PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Oct 22nd - 26th                             Red Ribbon Week

Oct 26th                                        Activity Fees Are Due.

                                                    Wear Red Clothes and wear them backwards (see Red Ribbon Week)                

Oct 30/31st                                    PreS & PreK Halloween Parties

Oct 31st                                        Kindergarten - 4th Grade. Halloween Parties @ 2:00- 2:35

                                                     K – 4th Grade Halloween Parade at 2:40

Nov 1st                                          All Saints Day Mass @ 8:30 & 11:00

Nov 2nd                                        No School – All Staff Retreat.  Parish & School offices closed.

                                                    Extended Care Program will NOT be in session

DID YOU KNOW…that the upper level of the classroom addition will include; a media center, a computer lab, a media work room, a media office, a teacher workroom, an adult and student restroom, three second grades, three third grades, and one fourth grade classroom.  We will share what the lower level of the new addition will hold in next week’s P Notes.  Stay tuned!

INFORMATION ON THE NEW BUILDING PROGRESS – It has been a wonderful week of building and progression, thanks to God and the wonderful weather He has given us.  Beams for the rooms on the 2nd floor are now half way up and the workers are planning to cement the lower level floor very soon.  We also have a few rooms on the lower level completely blocked in.  Remember to take a look on our website at   www.stpatselkhorn.org  to be updated on pictures of the progress.

MONTHLY TUITION WITHDRAWALS – We are sorry to inform you that American Interstate Bank, whom we use to process the monthly payments, “accidentally” pulled the tuition amounts twice as of today.  They are presently correcting this mistake and will address any questions with your account if this creates a problem.  No one will pay any additional fees for the bank’s mistake.  They are very apologetic.

EXTENDED CARE CALENDAR – is available on the website.

LOST & FOUND – A table with lost and found items will be placed in the entrance of school until Tuesday, October 30th… Please take home items that are yours.  After Tuesday items left behind will go to the used uniform sale or to Goodwill.

ALL SAINTS DAY MASS IS NOV. 1st – K-3rd grade and 5th grade will attend the 8:30am Mass.  The 4th grade and 6th – 8th grades will attend the 11:00 Mass.  Seniors from our parish and residents of the surrounding assisted living facilities will be our special visitors for the day.  They will attend the 11:00 Mass and enjoy lunch with the students immediately following. We look forward to spending this quality time with this generation.  NOTE: St. Patrick’s Church will also be having an evening Mass at 6:30 pm.

ACTIVITY FEES LETTER – A letter was sent home with your oldest or only child this week.  Please look over it and return it.  The letter shows the breakdown of the one time fee St. Patrick’s School collects to cover all field trips, special projects and activities.  Please note in the memo of your check that it is for Activity Fees, so this amount can be applied to the correct account.  The fees are due by Friday, October 26th. 

RED RIBBON WEEK 2007 – During this week (October 22nd – 26th) St. Patrick’s School celebrates Red Ribbon Week.  The theme is: “Drugs hurt you - We Can Help You!”  Activities will be held throughout the week, such as poster contests, wearing crazy hats to demonstrate that doing drugs is crazy, wearing all clothes that are red to support Red Ribbon Week, and wearing those clothes backwards, to demonstrate that doing drugs takes people backwards in life, and we will have a guest speaker. Jim Pauley will talk to K- 8th grade about how drugs hurt people and how important it is to live drug free lives.

HALLOWEEN PARTIES & PARADE – Kindergarten – 4th Grade Halloween parties will begin at 2:00 pm.  The Costume Parade will be fro K – 4th grade, and begin at 2:40.  We are praying for nice weather to continue our tradition of parading outside.  The parade will begin by the students and staff exiting through the Pre-School entrance and walking around the church and back into the front doors of the school.  Please feel free to join us outside to snap your photos of all our children in costume.  If you would like to share your photos with the school, please email them to vbrichac@stpatselkhorn.org.  If you do choose to come for the parade, in order to prepare for dismissal and keep everyone safe, we ask that you park in your normal pick-up lot.  Thank you!

All students (PreS/K-4th) are to come to school in their costumes.  No make-up, guns, swords, knives or any type of weapon props please.

SAFETY FIRST - Parents, please remember to adhere to the morning drop off rules. If you are going to walk your children up to school, you must park in Lot 2.  DO NOT cross the drop off line with children, doing so causes a SAFETY RISK for all involved.  In addition to this, please do not drop your children off if a staff member is not present outside. You may drop your child/children off at 7:45am – no earlier.  Children are to line up outside.  If the weather is uncooperative, we will then line them up inside.  Children brought to school before 7:45am, will be taken to Extended Care, where you will be billed. Thank you for your cooperation.

DIRECTORY 2007-2008 - Many thanks goes to Amy Osten, Betsy Ramm and the St. Patrick’s Home & School Association, for putting together such an awesome tool for all families to use.  These people spent many long hours providing us with such a great reference for communication that we can all use.   THANK YOU to all our amazing sponsors as well!  Please support the businesses that have advertised in our directory.  To receive the directory your $20 H&S dues must be current.  If you aren’t sure if you’ve paid your dues, please e-mail Staci Witkowski @ ladybug97@cox.net. The directory either has been or will be sent home with your oldest/only child.  If you are already a H & S member and would like to purchase a second copy please send $5.00 in a labeled envelope to the office labeled "H&S 2nd Directory."

STUDENT HEALTH SCREENINGS - We do need volunteers to assist with student health screenings on Thursday, December 6th and Friday, December 7th from 8 am to 3 pm.  Volunteers would help move students to and from class, fill out forms, and lend a hand to the health care professionals. If you are a physician, nurse practitioner, a physician assistant, chiropractor, dentist or dental assistant, we could use your help with quick assessments on students that may have needs based on the initial evaluation. Volunteer for the day or for just a couple of hours! 

BONUS…. If we get enough volunteers we will be able to offer additional screenings including height, weight, etc!!!  Let's keep St. Pat's students healthy!!!!  If you are willing to help, contact Nicki Lanzante via email at nlanzante@netscape.net or call her at 679-5749.

WINTER COAT DRIVE – Are you busy cleaning out your closets? Are you ready to give up any winter coats that no longer fit? St. Patrick’s Student Council is teaming up with C.O.P.E (Christian Outreach Program of Elkhorn) center and will be doing a winter coat drive.  We will have a box in the school vestibule for dropping off coats.  Our drive will be from Monday, October 21st –through Friday, October 26th.  Please take part in this great opportunity to help others.  St. Patrick’s Church will also be running a coat drive during weekend masses for C.O.P.E.  Information will be in the church bulletin. Student Council Members will be outside during morning drop off to assist in getting the coats into the school. Contact Mary Olson at 289-3071 for any questions.

THANK YOU TO THE CHURCH CLEANING VOLUNTEERS…for all your help on Saturday, October 13th.  The volunteers who shared their own time were: Mike, Kathy, Maddie, Cole Mingo, Trevor, Tyler, Courtney & Christine Callan, Tracy Nedd, Judy Kline, Lena Lincoln, Jacquie and Sydney Schumacher, Kathryn and Dominic Lanzante, Tracy Wegner, Brenda Major, Lauren Gamm, Nate Witkowski, Mackenzie Meola, & Machelle Krajewski.

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ASSISTED WITH GROUNDS MAINTENANCE – on Saturday, October 13th.  What a great way to show your stewardship!

DID YOU RETURN YOUR ENVELOPE?  Envelopes from your child’s Room Mother were sent home a few weeks ago. These envelopes explained the classroom basket that each class will be putting together to be auctioned at our Annual Dinner Auction in February.  Please take a look at the envelope that your child brought home, follow up and return them (with your child to school) ASAP!  Our wonderful Room Mothers are already busy creating the theme and items that will tie into each basket. If you have lost your envelope, please feel free to put your monetary donation in any envelope. Address the envelope Classroom Fundraiser Basket.  Please make checks payable to your child’s class Room Mother, and add on memo “classroom basket donation”.  It is suggested that each student donates $5 to $10.  Please donate what you are comfortable with.  If there are any questions, please contact the school office at 289-5407.

“ROCK AROUND THE BLOCK” MUSICAL - Are you looking for a fun night out? Do you miss those rockin’ 50’s? Do you get excited about students sharing their talents? Then we have a great opportunity for you!! The 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students will be presenting the musical Rock Around the Block on Saturday, November 10th and Sunday, November 11th. Come join us as we rock and roll and remember those great 50’s tunes! Saturday night’s show is in the PC at 7:00 pm It is free and open to the public. Seating is first-come, first-served.  This is a great family event! Sunday night’s show includes a dinner theater in the PC at 5:00 pm , show to follow at 6:30 The dinner is professionally catered and features chicken fried steak, salad, rolls, baked potatoes and gelato. Tickets are $20 per person, and seating is reserved. If you would like tickets, print out the order form, and send it to school addressed to Mrs. Rehn. You will receive an order confirmation by email.

DINNER THEATER RESERVATION FORM

ATHLETIC COMMITTEE INTRODUCES ONLINE REGISTRATION:

The Athletic committee has implemented Online Registration for all sports.  We will begin to register the following sports on Nov. 1st, 2007:

Winter YMCA Basketball – Jan-Mar 2008

CYSL Soccer – Spring 2008

Micro Soccer – Spring 2008

T-ball – Spring 2008

Please see the principal notes and parish bulletin next week for further details on Online Registration.

SCRIP NEWS: BURGER KING SUCCESS - Our BK Night was a big success!  Since October 1, we’ve sold over $720 in BK SCRIP gift cards – that’s a profit of $28.80!!!  Our sales for BK Night last Wednesday were $1305.72 = which means we made $261.14 for our school!  Our BK Big Spender Award goes to the Mikulicz Family!!!!!  As always the H&S would like to thank John Michael Hogue for making sure EVERYONE put their receipt in the basket!!!!  Many thanks to all who came!  We “moms” didn’t have to cook & hopefully the kids “burned off some energy”!  The next time you’re in Burger King on 138th & Maple – tell Chad the manager “thank you” for allowing us to do these BK Nights!  It really is an awesome deal for our school!! Stay tuned… we’re in the works for a new kind of “dinner out night” after the first of the year! Tomorrow is the last day for SPOOKY SCRIP – send in your order forms!

BOX TOPS UPDATE - We have accumulated another 5,000 Box Tops for Education. So far this school year we have accumulated a total of 10,500 Box Tops for Education. That is the equivalent of $1050.00. Since we have hit 10,000 individual Box Tops for Education we will be having an all school dress down day. Be sure to check your principal’s notes for the exact date.

HYVEE NEWS - receipts continue to roll in. Our current total for receipts is $17,000. Remember that we receive $1.00 for every $200 worth of receipts that we receive. Keep those receipts coming in.

ALTAR SERVERS - All of the new 5th grade servers have been trained and have turned in their preferences.  Students in grades 6-8 have been asked to re-commit to their serving ministry and provide new preferences if they want to continue as altar servers.  These are all reflected on the new liturgical minister schedule (November – December 2007) that can be found under the liturgy/music tab at www.stpatselkhorn.org.  Servers can also submit an email request for a list of other servers in order to find substitutes on that same page. Please make this liturgical ministry a priority.  With the number of young people in our parish, we should never be scrambling for servers 2 minutes before Mass time.  We want you, our loyal servers, to come when scheduled, find a substitute when you can’t make your assigned times, and make yourself available when someone else doesn’t show up.  Your ministry is an essential part of our liturgical assembly!  For more information or if you’d like to become an altar server, contact Michael Willis (mwillis@stpatselkhorn.org or 359-1951). 

SPY HAYRACK RIDE AND BONFIRE - After visiting with Jeanne Jorgensen, the fields are currently too wet to enter, therefore the hayrack ride will more than likely not happen.  However, if the weather cooperates, the fields dry out and we do not have any more rain, there is a possibility that we can enjoy a hayrack ride.  Everything depends on the weather! 

We do still plan to have the bonfire with hot dogs, s'mores and more!  There are many volunteers arranging this fun event.  Please come and have some great fall fun on Saturday evening.  Join us at the Jorgensen's from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  (Note the time of the event has been changed from three hours to two hours.) Directions to the Jorgensen's were sent home with all middle school SPY students who registered by noon on October 24th.  Directions are being sent home today (October 25th) with all students whose registrations were received after that time.  Along with the directions, a field trip permission form was sent home.  Please disregard this form, as parents gave permission on the registration form.  If you have any questions, please feel free to call the RF Office at 289-4947 or Mary McMahon at 238-2489 (Home) or 990-1868 (cell).

PLAY “I SPY” WITH SPY!  Next Sunday, Oct. 28th is the celebration of World Youth Day.  When you spot youth parishioners in 6th-12th grade at Church, give them a pat on the back to let them know we are glad they’re part of the parish.  Parents, siblings, neighbors, fellow pew sitters – affirm our youth with a pat on the back.  (Note to siblings: this is not a hit or a punch, but a nice pat on the back.).  You could also say “I’m glad you’re here!” or “I’m glad you’re you!”  There’s 440 middle and high school youth registered at St. Pat’s.  See if you can spy a SPY!  

Contact Info: Jenni Vankat, 359-1950 or jvankat@stpatselkhorn.org

TAKE YOUR TASTE BUDS ON A WORLDWIDE TOUR!

SATURDAY, NOVEMEBER, 17TH, 2007

NEW LOCATION - ELKHORN RIDGE

TASTE RESERVE - 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. (SOLD OUT!!!!)

TASTE -- 7:30 – 9:30

Send in your reservation today, as seating is limited and we are filling up quickly! Registration forms are also available on line; stpatselkhorn.org

 (Double click on the taste logo) or by contacting John Dunn at 289-1890.

2008 FIELD OF DREAMS DINNER AUCTION - We need your help to make the 2008 Field of Dreams Dinner/Auction a success! How can you contribute? Simply by donating goods or services, anything from child care, lawn mowing, photography, legal services, cooking, decorating, consulting, and coaching to time shares, RVs, boats, scrapbooks, hair products, sports memorabilia, music, wine, food, quilts, even your own home or backyard for a BBQ!  Acquisition forms are available in the school office or from John Dunn.  Complete the form and drop off your donation to John Dunn by November 15th.  If you have questions about donating contact Jeff or Chirsten Broz at cjbroz@cox.net.    Thank you for your support of St. Patrick’s Parish.

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