menu questions, call Lisa at 206-354-0980 or email [email protected]

Basketball for Middle School Boys

Registration is open! The season runs from October 23 - December 22. Games are after school during the week. Practice is in the Saint Patrick Catholic School Skip Butler Gymnasium during the week and some weekends.

Sports Physicals

All athletes must have an updated sports physical on file at Saint Patrick Catholic School to participate in Middle School Athletics. Turn in forms before the first practice. Physicals are good for 24 months and can be submitted by email or dropped off in person at the school office.

Volunteer

Are you interested in coaching, serving as the team photographer, or in another capacity? Volunteering counts toward fulfilling the required commitment hours for the 2023-2024 school year! Email [email protected] to get started.

Thanks to volunteer photographer Shea Cochran, new photos are added after each match to the Middle School Girls Volleyball album on Facebook.

Volleyball for Middle School Girls

Cheer on the Middle School Girls! Let's fill the stands with Shamrock supporters at our home games!

VARSITY | 4:30 pm

JUNIOR VARSITY | 5:30 pm

October 17

Saint Patrick Catholic School

Skip Butler Gymnasiumm

View the full schedule, including away games.

Do you have photos from practice or matches? Share them with us and earn volunteer commitment hours!

Why do Shamrock athletes love Cross Country Running? Watch our Reel to learn, and check out our season in photos.

Thanks to volunteer photographers Naomi Douglas, Erin Bakke, and Zach Powers, new photos are added each week to the Cross Country album on Facebook.

Cross Country for PreK-Grade 8

Let's fill the course with Shamrock supporters to cheer on Cross Country athletes in PreK - 8th Grade at upcoming meets.

—PreK-5th Grade—

October 15

October 22

—Middle School—

Dates to be announced

Sports Physicals for Middle Schoolers

All 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade athletes must have an updated physical on file at Saint Patrick Catholic School to participate in Middle School Athletics, including Volleyball and Cross Country.

Forms should be turned in before the first practice. Physicals are good for 24 months, so get yours early.

Completed physical forms can be submitted via email to Marla Petronzio at [email protected] or can be dropped off in person in the School Office. 

If you want to learn more, please email the Athletic Director at [email protected].

St. Leo Food Connection 

In October, we're collecting oatmeal, ideally in single serving sizes, to support the St. Leo Food Connection Backpack Program, serving over 1,200 students weekly at schools in Tacoma, Lakewood, and Puyallup.

Backpacks contain at least two days of easy-to-access food, such as oatmeal packets, instant soups, fresh fruits, and vegetables, so students can come to school nourished and ready to learn after the weekend.

Looking ahead, the following are needed in single-serving sizes:

• November | Snack bars like Chewy Granola Nutri-Grain, Nature Valley
• December | Crackers like Ritz, Cheez-It, Goldfish
• January | Fruit cups
• February | Instant grits
• March | Fruit leather and dried fruit like raisins, Craisins, apples, mango, pineapple
• April | Mac and cheese
• May | Cereal
• June | Fruit snacks

Drop off donations at Saint Patrick Catholic School during school hours!

RaiseRight scrip

New scrip coordinators Carolyn Weber and Christa Perez have resumed collecting payments and receiving shipments for orders you place through RaiseRight. The option to choose Pay Coordinator Directly or Ship to Coordinator during checkout has been reactivated after a summer hiatus. Wynter Dait will continue to oversee the program and handle special orders.

How it Works

Buy gift cards from your favorite brands to earn on your daily purchases using the mobile app or for year-round shopping and gift-giving needs.

• Buy gift cards at face value.
• Earn up to 20% for Saint Patrick Catholic School on every gift card you buy.
• Use gift cards at their total value for your everyday purchases.

Ship to Home

200+ brands delivered right to your door—Ship to Home. It's convenient to keep earning with reloadable gas or grocery cards, birthday gifts, and more.

Enroll Friends

You can also help grow our RaiseRight fundraising program and boost earnings. We've enabled a new feature allowing you to send enrollment invites directly to friends and family members.

How does it work? To send invites, download the latest version of the RaiseRight mobile app and go to Account > Settings. Tap into "Invite Friends & Family" and share the invite link or send direct invites to your contacts via email or text message.

If you are not a school family but would like to support us, enroll now.

Subscribe to our Google calendar. To subscribe, click on the + in the bottom right-hand corner of the calendar on our website.

OCTOBER

thru Dec 31 | Tuition Assistance Application Open

thru 12 | Candy Collection Contest

thru 12 | 5th Grade Camp

12 | PreK 4s Field Trip

12, 19 | All School Mass

12, 19, 26 | Afterschool Arts Studio for MS

13 | No School — Faculty Retreat

15, 22 | PreK-5th Grade XC Meets

17 | PreK Open House

17 | Safe Environment Training

17 | Volleyball Match at Home

20, 27 | Spirit Wear Friday

20 | Ice Cream Party for Contest Winning Classes

23-24 | No School — Conferences

26 | Living Rosary

26 | Picture Retake Day

26 | Welcome to Holland

28 | Trunk-or-Treat

—SCHOOL HOURS—

Monday - Friday | 8:30 am - 3:00 pm

The first Friday of the month is a Noon Dismissal for staff meetings (unless otherwise noted).

Saint Patrick Parent Association [SPPA]

2nd Tuesday of the month

5:30 pm - 6:25 pm

share

The SPPA (pronounced like the word spa) meets from September to May on Zoom.

All registered school families are members of SPPA and are encouraged to participate.

Attending meetings counts toward Commitment Hours.

Zoom Meeting Link

—MEETING DATES—

2023

November 14 | December 12

2024

January 9 | February 13 | March 12 | April 9 | May 14 | June 11

—SPPA OFFICERS—

President

Olivia Cabrales

3rd board term

6th & 8th grader

Vice President

Kelly Frazier

new board member & family

3rd & 6th grader

Recording Co-Secretaries

Dani Kessler

3rd board term

5th, 6th, & 8th grader

Joann Varnell

new board member

7^th grader

Treasurer

Leila Carlson

new board member & family

2nd & 5th grader

Faculty Representatives

Amy Sachwitz

—QUICK LINKS—

Bylaws

Staff Favorites

Email

School Commission

2nd Tuesday of the month

6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

share

The School Commission meets from September to May in the Library directly across from the Main Office at Saint Patrick Catholic School.

Attending meetings counts toward Commitment Hours. 

—MEETING DATES—

2023

November 14 | December 12

2024

January 9 | February 13 | March 12 | April 9 | May 14 | June 11



—MINUTES—

May 2023

—COMMISSION MEMBERS—

President

Jaime Singer

Vice President

John Nelson

Secretary

Alyssa Dunivan

Pastor

Fr. David Mulholland

Principal

Barbara Bolaños

Vice Principal

Kate Chambers

Faculty Representative

Hanna Graves

Commissioners

Brie Cooper

Allison Drago

Willie London

Bill Malaier

Stu Morgan

Andrew Noonan

Kasa Tupua Pierson

—QUICK LINKS—

Bylaws

R.E.A.C.H. Auction

1st Tuesday of the month

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

share

The REACH Auction committee meets from October to April to plan the 49th annual R.E.A.C.H. Auction held on March 16, 2024, chaired by Andrew and Katy Madderson.

Attending meetings counts toward Commitment Hours.

Zoom Meeting Link

—MEETING DATES—

2023

November 7 | December 5

2024

January 2 | February 6 | March 5 | April 2

If you want to join the R.E.A.C.H. Auction board, lead a committee, become a sponsor, donate an auction package email us at [email protected] to get started.

O'Dea Admissions Information

O'Dea invites all interested young men and their families to attend their upcoming admissions events! As the only all-boys Catholic High School in the Pacific Northwest, they welcome you to check out their campus, meet their students, faculty, and staff, and experience the O'Dea Brotherhood.

Visit their website to learn about upcoming events, including 8th Grade Visit Days, Open Houses, and more! Prospective families are encouraged to create a portal account to join the O'Dea Admissions mailing list to stay up-to-date on admissions-related dates.

Bellarmine Preparatory School

Applications for the Class of 2028 are due January 12, 2024; create your admissions account and begin the application process.

Check out their recent admission newsletter for information about the Bellarmine Open House on November 2 and Bellarmine Experience Days.

October is the month of the Holy Rosary. ShamFams assembled pocket rosaries during their time together. We're preparing to pray the Living Rosary as a school later this month.

Incorporating opportunities for older and younger Shamrocks to interact and collaborate through mentoring programs, buddy systems, and cross-grade projects creates a richer and more supportive educational environment for all students involved.

Do you have a photo, video, or story to share? Please email it to [email protected].

We now know that COVID-19 is here to stay for the foreseeable future. Understanding how to live our lives while keeping ourselves, loved ones, and the community as safe as possible is essential. How can we do that? By using all the tools we've learned so far: getting vaccinated and boosted, getting tested and staying home if sick or exposed, wearing a mask in crowds, and keeping our distance.

Read the latest guidance on COVID-19. Help prevent the spread of the virus to others in your home, our school, and our community by using the calculator to help determine quarantine requirements.

—Faculty & Staff Theme—

Journey of Faith: Embracing Grace, Knowledge, and Community

The theme highlights the core values of Catholic education while also focusing on the idea of a continuous journey of faith. It emphasizes the importance of embracing God's grace, seeking knowledge in both spiritual and academic realms, and fostering a strong sense of community within the school.

—School Theme—

Led by the Spirit of the Lord

"Let us act with the kindness and love towards one another that Christ exemplifies.”

—ASB Vice President—

SAINT PATRICK CATHOLIC SCHOOL

1112 North G Street | Tacoma, WA 98403

[email protected] | 253-272-2297

www.saintpats.org

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