PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION

MR. RIDDER’S REMINDERS

Sept 9                 Uganda T-Shirt Dress Down Day
Sept 12               Rosary and Chess Club Starts 3:30pm
Sept 19-23          3^rd, 5^th, & 7^th Grade Terra Nova Testing
                            8^th Grade EXPLORE Test
Sept 19               Home and School Meeting 7:00pm Staff Lounge
Sept 22               2:00 Dismissal – Teacher In-Service
Sept 23               2:15 - 8^th Grade vs. Staff Kickball
                            Progress Reports Sent Home
Sept 28               September Birthday Dress Down Day
Sept 30               No School – Archdiocese In-Service

HONORING OUR SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN –St. Patrick’s students & staff will honor those that we lost and those that served during a memorial service on Monday, September 12^th in honor of the 10^th Anniversary of 9/11.We will pray the rosary and honor parents, grandparents and parish members who are in the military. We would like to formally invite anyone you know who has served in the armed forces to dress in uniform and join us at the flag pole at 8:05am on Monday to participate in our activities. We would like to thank you for all you have done for us and our country.  Our Boy Scouts should wear their uniforms to school on Monday.

LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCED EDUCATORS TO VOLUNTEER IN THE CLASSROOM – We are interested in retired educators that would enjoy getting back into the classroom each week to help with grading papers or assisting a teacher with a lesson.  If you or someone you know would be interested.  Please contact Don Ridder at ridderd@stpatselkhorn.org.

LUNCHROOM CHECKOUT HELP NEEDED - Would you be willing to volunteer to assist Mr. O’Hara one or two days a week at the end of lunch line point of sale?  Due to continuing increased enrollment and lunch participation, another check-out point would help to increase the lunch line speed. Another advantage is your child/ren will have more time to eat their nutritious school lunch. The check-out point would be next to Mr. O’Hara, and available for any overflow to maintain line speed. The volunteer would not have to use a computer but check off on a class roster which children can see and point out their name.  Any and all assistance would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Mr. O’Hara at dohara2004@q.com.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR LUNCHROOM DUTY - Each month we need to fill 100 volunteer positions in the lunchroom to help serve and clean up after the students. Whether your child buys their lunch at school or is a cold lunch kiddo - they utilize the lunchroom. Parents (or grandparents) are needed from 10:45 - 12:50 each school day. We need help every day of the week, but specifically we could use additional volunteers on Mondays and Fridays. Please call or email Kris Morrissey if you would like more information or are willing to help: krismorrissey@cox.net or 402-630-8964.

CATHOLIC 101 - The Fifth Commandment Part One: Thou shalt not kill.  By Fr. Rodney Adams
Because this commandment deals with life, the dignity of all human life, both the innocent and the guilty, it is a massive topic.  So rather than try to jam everything into one column, I am going to do this commandment in two installments.  So first of all, we need to understand the language.  This commandment as expressed in the Hebrew is thou shalt not commit murder, rather than kill.  In fact when St. Jerome translated all the books of the Bible from their original languages into Latin, which was the very first Christian Bible, he used the Latin word occidere, which means to kill.  When you read treatment of the Fifth Commandment in the CCC (Catechism of the Catholic Church) this is clearly the translation the Church uses to tease out this commandment.  And it’s an important distinction; killing an innocent person is murder, killing someone who is trying to kill you or someone else, is killing, but it’s not murder.  If used as a last resort, deadly force is not immoral.  If a person is threatening to do something horribly evil, and it is within your power to do so, you have every right to protect yourself and others.  Murder is always wrong, there is no conceivable instance in which killing an innocent person can be considered moral.  Human life is sacred, because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains forever in a special relationship with the creator, who is its sole end.  God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being. (CCC 2258)  Killing in self defense, or to prevent the murder of someone else (for example a police officer in the line of duty) is justifiable, if it is done as a last resort.  Soldiers in war who use deadly force in certain well-defined and restricted circumstances do not break the 5^th commandment.  Ask any veteran who has killed in war, and they will tell you that the legitimate taking of human life, any human life, is not done casually.  As we expand this commandment through the lens of the Christian Tradition, abortion is intentionally taking a human life.  Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception.  From the first moment of his/her existence a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person. (CCC2270)  This is why the Church works so tirelessly to put an end to abortion and lovingly try to help women considering abortion, for example an unmarried, ashamed and scared teenager, that there are options.  We do not expect such a young woman to be morally courageous all be her elf, there is support in place to help.  But as we tease this belief of life beginning at conception, every embryo must be protected, so it is a fact that to “produce” embryos for research, only to dispose of them, is taking human lives.  And planting embryos in a woman’s ovaries (in vitro fertilization) knowing that most will perish is also killing innocents.  Euthanasia is intentionally taking a human life.  To stop all medical procedures that aren’t going to do anything or have become a burden to the person is acceptable because the intention is not to kill, but to allow the body to follow its natural course.  Or if a dying person’s pain is so great that only the most aggressive pain medications can relieve their pain they can be used even if they might accelerate death because the intention is not to kill, but to make their last moments tolerable (CCC 2279).  But to outright kill someone who is suffering or dying is murder.  To be continued…

FIRST HOME & SCHOOL MEETING - Mark your calendar for the first official Home & School Meeting of the 2011-12 school year! We will be meeting on Monday, September 19th at 7:00 PM in the Teachers’ Lounge. If you have any questions, please contact Shelley Weeks at shel5@cox.net. If you have any items for the agenda, they must be submitted to Kathy McCarthy at mccarthyfive@cox.net by Tuesday, Sept 13th.Hope to see you there!

CALLING COPY MOMS/DADS/GRANDPARENTS/AUNTS/UNCLES - The St. Patrick’s School Copy Mom Team is searching for volunteers for Monday mornings and afternoons, every other Tuesday morning and afternoon starting as soon as possible and/or Thursday afternoons.  If you are interested in this fun and helpful volunteer opportunity please contact Deb Strumberger at dstrumberger@cox.net.

VILLAGE POINT FARMER’S MARKET - Come by the Village Point Farmer's Market this Saturday between 8 am and 1pm to support St. Patrick's Robotics’ team. We will have our own booth and will be doing demonstrations with our robots for everyone who stops by. We're also taking donations and doing some fun things- so stop by, enjoy the weather and do some shopping too!

YAHOO PARENTS GROUP - The parents at St. Patrick’s school desired a forum through which they could communicate with other parents on various topics not related to school. A message board was utilized by a Yahoo group that is moderated by a St. Patrick school parent. The moderator’s responsibility is to read ALL emails submitted by members and decide whether or not the subject matter is appropriate for the Yahoo site. This parent is also responsible for assuring that any/all members of this website are, indeed, parents of children at St. Patrick’s school.
Examples ofappropriatematerial for the website are:
1. I have a school uniform skirt size 6 for sale.
2. My company has just opened 3 new positions–anyone interested?
3. I need help with car pooling and we live in the blank subdivision. Can anyone help us out?
4. REMINDER–tonight is our fund-raiser!

Examples of material that would be inappropriate:
1. I don’t agree with the school policy of "???" anyone with me?
2. Does anyone know why Mrs. "??" class does ???
3. I heard that Mrs. "??" was yelling at a student–did anyone else hear about it?

These submissions will be rejected and NOT sent onto the site. This is not a forum for changing the school or complaining. Any problems, questions, or concerns need to be directed to the teacher or Mr. Ridder. The Yahoo parents group is not affiliated with the school in any way. It provides parents a means of keeping in touch and helping each other out.  If you are interested in joining this group, click on this address to be approve/accepted into the site.  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stpatsparents/join  ONLY emails from the school database will be allowed in.

ROSARY CLUB STARTS MONDAY - We will have our first Rosary Club Starting this Monday September 12. The children will be dismissed to Boland Hall at 3:30 - 4:35. Please remember you will no longer be able to pick them up through the church entrance. Please plan to drive up to the front of the school to pick them up. We will dismiss them from the lobby. Any questions contact Denise Ervin 393-2273. Thank you and we look forward to another great year of Rosary Club.

CHESS CLUB NEWS -The first meeting of Chess Club will beMonday, Sept 12,right after school in the Parish Center. NEW THIS YEAR: All Chess Club members need to set up a registration online for each student in the club. In order to keep all of you better informed, we've put together a group website exclusively for Chess Club families, http://groupspaces.com/StPatsChess.  This site will allow us to send emails, post events, tournaments, photos and news, and to keep you informed. Member information on the site is not public and only those who join the site and are approved may log in and view the information. If your student plans to attend Chess Club meetings occasionally, and to enter some tournaments, please still register them as you will then have access to the tournament schedules and news.  We are still missing some registrations -- please get your child(ren) registered this week! If you have any questions regarding Chess Club, please email David & Jill Adams at stpatschess@gmail.com.

MCS (MUSIC IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS) MEETING – Parents and prospective band students (grades 5-8) band information and registration nights are quickly approaching.  The locations for registrations are held at various Catholic Schools and are held from 7:00-8:30 pm in August and September.  All 5-8 grade teachers have the informational flyers with the dates and locations and will be sending them out to the students.  Please check with your child’s teacher if you have not received it via e-mail.

PAGE ONE KICK-OFF PARTY - Our reading club, Page One, is back this year! Page One is an extra-curricular reading program for students in 3^rd-8^thgrades. (Level I consist of 3^rd-4^thgraders. Level II is for 5^th-6^thgraders, and 7^th-8^thgraders are in Level III.)Kids read different types of literature throughout the school year and participate in a competition in the spring.These books are listed at www.pageonenebraska.com. Join us in the Library after school on Thursday, September 15 as information for all the reading groups will be given at this informal meeting. Please email Jean Lindsay at jjalindsay@cox.netor Kerry Benes at kerry@benesfamily.net to RSVP. If you can’t make it, but you would still like your child to participate in the program, please email Jean or Kerry to receive the information.

SCRIP NEWS - Congratulations to Susie D’Agosto – the winner of a $50 gift card from Educational Outfitters! A big shout out goes to all who purchased and used Educational Outfitters Scrip gift cards during the month of August – thank you!

The September Scrip promotion has kicked off. Each family who orders $200 or more of Scrip gift cards during the month of September will be entered into a drawing to win a “Family Fun Night” gift card bundle. Three winners will be drawn at the end of the month. Send your Scrip order in today! Orders received by Tuesday 8:00 am will be returned the following Tuesday.

We need you!!  Here is how you can help with St. Patrick’s Scrip fundraising program for the 2011-2012 school year.  Send your completed order form and payment to the school in your child’s backpack. Orders received by 8:00am on Tuesday mornings will be returned by the following Tuesday.

• Purchase Scrip gift cards after all Masses in the back of church by the elevators – volunteers will be selling at the podium – Starts up again on Sunday, August 21^st
• Do you need Scrip gift cards for same day shopping or are picking up a last minute gift? Stop in the school office Monday through Friday to see what cards are in stock and available for immediate purchase.
• Scrip is implementing returnable envelopes in an attempt to limit paper waste. Please help us in “going green” by returning these envelopes to school with your child. You can send it in with your next order for Scrip!
• Sign up to order online at Shop With Scrip.com – use enrollment code D6693A9234L6

CASH FOR STUDENTS - St. Patrick’s School is once again participating in Hy-Vee’s Cash for Student program.  Here’s how it works: Send to school ALL receipts from area Hy-Vee stores, pharmacies and gas stations from September 1- December 31, 2011. Ask family members to save them…grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends and neighbors. For every $200.00 in receipts, St. Pat’s will earn a $1.00! Send in the receipts to school weekly, monthly or when the envelope is full! Whatever works for you. Contact Susan Drvol at rsdrvol@cox.net or 402-493-7000 with any questions.

GIRL SCOUTS – Girl Scout Troops are now forming for the 2011-2012 school year. Take the Girl Scout Journey!!! Make new friends, try new things, and explore the world! Contact Cindy Blumenkemper at blumenkemper@cox.netor402.315.9668.

HELP A FAMILY IN NEED - Tony Grasso and his wife, Wendi, worship with us here at St. Patrick’s and next door at Bethany Lutheran; Tony is Catholic and Wendi is Lutheran. They have a baby boy named Jaden.  They traveled to Colorado for a weekend getaway, when Wendi went into labor sixteen weeks early.  Jaden was born weighing less than two pounds, and his little heart and other organs were not yet properly developed. As a result, the family of three has been in Colorado for about five weeks waiting for Jaden to be healthy enough to travel back home to Elkhorn.  As you can imagine the medical costs are immense not to mention the costs of being away from home.   Bethany Lutheran is hosting a benefit for the Grasso family on October 15 from 2:00 – 6:00.  It will be a Fall Festival with food and games and hayrack rides and music and a silent auction.  I would love for us to help in any way we can.  If you have or could get silent auction items, if you would like to help sell food, or set up or clean up, or run a game booth please let us know, contact Fr. Rodney at 402-289-4289 x1522 or radams@stpatselkhorn.org if you would like to help or want further information.  Thank you.

SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING – ALL staff and volunteers must be Safe Environment Trained as required by the Archdiocese of Omaha to be around children in any capacity. This includes but is not limited to volunteering in any way around the school, coaching, sponsoring clubs, etc. The following information will tell you when, where and how you may take the training classes.
Initial Training
The next trainings at St. Pat’s for Safe Environment Initial Certification are in Boland Hall on:
Thursday, Sept. 8^th from 6:30-8:30pm in the Parish Center
Saturday, Oct. 1^st from 9:00-11:00 am in Boland Hall
To register, contact Jenni Vankat, Safe Environment Coordinator, at jvankat@stpatselkhorn.org or 402-289-4289 x1527.

Recertification Online Training
The Archdiocese offers a Safe Environment Online Recertification program.  This online program was created so individuals may complete the training at their convenience. The training takes approximately 60 minutes to complete.  Below are the steps to access the online recertification and other key points to acquire recertification.

• Go to the Archdiocesan website -  www.archomaha.org
• Select the “Safe Environment” tab.
• Click on "Recertification Online Training" to get started.
• Follow the instructions.  Note:  You will have to create a login and password for yourself.
• When the training is finished, you must print out and fill out:  1) the Online Recertification Registration form, and 2) the Notification, Authorization and Screening form.  Mail the two completed forms to the Safe Environment Records Office along with the fee (see step 6).  The address is noted on the Recertification Registration Form.
• The training fee is $12 for volunteers and $15 for employees.  If you need reimbursement, print out and complete the SE Reimbursement Form found on the Safe Environment page of the parish website (www.stpatselkhorn.org) and turn it in to the Parish Office.  A reimbursement check will be mailed to you.
• You will receive an LMS email report of your recertification session with LMS and an Attempt % in the subject line.  Please forward this email to safeenvironment@stpatselkhorn.org so we can update your certification status.  Thank You!

2011 FALL BASKETBALL SESSION - Registration is now open for the 2011 Fall Basketball Session for parish youth grades K-4. The grades will be separated as the following: Kindergarten, 1st/2nd grade boys, 1st/2nd grade girls, 3rd/4th grade boys, 3rd/4th grade girls. The season runs October 22nd - December 10th. For any questions regarding this session please contact Scott Kubicek: carrie.kubicek@cox.net. For questions regarding online registration please contact Katie & Brent L'Heureux at lheureux03@yahoo.com. Cost is $30 for YMCA members, $60 for Non-YMCA members. Registration will end September 17th and late registration fees will apply after the 17th. To register please go to: http://new.stpatselkhorn.org/athletics/athleticsindex.cfm.

SPY YOUTH GROUP NEWS – The first Youth Group event for 6^th-12^th graders is Sunday, Sept. 11^th at Elkhorn’s Common Ground.Pizza, Games, Swimming from 4:00-7:00 pm. Cost is $5 before Wed. Sept. 7^th or $8 afterward.Permission forms on the youth ministry page of the parish website, in the narthex, and on the SPY Board in Boland Hall.15 Chaperones needed!

• SPY Service– Come help work on the COPE Community Garden here at St. Pat’s on Saturday, Sept. 10^thfrom 9-11 am.Meet at the garden, bring work gloves! Contact Jenni by Sept. 8th to get involved. Open to 6^th-12^thgraders.
• Parent Link Newsletter –Parent Link Newsletter was emailed to parents of 6^th-12^thgraders last week (also check your spam folder!). Topic: Moving from narcissism to selflessness. Also find media awareness pieces and a SPY Calendar. If you haven’t received it, please contact Jenni.
• FACEBOOK –SPYSt. Pat’s youth group is on Facebook.Search for Spy St. Patrick and request to be a friend and join the group page St. Patrick’s SPY.Teens and parents invited to see what’s up with the youth group via Facebook.
• Contact Info: Jenni Vankat, 402-289-4289 x 1527 or jvankat@stpatselkhorn.org.

WANT TO JOIN M.O.M.S? NEW GROUPS TO BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER - Are you a MOM looking for a little soul time every week?  Two new sessions of M.O.M.S. (Ministry of Mothers Sharing) are scheduled to begin Tuesday, September 27^th (morning group) and Thursday September 29^th (evening group).  The morning group will meet once a week for 7 consecutive weeks on TUESDAY MORNINGS from 8:45 to10:45am.  The evening group will meet once a week for 7 consecutive weeks on THURSDAY NIGHTS from 7-9pm.  Registration is $35.00 and includes a personal journal.  Childcare is available for the morning group for a small fee.  Take this opportunity to enhance your spirituality as a mother and to better appreciate motherhood as a ministry.  Please call Tracy Fernandez at (602) 578-6687 (cell) or email her at fernan52970@cox.net to register or with questions.

TASTE OF BRIX – If you have enjoyed St. Patrick’s TASTE in the past, you are going to loveTaste of Brix……a new tasting experience!  Join us on Sunday, September 25th from 6:00 – 9:00pm at Brix, Village Pointe. It’s not just wine anymore!! We will sample 10 wines, 5 spirits, 5 beers, fabulous food, coffee and desserts all sponsored by Brix! Registration includes a complimentary Riedel tasting glass.  Registration forms were sent home last week.  Return forms by September 9^th for a $5.00 savings!  Volunteers will be in the back of church this weekend after each Mass to take registrations.  Questions, please call Kristen Panowicz #289-4961 or Michele Zadalis #965-8449.

TASTE OF BRIX – If you have enjoyed St. Patrick’s TASTE in the past, you are going to loveTaste of Brix…a new tasting experience!  Join us on Sunday, September 25th from 6:00 – 9:00pm at Brix, Village Pointe. It’s not just wine anymore!! We will sample 10 wines, 5 spirits, 5 beers, fabulous food, coffee and desserts all sponsored by Brix! Registration includes a complimentary Riedel tasting glass.  Registration forms were sent home last week.  Return forms by September 9^th for a $5.00 savings!  Questions, please call Kristen Panowicz #289-4961 or Michele Zadalis #965-8449.

SAVE THE DATE FOR TRIVIA NIGHT– NOVEMBER 4^th - Start forming your dream team and get ready for St. Pat’s 1^st annual Trivia Night, Friday, November 4^th in the Parish Center.  If you would like to get involved please contact Ann Monday at annmonday@cox.net  Stay tuned for Registration information…

GET READY...THE SPIRIT IS GONNA MOVE YOU! - 2012 SPIRIT is officially kicking off after every mass this weekend, September 10th! As summer draws to a close it is time to gear up for the 2012 SPIRIT dinner auction.  Volunteers will be in the back of the church ready to meet with you and answer any questions you may have.  Here’s a preview of what to expect:

• Receive your save the date and wish list cards
• Sign up for a SPIRIT committee
• Turn in your Bag of Booze and Class Basket donations
• Order your family’s “SPIRIT NOTE”
• Inquire about new sponsorship, underwriting and catalog ad opportunities

We look forward to meeting with you!

THAT MAN IS YOU! - “Men mark your calendars. That Man is You! begins Friday September 9^thin the ParishCenter. Modeled on some of the country’s leading men’s programs, That Man Is You! combines Scripture, solid secular research and a little fun to address the pressures and temptations facing men in our modern culture. It seeks to form authentic leaders who will be capable of transforming homes and society.

The program will be hosted every Friday. We gather at 6:00am for breakfast, coffee, and some entertaining videos. Then there’s a presentation at 6:15 that combines the best scientific research with the teachings of the Church and wisdom of the saints. It’s followed at 6:45 with breakout groups that provide the opportunity to discuss what’s been presented. Finally, we’re on the road around 7:15 so everyone can get to work. Registration is available on line at www.thatmanisyou.org or by contacting Mike Rasmussen 402-677-2991 or mikejrasmussen@cox.

CREIGHTON GAME TICKETS – We have some free family pack tickets for Creighton Men’s and Women’s Soccer and Creighton volleyball.   If you would like some, please stop by the Welcome Desk.

CATHOLICISM, JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD AND DEEP INTO THE FAITH – With creator and host Father Robert Barron, you will learn what Catholics believe and why, while being immersed in the art, architecture, literature, beliefs, and practices of the Catholic tradition.  Filmed in 50 locations throughout 15 countries, the CATHOLICISM DVD series is on-location and in the streets illustrating the splendor of the global Church.  The Adult Formation Program expands and reinforces the content of the DVDs with extensive commentary and questions for understanding and application.  Father Robert Barron is an acclaimed author, theologian and podcasting priest from Chicago, and one of the world’s great and most innovative teachers of the Catholic faith.  He is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries.  Date:  1^st Session is on Tuesdays, October 4^th thru November 8^th in Boland Hall.  2^nd Session is on Tuesdays, January 10^th thru February 14^th in Boland Hall.  Cost/Registration:  Study Guide is $30.  Contact/Registration:  Beth Kathol (402) 289-4289 ext 1525 or Bud Polk (402) 289-4610.

Principal's Notes Deadline:

Please submit all items/information in final form.

Principal's Notes deadline is Tuesday by 8:00am to the school or email to

ridderd@stpatselkhorn.org or kmoritz@stpatselkhorn.org

Archived Principal's Notes