LETTER FROM DON RIDDER, PRINCIPAL  

Welcome to St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Elkhorn, NE. Our Pastor, Fr. Ron Wasikowski, along with our school board members, our parents, our staff, and I are all very excited about the continued successes our students have achieved at St. Patrick's Catholic School. We believe that our students are experiencing the very best education possible. Even though this is happening, we know that our educational program will only improve as we continue to live out our Mission which is “to teach as Jesus Did” by challenging every student to be their best spiritually, academically, and behaviorally. 

We are now in our seventh year of schooling with a pre-K-8th grade. Our enrollment has increased from 80 students in the fall of 2000 to 620 students this year and our goal is to have 910 students by year 2010. The strength of our school is our 29 exceptional teachers, and 29 other staff members who all do a wonderful job educating our children.

The key to the success of our educational program is the cooperative and collaborative style we use in this school/parish. We have graduated our first eighth grade class in May of 2006. Twelve of the fourteen are attending Catholic High Schools and three of the fourteen received scholarships. We expect each of our graduates to excel at the high school of his/her choice. It is our goal to have all of our students attends a Catholic high school, but, if they don’t, they will be prepared for the other schools as well. Most of our students are reading and writing far beyond their grade level. Many of our parents have switched parishes and schools so their children could attend and participate in the educational challenges at St. Patrick’s school.

March 11th, 2002, was the first day of school in our present facility and the preschool/kindergarten center opened in August of 2003. The next phase we will build will be the academic addition. This addition will include a media center, 12 classrooms, a science lab, a special education room, a restroom, a teacher’s lunchroom and a teacher’s workroom. 

This added space is necessary as our enrollment continues to soar and so we can continue to teach and learn with high expectations for all students, our staff, and the parents. It’s together that we can provide a wondrous learning environment for your child(ren).   Together, with home and school working as one, we can’t help but form well-rounded, dedicated educated citizens of God’s Kingdom. May this school year be filled with the grace of our loving God.

Please give me a call at 289-5407 or e-mail me at ridderd@stpatselkhorn.org if you have any questions or if you are interested in sending your child(ren) to our school. Also, I invite you to view our video tour which you will find on the left column of the school web page.

God Bless and thank you for your interest in St. Patrick’s School where God and children come first.

Don Ridder, Principal

St. Patrick's Catholic School

Don Ridder, Principal

St. Patrick's Catholic School