Go Make Disciples

October 1, 2025  WHAT'S NEW Principal’s Ponderings One of my favorite parts of the day is standing in the hallway as students arrive. This week I overheard a kindergartener announce to their friend, “I’m faster than a cheetah… except when I have my backpack on.” Moments like that remind me that our hallways are full of joy, creativity, and a little bit of unfiltered honesty. It’s these small, everyday moments, kids sharing their excitement, staff offering encouragement, families waving at drop-off that make our school feel so alive. Beyond the academics, these are the glimpses of childhood wonder that remind all of us why our community is such a special place to belong. Whenever I need a smile I know that I can visit our school hallway at 7:45 a.m. I’ll hear more wisdom and humor in five minutes than I’ll find in most books. -Mr. Connors Attendance Matters for Student Success Regular attendance is one of the most important factors in your child’s success, both in school and beyond. Research shows that the more a student attends school, the stronger their learning and long-term outcomes will be. Students who miss 10% or more of school days are considered chronically absent. Families of students who reach this threshold will receive a letter from the school notifying them of this status. Plans can be made based on this status and we are required to file truancy once a threshold is reached, and no improvement has been made. That said, we know that absences happen. When your child is sick, they should absolutely stay home to recover. If your child is absent for a medical reason and you provide a doctor’s note, those absences will not count toward chronic absenteeism. Thank you for your ongoing partnership in supporting strong attendance at St. Paul the Apostle School. Together, we can help every student build a foundation for lifelong success! AI Use on Student Devices We want to keep you updated that AI tools have been removed from student devices here at school. While these programs can sometimes be helpful, we’ve found they are not appropriate for everyday student use during the school day. We encourage you to help us by monitoring technology use at home as well. Many devices and apps now have built-in AI features, and students can be curious about exploring them. Please take a moment to talk with your child about responsible technology use and set limits that work best for your family. Together, we can help guide our students toward safe, balanced, and thoughtful use of technology. Thank you for partnering with us in this important effort! Welcome to Meredith Warren Meredith Warren joins the St. Paul's music team after nearly twenty years of teaching. She began at Beckman Catholic in Dyersville before going abroad to teach in Abu Dhabi and China. Most recently she was at an independent school in Nashville, TN. Meredith is a former St. Paul’s student, Assumption graduate and has music education degrees from Wartburg College and UNI. She moved back to the Quad Cities with her husband so they could be closer to family, enjoying time with young nieces and nephews. She is looking forward to a year of musical fun! Help us in welcoming her back to the St. Paul’s community! MTSS Letters This Friday, your child will be bringing home their MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) letter. These letters are designed to keep you informed about the supports we are putting in place at school to help your child grow. The letter will outline your child’s current tier plan, and for those who need them, a personalized reading plan will also be included. These plans are meant to partner with you so that, together, we can best support your child’s success. School Calendar Please make sure to check out our school calendar for upcoming events: https://www.stpaulcatholicschool.org/school-calendar School Pictures The kids all looked so nice for school pictures today! You should receive an email and/or text in the next few days when your child’s pictures are ready to view online. You can then order directly from the website. Please remember to purchase a class composite if you want one. Picture Retakes School picture retakes will be on Tuesday, Oct. 14 at 8AM in the Media Center. They will go until 8:45. If your child needs a retake, they may come to school in a non-uniform top, but must change into a uniform top after their picture has been taken. School Directory We are working on the School Directory, and plan to email it out next week. If you want to make any changes to what information of yours is printed in the directory (remove your address, for example), please log into your power school account and make these changes by Monday, October 6. To update your Directory Information, go to https://apply.sccsiowa.org/ and select “LOG IN” in the top right corner. Put in your username and password. A screen should come up that says “Student Enrollments and Applications” with your child(ren’s) names listed underneath. Click on the update button for each student, then hit the “Next” button on each page until you get to the “Directory Information” page. Select which information you wish to include in the directory by checking the little box on the right of each line. You will have to go through the remainder of the pages, (and this would be a great time to give permission to administer Ibuprofen or Tylenol to your child(ren) if they are prone to getting headaches, etc.), and hit “Update Information” on the last page to make sure the changes you made take effect. Free College Planning Event Tue. Oct. 7th at Bettendorf High Auditorium at 7:00pm Wed. Oct. 15th at Assumption High Auditorium at 7:00pm Are you starting to think about college planning and how to make it affordable? Join us next week for a free, high-impact workshop designed to help families understand how to save thousands on college costs and avoid the most common mistakes in the process. Presented by nationally recognized college planning author and expert Jeannie Burlowski this session is packed with practical, actionable strategies for families with students in middle school and high school. All parents and students are welcome. STILL CURRENT Trunk or Treat Home and School would like to invite all school families and all parish members to Trunk or Treat on Friday October 24th! This is a fun event for the whole family! There is no cost for this event. Click HERE to trick or treat or to hand out candy. Kids remember to dress up in your favorite costume and bring a bag to collect goodies! Trunk or Treat Flyer Family Pumpkin Decorating Contest at Trunk or Treat! Get ready for some fall fun! We're excited to invite all school families to participate in our Family Pumpkin Decorating Contest! How it works: Decorate a pumpkin as a family - be as creative, spooky, silly, or unique as you’d like! You can carve, paint, dress up, or accessorize your pumpkin. Anything goes (as long as it's school-appropriate). Pumpkin Drop-Off: Bring your decorated pumpkin at the end of the school day on October 24th up until 5:30pm (when trunk or treat begins). We'll have a special display area where everyone can admire the amazing creations! Please make sure your pumpkin is labeled with your family name and categories you would like your pumpkin to be entered in. Voting & Prizes: Families, students, and staff will vote for their favorites in categories such as: Most Creative Spookiest Funniest Best Family Theme Winners will be announced on October 27th and receive a small prize and bragging rights! We can't wait to see your family's pumpkin masterpiece! Let's make this a fun and festive celebration of fall together! Questions: Contact Jescie Pullinger jescie.pullinger@st-paul.pvt.k12.ia.us Student Hunger Drive The St. Paul can food drive goes through October. SPS is competing against the other area Catholic schools to see whom “can” bring in the most cans. Please send in cans to your child's homeroom class. Each day we will collect and record which class has brought in the most. Spiritual Refocusing The Eucharist is our greatest gift and the heart of our faith. As busy as life gets, let us recommit to making Sunday Mass the center of our week. In the Mass, we are strengthened by Christ, united as a family of faith, and reminded of what matters most. Mass Times Saturday Vigil: 4:30 pm Sunday: 9:00 am & 11:00 am Monday & Friday: 6:30 am Tuesday & Thursday: 8:30 am Wednesday: 5:30 pm First Saturdays: 8:30 am Rosary, Adoration & Confession Rosary: Monday - Friday, 6:00 am Adoration: Every Wednesday, 4:30 - 5:30 pm; First Friday of the month, 7:00am - 7:00pm Confession: Saturdays, 9:30 - 10:30 am Beginner Hockey with Quad City Hockey Association Register TODAY at www.quadcityhockey.com or click on this link 2025-26 One Goal (Nov-Dec) One Goal & Learn to Play every Monday starting 11/3/25-12/15/25 (No Session on 11/24/25) from 5:30-6:30pm at River’s Edge Ice Arena. NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED! Contact Allen Arndt at onegoal@quadcityhockey.com with questions QCHA Volunteers please register to help using Dibs Try Hockey for Free Flyer Hispanic Heritage Month Hispanic Heritage Month is a month-long celebration of Hispanic and Latino history and culture. While we celebrate Hispanic and Latino communities beyond this month, from September 15 to October 15 we give extra recognition to the many contributions made to the history and culture of the United States, including important advocacy work, vibrant art, popular and traditional foods, and much more. Hispanic Heritage Month provides an additional opportunity to explore the incredible impact Latinas and Latinos have had on the United States for generations. For the past few years each grade level classroom and specials subject have chosen a country or cultural event/item to learn more about with their students. Students work in small groups, create posters, research individuals, bring treats, sing songs and share what they have learned with one another. We will have a bi-lingual mass on October 14th to culminate this month-long celebration. Parish Directory Picture - Additional Dates! Goal: 100% of St. Paul the Apostle Families pictured in our new parish directory! When: October 13,14, and 15, 2:00 PM - 8:30 PM Sign Up: https://schedule.ucdir.com/#/ Church Code: ia359 Password: photos Recess Volunteer Signup Sign up at one of the links below to volunteer at recess. Diocesan training and a background check is required prior to volunteering. These hours will count towards your home and school obligation. Email jescie.pullinger@st-paul.pvt.k12.ia.us or kelly.boche@st-paul.pvt.k12.ia.us for more information. Volunteer for October Recess Volunteer for November Recess Volunteer for December Recess

September 24, 2025 WHAT'S NEW Principal’s Ponderings This week I was reminded of the strength of our community in a powerful way. Yesterday, as I was standing in mass in front of an 8th grade class and behind a 1st grade class, I heard our students proudly sing “Your Grace Is Enough,” and it nearly brought me to tears. At that moment, it hit me how important it is for us, as a school, and as a faith community, to hold onto the truth that God’s grace truly is enough, even in challenging times. Thank you for being part of this community that prays, sings, and lives out that message together. -Mr. Connors Threat communication Recently, students made threatening statements at school. Police determined formal assessments were not needed, and the students involved have received appropriate restrictions and consequences. While details cannot be shared, please know our response was sufficient and student safety remains our top priority. Tier Responses in the form of Letters at SPS Beginning next week, families will receive letters about how your child performed on Fall assessments and the support your child may need. These letters and the information included are required by the state. They will explain how your child is progressing in our school’s support system, which is organized into three levels: Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3. These letters may look different than the letters received by St. Paul’s families in the past. More information will be shared about these letters, levels, and how we provide support in future communications from the school administration. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mr. Connors directly. Block Party Thank you to everyone that helped at the block party this weekend. What a blessing it is that we have this positive event for our school, parish, and larger community. Your time, energy, and generosity made the day possible and created a joyful experience for all who attended. Events like this remind us of the strength of our community and the importance of coming together in fellowship. Early Dismissal this Friday This Friday, Sept. 26 is a 2 - hour early dismissal at 12:55 PM. Buses will run. Aftercare and Small Beginnings will be open until 5:30 PM. Students may wear uniform bottoms with a spirit wear top on all 2 hour early dismissal days this year. First Semester Lunch Fees First semester lunch fees have been added to Blackbaud tuition accounts and will need to be paid by October 15. The link to access your Blackbaud account is https://parent.blackbaud.school/Login.aspx Please contact rose.strickland@sccsiowa.org if you have any questions or issues with Blackbaud. She is the contact for all billing/tuition questions. We are aware that a $40 late fee was assessed to all accounts for late lunch fees. Please note this was an error and will be removed. However, lunch bills not paid by October 15 will incur a $40 late fee! School Pictures School pictures are next Tuesday, Sept. 30. Students may be out of uniform for pictures. If your child is absent on Tuesday, but here on Wednesday, they may bring a top to change into and get their picture taken Wed at 8AM (they must change back into a uniform top after their picture is taken). 3yo MW Preschool pictures will be on Wed., Oct. 1. We will have picture retakes later in October. Please scan QR code on flyer below to be notified when your child(ren)’s photo is online to view and order. School Photo Flyer Trunk or Treat Home and School would like to invite all school families and all parish members to Trunk or Treat on Friday October 24th! This is a fun event for the whole family! There is no cost for this event. Click HERE to trick or treat or to hand out candy. Kids remember to dress up in your favorite costume and bring a bag to collect goodies! Trunk or Treat Flyer Family Pumpkin Decorating Contest at Trunk or Treat! Get ready for some fall fun! We're excited to invite all school families to participate in our Family Pumpkin Decorating Contest! How it works: Decorate a pumpkin as a family - be as creative, spooky, silly, or unique as you’d like! You can carve, paint, dress up, or accessorize your pumpkin. Anything goes (as long as it's school-appropriate). Pumpkin Drop-Off: Bring your decorated pumpkin at the end of the school day on October 24th up until 5:30pm (when trunk or treat begins). We'll have a special display area where everyone can admire the amazing creations! Please make sure your pumpkin is labeled with your family name and categories you would like your pumpkin to be entered in. Voting & Prizes: Families, students, and staff will vote for their favorites in categories such as: Most Creative Spookiest Funniest Best Family Theme Winners will be announced on October 27th and receive a small prize and bragging rights! We can't wait to see your family's pumpkin masterpiece! Let's make this a fun and festive celebration of fall together! Questions: Contact Jescie Pullinger jescie.pullinger@st-paul.pvt.k12.ia.us Student Hunger Drive The St. Paul can food drive will begin next week and go through October. SPS is competing against the other area Catholic schools to see whom “can” bring in the most cans. Please send in cans to your child's homeroom class. Each day we will collect and record which class has brought in the most. STILL CURRENT Spiritual Refocusing The Eucharist is our greatest gift and the heart of our faith. As busy as life gets, let us recommit to making Sunday Mass the center of our week. In the Mass, we are strengthened by Christ, united as a family of faith, and reminded of what matters most. Mass Times Saturday Vigil: 4:30 pm Sunday: 9:00 am & 11:00 am Monday & Friday: 6:30 am Tuesday & Thursday: 8:30 am Wednesday: 5:30 pm First Saturdays: 8:30 am Rosary, Adoration & Confession Rosary: Monday - Friday, 6:00 am Adoration: Every Wednesday, 4:30 - 5:30 pm; First Friday of the month, 7:00am - 7:00pm Confession: Saturdays, 9:30 - 10:30 am Hispanic Heritage Month Hispanic Heritage Month is a month-long celebration of Hispanic and Latino history and culture. While we celebrate Hispanic and Latino communities beyond this month, from September 15 to October 15 we give extra recognition to the many contributions made to the history and culture of the United States, including important advocacy work, vibrant art, popular and traditional foods, and much more. Hispanic Heritage Month provides an additional opportunity to explore the incredible impact Latinas and Latinos have had on the United States for generations. For the past few years each grade level classroom and specials subject have chosen a country or cultural event/item to learn more about with their students. Students work in small groups, create posters, research individuals, bring treats, sing songs and share what they have learned with one another. We will have a bi-lingual mass on October 14th to culminate this month-long celebration.

September 17, 2025  WHAT’S NEW Principal’s Ponderings - Communication Management Unfortunately, we have already experienced situations this school year where students have made statements involving threats of violence toward the school. Just yesterday, two such incidents occurred. One involving a 5th grader and one involving a 7th grader. Please know that we are taking each situation very seriously, following established policies, and responding to the fullest extent possible. It is important to stress: words matter. They carry weight, and we are all accountable for what we say. We ask that you take time to talk with your child about the seriousness of their words and the impact those words can have on others. Our process for communication in these cases is as follows: Directly involved families: First, we will contact the students and families directly associated with the threat. This will happen through personal phone calls and/or meetings. Affected families: Next, we will communicate with families whose children may have been directly aware of or exposed to the threat. This communication will most often come as an email from administration. School-wide communication: Finally, when appropriate, we will share a broader message with the larger community. This will usually be included in the Weekly Panther or, if needed, sent in a separate email from administration. We recognize the importance of timely information, but also ask for your patience as we work through these communication steps in a thoughtful and appropriate manner. Thank you for your understanding and support as we navigate these sensitive situations. – Mr. Connors