The Blarney Stone

August 30, 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

Well Met, and We're Not Done Yet


Dear Friends,


Today was the first time since before the pandemic that we could hold our traditional Meet and Greet event. I was grateful to have a chance to say hello to quite a number of students and families. The joy in the hallways and classrooms was palpable, it was very special to be together again and carry on a practice that has been in place for decades at Saint Patrick Catholic School.  Thanks for the warm meetings and greetings!


Our first floor renovation project is wrapping up, although there are a few construction-related projects yet to be completed in the next few weeks. Per the city, we had to dig up the asphalt between the street and the sidewalk on Yakima and replace that section with live plantings. Therefore, Yakima parking access may be coned off a few times in the days/weeks to come. It’s unfortunate timing, but it’s all part of getting building permits for our renovation. Tomorrow will likely be one of the days impacted, so you may want to arrange to pick up your children via the drive through upper playground method.


The soccer court project is still pending due to supply chain issues, but it is hopefully going to start late this week. We will flex as needed to accommodate the work crew when they actually arrive.


This week has been packed full for our faculty and staff, with furniture assembly, moving, unpacking, 14 hours of professional development, meetings, prepping rooms, cleaning, etc. I am proud of their concerted efforts and professionalism, and thankful that we finally get to be with the children we love to serve.


Thanks for being here,


Barbara Bolaños

Principal


Saint Patrick, pray for us!

BACK TO SCHOOL

—First Full Day of School—

Thursday, August 31

We've outlined the drop-off and pick-up details below. There will be a Coffee & Doughnut gathering for parents in the gym from 8:00-9:30. Please join us!


Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures


Morning Drop-Off Procedures for Regular School Days (Begins at 8:10 am)

  • PreK students must be walked in and remain with parents until doors open at 8:25 am. After school, pick up students on G Street at their designated spots.
  • Grades K-8 | 12th Street is a 2-way street; however, traffic flow for our DROP-OFF ZONE is DOWN 12th from Yakima to G Street. Safely pull over and let your student out curbside ONLY. Do not leave your car in the DROP-OFF ZONE.
  • Grades 5-8 | Yakima is a 2-way street, pull over and let your student out curbside. Please make sure to instruct your student to use the crosswalks. Students can walk down to the main entrance of the playground and wait in their designated areas. 
  • Always have the child(ren) use the crosswalks patrolled by assigned staff.

Afternoon Pick-Up Procedures for Regular School Days


PreK | Pick up at assigned first-floor doors

Grades 5-8 | Pick up on Yakima Street


For Kindergarten-Grade 4

  • Gates open 10 minutes before dismissal time.
  • Cars enter the playground from 12th Street and move forward in two lines. If your youngest child is in kindergarten or first grade, please use the left (building-side) lane; if your youngest child is in 2nd-4th grade, please use the right lane.
  • Please leave only 2-3 feet between your car and the car in front of you.
  • Please turn off your engine.
  • Students will be kept behind the coned area until parents/guardians are present.
  • Stay in your car until you see your child/children.
  • Exit only if necessary to collect your child/children, then return quickly to your vehicle.
  • If one or more of your students are still in the building, you may be asked to exit the pick-up area, circle the block and re-enter the pick-up area.
  • Students may not play on the Big Toy or playground after school.

—Back to School Nights—

What is Back to School Night (BTSN) is an adults-only evening to get acquainted with staff, teachers, and families. It is an opportunity to learn about programs and special events, discover volunteer opportunities that fit your unique talents, visit your student's classrooms, learn about goals and expectations, and more. We will begin promptly in the Skip Butler Gym. We're excited to offer our Back to School Night in two sessions this year.


PreK-5th Grade

September 14 | 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm


Middle School

September 19 | 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm



—Mass Days—

This year all-school Masses (K-8) are on Thursdays* at 9:00 am, beginning September 7. Students should wear full Mass uniforms on Thursdays, including sweaters, sweatshirts, blazers, or vests. 


*If there is a Holy Day, Mass will be on the Holy Day and not on Thursday unless the Holy Day falls on a Thursday.


—Spirit Wear Friday—

Students may wear SPCS-approved Spirit Wear t-shirts or sweatshirts on Fridays this year! Ordering information will be in The Blarney Stone newsletter when it is available.



—Family Directory—

Watch for an email from our Vice Principal, Mrs. Chambers, with the option to be included in our 2023-2024 digital Family Directory. Our directory is password protected and shared only within our school community.

Coffee & Doughnut Social

We look forward to seeing you on the first full school day to celebrate our legacy of 130 years of Catholic Education!


August 31

8:00 am - 9:30 am

Saint Patrick Catholic School

Skip Butler Gymnasium

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Whether celebrating that first day of school, shedding a tear, or both, join us for doughnuts and coffee after drop-off to meet new Shamrock families and reconnect with friends.

Track it Forward

our new volunteer hour program

Saint Patrick Catholic School has adopted a volunteer hour management program, Track it Forward. With Track It Forward, you can simply log in, select the event you volunteered at, and enter the hours you volunteered. You can also log in to your dashboard and see how many out of the required hours you have volunteered.


We are asking that each household have ONE account.

SIGN UP
LOG IN

PARISH

Pastor's Letter

Are you reading our weekly parish newsletter, The Cornerstone? To read Fr. David Mulholland's pastoral letter, view Mass schedules, and learn about faith formation opportunities, sacramental prep, outreach, advocacy programs, news from the Seattle Archdiocese, and more, subscribe to receive The Cornerstone in your inbox when published on Fridays!

PARISH NEWS

EVENTS & PROGRAMS

Events & Photos

This week, we've had many events, and not everyone could make it. Take a look at the Albums tab on our Facebook Page to check out what's going on around our school. While you're there, be sure to like and follow us on Facebook so that you can stay up to date with happenings around Saint Patrick Catholic School.

Lunch Orders for September

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, vegetable, and a side item. Larger meals are more. Additional snacks and drinks, priced individually, are also available.


Orders are due two days before lunch service, and 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]

CREATE AN ACCOUNT or ORDER

Annual Fund 24 Kick Off & Early Learning Center Blessing & Commemoration

Join us as we bless our new Early Learning Center and kick off the 2024 Annual Fund.


September 7 | 7:00 pm

Skip Butler Gymnasuim

Saint Patrick Catholic School

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This is a 21+ event, hosted by Matt & Leigh Ann Zehnder, Annual Fund 24 Chairs, and Stu & Danica Morgan, Capital Campaign Chairs.

RSVP

Cross Country for PreK-Grade 8

Cross Country running is open to all Saint Patrick Catholic School students in PreK - 8th Grade.


Practice

Practice is held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:45 pm - 4:45 pm, at Vassault Park. Athletes must be registered online to practice. 


Sports Physicals

All middle school athletes must have an updated physical on file at Saint Patrick Catholic School to participate in Cross Country Running.


Cost

$30/athlete plus $25 for running singlet for athletes who don't have one


Meets

—PreK-5th Grade—

  • September 24
  • October 1
  • October 15
  • October 22


Middle School

Four weekday meets in September and October; dates will be announced.


Volunteer

Head Coach Ryan Smith is seeking two coaches! Volunteer opportunities are also available to serve as the team photographer or in another capacity. Please email [email protected] to learn more. Volunteering counts toward fulfilling the required commitment hours for the 2023-2024 school year!

REGISTER

Volleyball for Middle School Girls

BUMP. SET. SPIKE— registration is open through September 8 for 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade girls at Saint Patrick Catholic School. If team rosters fill up fast, registration will close early. 


The season starts the first week of the 2023 school year and ends on October 31. Practice is held in the Skip Butler Gymnasium at Saint Patrick Catholic School. Matches are on weekdays, and the cost is $60 per athlete.


Sports Physicals

All middle school athletes must have an updated physical on file at Saint Patrick Catholic School to participate in Cross Country Running.


Volunteer

Interested in coaching, serving as the team photographer, or in another capacity? Please email us at [email protected]. Volunteering counts toward fulfilling the required commitment hours for the 2023-2024 school year!

REGISTER

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.

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].

Cub Scouts Join Night

Cub Scouts for girls and boys, in Kindergarten through 5th Grade, focuses on independence, physical fitness, outdoor activities, and learning valuable life skills.


September 13

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Saint Patrick Catholic Church

Church Hall


Dens will be working on badges, so you'll get the real feel and hands-on experience of Scouting. Plus, free pizza and games for everyone while you learn more about Cub Scouts.


To join online, click the registration button below and enter the parish zip code 98403 to find Saint Patrick Catholic Church-sponsored Pack 299.


To learn more, email Jen Van Vechten or call Scout Master Jaremy Brown at 407-766-5445

REGISTER

Scouts for 6th grade & up

Join Troop 299G for girls or Troop 299B for boys.


Mondays | 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Saint Patrick Catholic Church

Parish Center

Website



Scouts Girl Troop 299G

Troop meetings are year-round. Scouts participate in monthly camping trips, service projects, and more.


To visit or learn about the girls' troop, please email Scoutmaster Valerie Pettit or call 940-206-1941.


Scouts Boy Troop 299B

Celebrating its 100th year of scouting in 2020, the troop enjoys monthly outdoor outings and regional summer camps and contributes to the local community and parish through service.


To visit or learn about the boys' troop, please email Scoutmaster Chris Rousseau or call 971-404-5917.

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.

SHOP

CALENDAR & SCHEDULES

2023-2024 year-at-a-glance

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

AUGUST

31 | First Full Day of School


SEPTEMBER

1 | Spirit Wear Friday

4 | No School — Labor Day

5 | REACH Board Meeting

7 | All School Mass

7 | Annual Fun 24 Kick Off & Early Learning Center Blessing & Commemoration

9 | Safe Environment Training (registration required)

12 | SPPA Meeting

12 | School Commission Meeting

14 | All School Mass

14 | Back to School Night for PreK - Grade 5

15 | Spirit Wear Friday

19 | Back to School Night for Middle School

21 | All School Mass

22 | Spirit Wear Friday

27 | Safe Environment Training (registration required)

28 | All School Mass

28 | Picture Day

29 | Spirit Wear Friday

School Hour Changes

School Hours are changing to the following for the 2023-2024 school year:


Monday - Friday

8:30 am - 3:00 pm


  • No Early Dismissal on Wednesdays.
  • The first Friday of the month is a Noon Dismissal for staff meetings (unless otherwise noted).

VOLUNTEERS

Safe Environment Training

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


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!


You can visit the Seattle Archdiocese Virtus Tool Kit for a step-by-step how-to.

VIRTUS Online

BELLARMINE PROGRAMS

Bellarmine Parochial Band

Parochial Band is starting back up at Bellarmine Preparatory School, and they are inviting you to check their program out. Parochial Band is open to grades 5-8. No prior music experience is required for Beginning Band.


They offer two ensemble levels. Both meet on Tuesday & Thursday at Bellarmine. Beginning Band meets from 4:00-4:50. Advanced Band meets from 5:00-5:50. A full year commitment is expected, but seasonal or partial conflicts with rehearsal times can be worked around.


Intrested? Parent Info Night and New Student Instrument Testing on September 13th, 4:00-5:00 PM in Bellarmine's Allen Hall.


Questions? Concerns? More information: email Casey Whitson, Director of Bands, Department Chair for Music, Bellarmine Preparatory School, at [email protected].

PHOTO HIGHLIGHT

Welcome Back! Today was the Meet & Greet at Saint Patrick Catholic School. All students got to come into school and see their classroom, meet their teacher, and get their school supplies put away in their desk or locker. Did you attend the Meet & Greet? What was your favorite part?

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

QUICK LINKS

Calendar

Family Handbook

Emergency Management Manual

Alma

SchoolAdmin

RaiseRight

Volunteer Commitment Hours Log

Distinguished Alumni Nomination Form

Capital Campaign

SchoolAdmin

Dress Code

Global Schoolwear




SAINT PATRICK CATHOLIC SCHOOL

1112 North G Street | Tacoma, WA 98403

[email protected] | 253-272-2297

www.saintpats.org

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