🙏 The Messenger - Summer Update

July 14, 2025

Dear Families of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School,

Happy Summer! We are about at the one-month mark and look forward to welcoming back all of our returning Dolphins and welcoming home our new Dolphins!

This year, we are thrilled to be celebrating our 25th anniversary. For our theme, we are focusing on these words by our patron, St. Anthony of Padua:

“The life of the body is the soul, the life of the soul is Christ.”

This quote reminds us that just as the soul animates the body, it is Christ who gives life, purpose, and direction to our souls — and to our school. For 25 years, Christ has been at the heart of all we do — in our classrooms, in our community, and in the relationships we build. This anniversary is more than a celebration of years; it is a testament to the faith that sustains us, the mission that guides us, and the presence of Christ that gives us life.

Please join me in welcoming the following new members to our school family.

New Members of the St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School Staff:

Mrs. Monica Donaldson – Middle School ELA Teacher
Ms. Andrea Elizarraraz – Beyond the Bell Staff
Ms. Ashley Gambertoglio – 4th Grade Math/Science/Religion Teacher
Mrs. Alejandra Leyva – Middle School Math Teacher
Mrs. Tammy Meredith – ELA Curriculum Support Teacher
Mrs. Heather Szostak – Kindergarten Classroom Assistant

Additional Staffing Changes:

Ms. Becky Fagan will move from the 4th grade classroom to a part-time position as our Math Curriculum Support Teacher with the PACE Department.
Mrs. Mikayla Gambertoglio will move from Middle School Math to Middle School Social Studies.
Mr. Travis Wallace will move from Middle School Social Studies to P.E. Teacher and Athletic Director.

Big Congratulations to Coach Dale Quickel and Ms. Yvette Flot on their retirements! They will be missed.

Academic Updates:

Math and ELA Curriculum Support- Mrs. Becky Fagan and Mrs. Tammy Meredith are joining our PACE Team with a focus on vertical curriculum alignment in Math (Fagan) and ELA (Meredith). Both teachers have extensive backgrounds in these curriculum areas and will work with teachers at all grade levels to support students and teachers as we strive to successfully master our grade-level TEKS and achieve student growth both in classroom performance and on NWEA testing.
Science of Reading – The Science of Reading is a research-based approach that explains how children learn to read. This is an elementary school initiative across the Archdiocese which recognizes the importance of teaching skills like phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. By understanding these key components, our teachers can use a variety of effective methods to help children become confident and skilled readers. Our PreK – 3rd grade teachers will implement UFLI, the University of Florida Literacy Initiative, to help children develop strong reading and writing skills using specialized teaching methods and resources to support early literacy development.
Handwriting Without Tears – Handwriting Without Tears will be launched in PreK – 2nd grade. This educational program is designed to help children develop effective and legible handwriting skills by emphasizing a simple, engaging, and developmentally appropriate approach to teaching handwriting. It uses multisensory techniques, visual aids, and fun activities to make learning to write enjoyable and accessible for children.
New Middle School Electives – We are thrilled to continually add to our middle school elective offerings. This year, we have added 6th Grade Guidance which has been designed to help students develop the social and emotional skills necessary to navigate the changes faced in transitioning to middle school with confidence, compassion, and faith. Competitive Speech & Debate introduces students to the fundamentals of public speaking, argumentation, and formal debate. Life Lab is a hands-on elective rooted in the principles of family and consumer sciences introducing practical knowledge and everyday skills that students can apply both at home and in the wider world. Students will explore topics such as cooking and nutrition, gardening, basic sewing and textile care, personal finance, and household management. To learn more about our middle school electives, please visit our website.

Campus Improvements:

Front Office Security – Thanks to the generosity of our families through Raise the Paddle at the 2025 The One Gala, our safety glass enclosure has been added to the front office. We are so grateful to have this added level of security while still maintaining a welcoming entrance to our school.
Window and Glass Protection – As some of you may remember, in 2018, a special protective layer was added to our windows and glasses for shatter protection in the case of a security incident. These needed to be updated. This additional layer of protection was also covered by last year’s Raise the Paddle.
Additional Cameras on Campus – Again, thanks to our families with Raise the Paddle, additional cameras have been installed on campus to assist in safety and supervision throughout our entire campus.
Marian Garden – Our final Raise the Paddle project focuses on our Marian Garden in the back of campus near the playground. Fencing will be installed and the area will be prepared to serve as a space to honor Our Mother while also providing a location for garden work and an outdoor learning environment for our students. Thank you to Mrs. Koett for spearheading this project!

After our successful first year with Smart Families, we enter year two this upcoming academic year. You can learn more about Smart Families by visiting the website: https://www.smart-families.org/. This year’s focus is on executive functioning with a continual emphasis on “helping communities create a happier, healthier and more intentional lifestyle for families that engage with technology in a manner that is respectful of our innate human dignity.” Stay tuned for more information on this year’s events.

To celebrate our 25th anniversary, students will be permitted to wear a St. Anthony Spirit shirt with uniform bottoms every Friday this academic year! This can also be a shirt from athletics, theater, choir or camps (no hoodies). Be on the lookout for more ways we will celebrate our silver anniversary! 😊

Please mark your calendars for Meet the Teacher on Thursday, August 7th from 4:00 – 6:00 PM. At Meet the Teacher you can learn your student's classroom assignments, pick-up yearbooks, purchase & take home Spirit Shirts, purchase Middle School P.E. uniforms, and more! Our first day of school (half-day) is on August 11th!

Only by His Grace,

Veronica D. Tucker

Principal

ALL-SCHOOL NEWS

FLYNNO'HARA UNIFORMS

We are happy to continue our partnership with FlynnO'Hara Uniforms for the 2025-2026 school year!

Shop Online at:

https://flynnohara.com/shop/st-anthony-of-padua-tx107/

Please visit the link above to shop for your uniform. Enter your student’s grade & gender to view the products that he or she is permitted to wear to school. Please note that FlynnO’Hara offers Free Shipping on orders over $300.

Email Sign-Up Link:

To stay in the loop on uniform-related promotions and updates, join their email list HERE!

School Code: TX107

Local Store Information:

FlynnO’Hara Uniforms

1022 Wirt Road Suite 322

Houston, TX 77055

CURRENT HOURS:

Monday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Tuesday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Wednesday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Thursday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Friday Closed

Saturday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Sunday Closed

UNIFORM REGULATIONS, TRANSITION PLAN & COLOR CHART

NEW - RECOMMENDED UNIFORM SHOE

As part of our continued efforts to promote safety, unity, and school pride, we are introducing a recommended uniform shoe for the 2025–2026 school year, with plans to make it required starting in 2026–2027.

Recommended Shoe: New Balance 574 Core, Available in Toddler, Youth, Women’s, and Men’s sizes

Approved Colors:

Gray with white
Black with white
Solid black
Navy with white
Cloud with white

We encourage families to begin making the transition this year to help reduce distractions, prevent injuries, and create a more unified look across campus. Thank you for your support as we take this step forward together!

SUMMER READING & MATH

Summer Reading Assignments for students (Grades 1-8) were sent home by teachers but are also available on our website at the link below.

Summer Math - Strengthening math skills during summer break boosts confidence and helps students transition smoothly into the new school year. Students will have access to grade-level appropriate summer math assignments on IXL (ixl.com), available in their accounts by June 1st. Summer math assignments will be due the first full week of school.

Once logged in to IXL students can access assignments:

Click Learning tab -> Recommendations

Click See Suggestions from your teachers (upper right)

Click the From Your Teacher tab

SUMMER MATH & READING ASSIGNMENTS

USED UNIFORMS

Paduan Parent volunteers maintain our Used Uniforms cabinets throughout the school year. All parents are welcome to shop our Used Uniforms during office hours. There is a suggested donation of $5 per uniform item taken for your students.

SPIRIT SHIRTS – $25 Each

Show your school spirit! Students may wear Spirit Shirts with uniform bottoms every Friday and with jeans on designated Spirit Shirt & Jeans Days.

Shirts will be available for purchase and pick-up at Meet the Teacher on August 7 and will be billed to your family's FACTS account.

New This Year:

Celebrate our 25th Anniversary with a limited-edition Spirit Sweatshirt (Gray)! Pre-orders will be available at Meet the Teacher and billed through FACTS. Sweatshirts will be delivered by early September.

SPIRIT STORE - SquadLocker

The whole family is welcome to shop our Spirit Store through Squad Locker. Our school will receive a percentage of all sales to benefit our programs on campus. Outerwear & Sweatshirts may be worn by students over uniforms.

SQUADLOCKER

FALL ATHLETICS

We are delighted to offer the following fall athletics opportunities for our students.

Boys & Girls Cross Country (5th - 8th Grades)
Boys Football (6th-8th Grades)
Co-ed Soccer (5th-8th Grades)
Girls Volleyball (5th-8th Grades)

All students who are interested in participating in fall sports must complete the following Fall Sports Participation form and turn in the Sports Physical Form prior to the first practice.

If you already registered your student for Fall Athletics in the spring, no further action is needed. More details available at: https://ap.school/sports-commitment.

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA CATHOLIC SCHOOL / FACTS FAMILY APP

Be sure to download the our App! Available for both iOS and Android, the app is a great way to have quick access to important information that you would normally find in the FACTS Family Portal—grades, billing, school calendars, and more. Search for St. Anthony of Padua TX in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store or use the button below.

Be sure to allow notifications so that you receive important info from the school!
Some features will be added once the school year begins.
When you click on an item in the app that will access FACTS information (grades, directory, financial, etc.), you will be prompted to log in with your FACTS Family Portal credentials. You will also need to use our district code: SATY-TX. The app will keep you logged in for 30 days, after which you will need to log in again for security purposes.

NOTE: If Family Portal users have not updated their Family Portal passwords in a while, you should do so on a browser prior to logging in to the app’s Family Portal features the first time.

DOWNLOAD OUR APP

MASS CHOIR - Registration Now Open for Rising 3rd–8th Graders!

We’re excited to welcome new and returning students to our St. Anthony Mass Choir! This group leads music at most school Masses throughout the year and plays a special role in our faith community.

🎟 Bonus Opportunity: All registered Mass Choir members are eligible to perform the National Anthem at the Houston Astros game on Sunday, September 1! (See below for Astros ticket information and event details.).

👉 Click below to register for Mass Choir:

MASS CHOIR REGISTRATION

NATIONAL ANTHEM AT THE ASTROS

Our choir will have the opportunity to sing our National Anthem at the Monday, September 1st (Labor Day) Astros home game! We are excited to represent our school, our faith, and our country at this huge public forum this fall.

Anyone is welcome to attend the game with our group. Purchase tickets at the link below. All singers & guardians must have a ticket! Tickets have been reserved for St. Anthony in Field Box 133.

Purchase your tickets at: https://www.gofevo.com/event/2025st3

SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS NEEDED

We are always looking for caring and reliable substitute teachers to support our students and staff. If you’re interested—or know someone who might be—please reach out to Mrs. Tucker at vtucker@ap.school. You do not need to be a certified teacher to substitute. Thank you for considering this important role in our school community!

PADUAN PARENTS & VOLUNTEERING

ROOM PARENT & PADUAN PARENT LEADERSHIP

We encourage all parents and guardians to volunteer as a Room Parent or Paduan Parent Champions during the 2025-2026 school year. This is a wonderful opportunity to contribute to your child’s classroom, experience your child’s interactions with teachers and peers, and most of all, see the pride in your child’s face when you are there to share special times with their class. If you are interested in this fun and rewarding opportunity, please let us know at the volunteer interest form below. We will contact individual Room Parents & Paduan Parent Champions about assignments once the school year begins.

Room Parent & Paduan Parent Champion Interest

SCHOOL CALENDAR

SUMMER OFFICE HOURS

July 7 - August 8 | Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

August 11 | First Day of School, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

August 12 | Begin regular school hours, 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM