PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION

MARK YOUR CALENDAR -

Sept 20th                               Progress Reports go out for 3rd – 8th grade

Sept 24-28th                           ITBS Testing for 2nd through 8th grade

Sept 28th                               Dress Down Day for Box Tops Reward

Sept 28th                               Annual Staff vs. 8th Grade Kickball Game 2:00 – 3:00pm

Oct 3rd                                   Family Chastity talk for parents of 7th/8th graders 7:30pm

Oct 5th                                   No School - Archdiocese Teacher In-Service

MONTHLY TUITION INSTALLMENTS BEGIN – Today, the families who chose the monthly option for payment of their tuition will automatically be taken out of their checking account. You will notice, in most cases, multiple withdrawals.  The new database system that both the parish and school are using, allows for automatic payments from various categories.  Most families will have separate withdrawals for tuition and books. Parents will also notice that PreS/PreK tuition is separated out as well. These amounts do equal the total agreed upon last spring at tuition weekend. We are just making everyone aware that there will not be one lump sum as in the past. If you have any questions, contact Mrs. Moritz via email at kmoritz@stpatselkhorn.org or call the school office.

INFORMATION ON THE NEW BUILDING PROGRESS – The weather worked in our favor this past week, which allowed the builders to continue the progress of our newest addition to St. Patrick’s School. As the new building progresses behind the existing building, you may be unable to see the ongoing development.  Most of the footings are now in and they are starting to put up the block walls.  Please continue to look on our school website www.stpatselkhorn.org for updated pictures of the progress. Special thanks to all who are working hard and those being charitable towards the success of our Capital Campaign.  Please continue to pray for this success.

PICTURE RETAKES – Lifetouch will be back on October 23rd for school picture retakes. When your child’s school pictures come home, if you are unhappy with them after viewing them, this will be your opportunity to have retakes. Also, for those of you who that forgot to turn in your picture envelopes at the time pictures were taken, or if your child was absent that day, this will be your opportunity. The fall picture will be submitted for the yearbook.

School uniforms with sweater will be the dress code.  Further details/times to come – Stay tuned!

RF WEDNESDAY TRAFFIC FLOW- Please remember that on RF days, all traffic is one way entering the north access parking lot as the St. Patrick’s 5 day students do every morning.  The times are 3:45 until 9:00 pm.  Everyone must come into the lot via Laramie Street by the fire station and leave via the southwest exit during these hours of RF.  This especially applies to extended care families and staff as well as anyone coming into the church or school.

PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN YOUR CHILD MISSES SCHOOL – When your child must miss school due to illness or for any other reason, please make certain you email the school office and the child’s homeroom teacher to let them know.  Email sgrewe@stpatselkhorn.org and kmoritz@stpatselkhorn.org for the office and your child’s teacher.  Homework arrangements may be made via email to your child’s teacher.  It can be sent home with a sibling or picked up after dismissal at the Welcome Desk. By doing this, the child stays on the same schedule as the rest of the class.

GROW HAIR GROW – Keep in mind, the St. Patrick’s School’s Annual Locks of Love and Blood Drive will be participating on January 23rd, therefore let that hair grow.  The American Cross Blood Drive will also be here taking blood from (1:00 to 7:00).  Please mark your calendar as this is awesome way that we as adults can give to those in need.  Thank you.

2006-2007 ST. PATRICK’S SCHOOL YEARBOOKS – St. Patrick’s Home & School has a handful of yearbooks leftover from the ’06-’07 school year.  If you did not order one, but still want a book, you may purchase one by calling the school office.  Books are $16 each.  Please make check payable to St. Patrick’s Home & School! 

FATHER RON IS AWAY ON VACATION-    In place of students attending Mass during the school week - On the three Thursdays listed   below, the Kindergarten through 3rd grade will gather in the church as usual.  On the three Tuesdays listed below, 4th graders through 8th grade will assemble in the church.

Thursday, Sept 20, 2007         K-3rd graders – Catechesis about the Liturgy of the Word      

Tuesday, Sept 25, 2007          4th-8th graders – Catechesis about the Liturgy of the Word

Thursday, Sept 27, 2007         K-3rd graders – Catechesis about the Liturgy of the Eucharist   

Tuesday, Oct 2, 2007            4th-8th graders – Morning Prayer Service in honor of the

                                                                     Feast of the Guardian Angels    

Thursday, Oct 4, 2007           K-3rd graders – Morning Prayer Service in honor of    

                                                                     St. Francis of Assisi  

Tuesday, Oct 9, 2007            4th-8th graders – Catechesis about the Liturgy of the Eucharist

FAMILY CHASTITY PROGRAM - Kathy Martin will present her program called Family Chastity to all of the 7th and 8th grade parents on Wednesday, October 3rd from 7:30pm until 8:45pm.  This will give parents the opportunity to preview what Mrs. Martin will discuss with your 7th and/or 8th grade student.  This will take place for the 7th graders on Monday, October 8th and for the 8th graders on Monday, October, 15th.  Both presentations will be during the afternoon.

CONFIRMATION DISCIPLESHIP MENTOR/CANDIDATE REFLECTION – September 26th, 7:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.  Candidates will have the opportunity to meet the other candidates in their group, along with the adult mentors who will be serving and coordinating the projects for them.  All candidates must attend this evening and parents are welcome to come the last 10 minutes of the session to meet the adult mentors who will be working with their children.

1ST RECONCILIATION PARENT/CHILD RETREAT - On September 29th and 30th, 2007 at least one parent should plan on attending with their child. Please bring two yards of pre-washed and pressed cotton material to the retreat.  Additional information regarding the 1st Eucharist quilt is included in the sacrament information packet.

Retreat times are as follows:

Saturday, Sept 29th                          8:00am to 9:30am

Saturday, Sept 29th                          11:00 am to 12:30 pm

Saturday, Sept 29th                          2:00 pm to 3:30 pm

Sunday, Sept 30th                            2:00 pm to 3:30 pm

Each session is limited to 45 children and their parents. If you have not submitted your choice for a retreat date and time, please do so by Wednesday, September 19, 2007.  (This information is included in the sacrament information packet.)

 MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIBRARY - We still need volunteers for the following shifts:      

        Wednesday mornings: check in and shelve book

        Thursday afternoons: help during 1ST grade and 4th grade classroom check outs (assist students find books and shelving books)

Please contact Anne Kalkowski (akalkowski@stpatselkhorn.org ) if you can spare an hour or two during these times!

ROSARY CLUB - If you are interested in being part of a unique experience, consider assisting with or volunteering for St. Patrick’s Rosary Club! The children of St. Patrick’s are very devoted to their mission of praying and making rosaries every Monday from 3:30-4:30pm. Assisting is easy and entails distributing snacks, organizing supplies, helping tie and make rosaries, and helping the children pray and learn about the rosary. The club typically consists of 25-35 children. Any help you can offer would be very much appreciated. For more information, please call the school office.

BOOK FAIR NEWS - Are you ready to chill out with a good book? Then, we’ll see you at the Book Fair Blizzard, October 16th thru 23rd. A Scholastic Book Fair give you and your children the opportunity to buy carefully selected, quality books and products at affordable prices. Plus, proceeds from this event will benefit our school by placing more books in our library and into the hands of our children.  Mark your calendars for this chilling week-long event. AND if your child loves CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG and/or KRISPY KREME DONUTS, be sure to visit the BOOK FAIR after church on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21ST.  Your child can meet Clifford in person from 9:00am until 12:30pm. We will even be serving Krispy Kreme donuts, coffee and juice after each Mass. We hope to see you at the Book Fair!

NEW TO THE SCRIP PROGRAM - A Drop of Sunshine Home Cleaning!  Denise Breinig, the owner of A Drop of Sunshine Home Cleaning, is giving the St. Pat’s SCRIP program a 3% discount!  Visit www.adropofsunshine.net for more details!  Call Denise @ 496-3640 to schedule your one time cleaning now for the upcoming holidays!!!!  Don’t forget that the SCRIP program has AVANT Salon & Day Spa, MK Carwash, Cabela’s, JCPenneys, Kohls, Bakers, Hy Vee, Arby’s, Bene Pizza & Pasta, Burger King, Cheesecake Factory, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Frank’s Pizzeria, Panera, Runza, Starbucks, Subway, TCBY, Texas Roadhouse, Wendy’s, Home Depot and Lowes available on hand!  Order your SCRIP today!

HY VEE SMILES FOR EDUCATION- Win $5,000 for your school and a Dell Inspiron 1501 laptop computer for your student by completing the form linked below and dropping it in the SMILES FOR EDUCATION box at your neighborhood Hy Vee store. Also, on Monday September 10, 2007 and ending Monday December 31, 2007 Hy Vee once again is sponsoring Cash for Students. This is a fund raising event that could earn St. Patrick’s a maximum of $2,000 during this 4 month period. All you need to do is shop at Hy Vee and then send the receipts into school. Those receipts will be totaled and for every $200 spent Hy Vee agrees to donate $1.00 to our school. A running tab will be kept and one check for our total will be issued in January. The receipts can come from any of the 13 Omaha and Council Bluffs Hy Vee Food Stores.  The website is: 

http://www.hy-vee.com/docs/s4e%20registration07.pdf

HAVE YOU COMPLETED YOUR SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING?  - You can get your Initial Safe Environment Training here at St. Patrick’s Church. This will be available in the Parish Center on Saturday, October 13th from 9am to Noon. Any person who works with children in a Catholic School setting, whether through volunteering, coaching, room parent etc, you must have this training.  Please attempt to have the training as soon as possible.  If you plan to attend, please call the school office and let them know @289-5407.

EMBRACING THE MISSION, EXPANDING OUR JOURNEY-

Q:  IS THE PLEDGE TO THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN IN ADDITION TO OUR REGULAR STEWARDSHIP/GIVING?

A:   Yes, it is.  Your pledge should not in any way interfere with your normal and regular support of the church.  Your pledge for the campaign is made over and above what you normally give on a weekly, monthly, or annual basis.

Volunteers continue to contact families throughout the parish & school.   With a parish our size it takes time to contact everyone.  If you have not been contacted yet but are ready to make a pledge please call the development office at 289-1890.  Thank you again to all of the volunteers that are diligently making calls. If you would like to help, please call John Dunn at 289-1890.  Please welcome the volunteers when they call on you. We are over 75% of goal! 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR TASTE… A FOOD & WINE EXPERIENCE for Saturday, November 17th. Committees are forming now for this fun event. If you are interested in helping out, please contact one of the following:

Christina Butler, 289-9787 or ecbutler@cox.net

Michele Zadalis, 965-8449 or rzadalis@cox.net

We are also looking for generous restaurants and businesses to donate food samples for the evening of November 17th. If you own a restaurant/business or have a “connection” to one and would like to help us out, please contact Christina or Michele.

PLEASE GIVE BLOOD – The Elkhorn Patriot Blood Drive will be held at the Eagles Lodge, which is at 302 Douglas Street, on Monday, September 24, 2007, from 1:00 to 7:00 P.M. Walk-Ins are welcome!  If you want to make an appointment, please call 271-2588.  Every donor receives a free “In Honor of Their Memory” commemorative t-shirt. www.givebloodgivelife.org

COME & ENJOY OMAHA KIDS READ FAMILY FAIR, Featuring Charlotte’s Web – On Saturday, September 29th, from 11 am to 3 pm, at the Elkhorn Branch Library.  You can meet Wilbur’s friends, paint a mud picture and a spider necklace, and participate in sack races, read and listen to stories and much, much, more.  The first attendees receive a free ride token for the Ferris wheel at Scheels.

CATHOLIC ORDER OF FORESTERS OFFERS FINANCIAL PROTECTION WHILE SUPPORTING ST. PATRICK’S  - The Catholic Order of Foresters (COF) contributes $25 dollars (first year annual premium) to our school, St. Patrick’s, for every child that enrolls into the FirstVantage/Pathways Program, offering valuable financial protection, the plan is a $10,000 term life insurance plan for your child. The plan is extremely affordable at only $25.00 annual premium. Added benefits for enrolled members:

• Random drawing for 100 tuition assistance awards of $250 each presented to COF students enrolled in Catholic schools                     
• Random drawing for 200 awards of $50 dollars each for COF public school students attending Catholic religious education program.
• 20 annual scholarship awards given to high school seniors of $1,250 each year for 4 years.

For more information on the program contact:

Philip R. Pullum (Parishioner)

Licensed Insurance Agent

15220 Vernon Ave

Omaha NE 68116

402 651-5250

philip@pullumgroup.com

Principal's Notes Deadline

Please submit all items/information in final form for Principal's Notes

by Tuesday, 8:00am to the school or email to:

ridderd@stpatselkhorn.org or kmoritz@stpatselkhorn.org

Archived Principal's Notes