St. Patrick Catholic School

Dear St. Patrick Families:

For nearly sixty years, St. Patrick Catholic School has fostered a community where students grow in faith and knowledge in order to bring Christ’s light to the world. This mission has been at the heart of all we do, even during the most difficult times. Last March our students, teachers, and staff faced unprecedented challenges as schools across the country locked down and education shifted to an online platform. Yet, our teachers embraced this change with determination and compassion, and as a result, St. Pat’s students did not miss one day of instruction. Although it was challenging for the community at large, St. Pat’s maintained its commitment to the spiritual formation and academic excellence of our students.

St. Pat’s mission is best fulfilled when teachers and students can all come together in its traditional, on-campus model. However, until the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us, an open school campus requires special precautions and protocols in order to safeguard the well-being of our students and faculty. To meet these protocols, the school’s administration and COVID Task Force worked diligently over the summer to create a comprehensive COVID-19 Recovery and Reopening Plan in hopes that our community could return to campus. While preparing the reopening plan and the campus grounds, administration and teachers also worked tirelessly to develop a distance learning model for those families who were not able to or not ready to rejoin on-campus learning.

As a result, on August 26th, the school opened for onsite learning while simultaneously launching a robust distance learning program. St. Pat’s is blessed to be able to serve the needs of its entire community while maintaining the highest standards possible. However, all of these efforts do not come without a cost. St. Pat’s has invested over $100,000 to ensure a safe and successful reopening. Desk shields have been attached onto all student desks; ionization units in the HVAC (air filtration) system have been installed; three multi-sink handwashing stations have been constructed and arranged throughout campus; PPE (personal protective equipment), has been obtained for all students, teachers, and faculty; additional cleaning and disinfecting materials have been purchased to support the new sanitation plan. Furthermore, to improve the distance learning model, technology upgrades and purchases were made, along with an increase in teacher aide hours and support.

We are blessed with generous parents and benefactors who support the school and its mission to provide exceptional education for our students. This commitment is the hallmark of our faith, supporting the educational mission of the Church. With fundraising and donations, we are able to bridge the gap between the cost of tuition and the actual cost of education. Though, this pandemic has put our traditional fundraisers in great jeopardy, and we must rely on donations through the generosity of St. Pat’s families, alumni, parishioners, and businesses to support our faith-based academic program. It is through the Annual Fund Drive that we can all contribute to this great cause. No donation is too small, and 100% participation is the goal.

A successful Annual Fund Drive ensures educational support materials, technology upgrades, professional development, and retention of our one-of-a-kind staff. Our school’s Annual Fund, which we ask you to consider donating to, will directly impact every student and family in our school. Please take time to pray for the success of our Annual Fund Drive and consider how you might help us in bringing Christ’s light to St. Pat’s.

With Gratitude, St. Patrick Administration