Principal Post
January 24, 2024
January 24, 2024
Principal Post
Dear Parents,
The students, faculty and staff are excited to celebrate Catholic Schools Week next week! We have fun activities planned to start this Sunday with our Open House and Book Fair! A schedule is going home today K-8 in the Wednesday Folder and is included with Mrs. Boche’s weekly announcements.
This is one of my longer emails. Please take time to look all the way through it. There is a lot of important information about Round Ups, ESAs, and PowerSchool access for parents.
Spruce Up the School Appreciation
Thank you to Alise Haut and Emily Coryn for heading up our Spruce Up the School Day. Many thanks as well to the parents and students who made our classrooms sparkle! For those who help with this volunteer opportunity, the Out of Uniform Day is this Friday.
Returning Students for the 2024-2025 School Year – Date Change
Due to school cancellations and some needed updates to our registration system, we will begin re-enrollment for current students entering 1st -8th grade on February 1st. This process will be very simple. You will log into your PowerSchool account and update your child’s information. Completing this will generate a notification to the school that you are planning to have your child return for the 2024-2025 school year. A link and information will be sent out next week.
St. Paul the Apostle Feast Day and Celebrate St. Paul’s
- The Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul - We will be having a special parish Mass on Thursday, January 25, at 5:30 PM to celebrate The Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, our parish patron saint. Dr Jacob Banks, our choir director, would like input from the parish on song selections for the Mass. Please go to the following Google Form to cast your votes. https://forms.gle/rj44GNRe96nhR1cB6
- Celebrate St. Paul’s - Mark your calendar for Saturday, January 27 for an evening of friends and fun here at St. Paul’s! As we approach the feast day of our patron saint, we thought it would be a great time to throw a party! It’s an open adult social in Denning Hall with pizza, light beer, and a feature cocktail. People are welcome to BYOB if you have something special, you’d like to enjoy. We’ll have an interactive DJ playing music, so bring your dancing shoes and your phone to download the app and play along. Plan to join this celebration of our wonderful community!
ESAs for the 2024-2025 School Year
Just to keep families in the loop, we have been informed that the application for the ESA’s (Educational Savings Accounts) for the 2024-2025 school year will be available in April. All families, whether applying for the first time, or those receiving the ESA for the 2023-2024 school year must apply each year. When the link for the application is available, we will be sending it out.
Who will qualify for the 2024-2025 year:
- All incoming Kindergarten students.
- All students who qualified for the 2023-2024 school year.
- New students transferring to St. Paul’s from a public school, homeschool or out of state.
- Students whose families have an income level of 400% of poverty or below.
Preschool and Kindergarten Round Up
- Preschool Round Up – Wednesday, February 14: Families with students eligible for these programs will be receiving information in the mail in the next week.
- Kindergarten Round Up – Tuesday, February 20, 6:00 – 7:30 PM. Parent meeting and registration. Kindergarten Student Assessments will be held on Friday, May 3. 2024.
- For more information, please contact the school office at (563) 322-2923 or email Julie.Delaney@st-paul.pvt.k12.ia.us
PowerSchool and Your Child’s Grades
Working as a team is the best way to help your child be successful at school. A wonderful tool for you to participate in your child’s education is the access you have to your child’s grades through PowerSchool. Teachers update the assignments weekly. By checking your child’s grades in PowerSchool on a regular basis, there should be no surprises for you as a parent when report cards come out. PowerSchool is the tool we are using as a school to keep you informed on your child’s progress. If you don’t know how to access your family’s PowerSchool, please contact Katee Bates at Katee.Bates@st-paul.pvt.k12.ia.us.
Report Cards
- Your child’s report card shows two levels of information for each course about their progress.
- There is an overall course grade. Depending on the grade level it be with an Exceeds, Meets, and so on, or an A, B, C and so on. This is the overall course grade that parents are traditionally used to seeing.
- Under each course heading and course grade, there is a series of learning standards listed. Each of these standards also shows a grade. This grade indicates your child’s mastery of a specific learning standard. The purpose of this type of grading is to give you a better picture of how your child is progressing in their learning of specific material.
- It is very possible for a child to have an “Meets” in Mathematics for a course grade, and when looking at the standards, they could have an “Exceeds” in Mathematical Thinking and Reasoning, a “Meets” in Number Operations and Fractions and a “Meets” in Operations and Algebraic Thinking. This tells you as a parent that your child is strong in Mathematical Thinking and are exactly where they should be in the other two areas.
- With our grading system in K-5, a “Meets” equates to your child progressing just as they should as a student and is not a cause for concern.
- The same holds for our 6-8th grade students. They can have an “A” in Mathematics but have standards that are graded lower. That indicates that a specific standard is an area that your child still has some learning that needs to take place to get them to mastery.
When looking at your child’s PowerSchool grade book, please contact teachers right away if you see something you don’t understand.
Early Outs, Days Off and Fun Events
January 25 – Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, Mass at 5:30 PM
January 27 – Celebrate St. Paul’s Adult Social in Denning Hall, more details to come
January 28 – Catholic Schools Week Open House and Boy Scout Pancake Breakfast
January 29 – February 2 Catholic Schools Week Celebration Activities
Not New, but Important
ESA Families 2nd Semester Funding and Payments
ESA funding for 2nd semester is now available. The process to initiate funding is like 1st semester.
School action:
- SCCS will review tuition and fees for all current students and adjust the amount to be charged for 2nd semester, if necessary.
- In some cases, SCCS may add band, algebra, and/or sport fees, as well as PSAT and/or AP test fees. (These options were not available 1st semester.)
Parent/Guardian action:
- Odyssey will automatically notify you that an invoice is available to review
- Review the invoice at Odyssey. If you have questions, please contact Bobbie Goetsch at (studentaccounts@sccsiowa.com or 563-326-5313 ext. 282)
- To maintain ESA eligibility, approve payment through Odyssey https://iowa.withodyssey.com/ soon as possible. Our goal is to have 100% of our families accept 2nd semester tuition and fees by January 10th.
Julie C. Delaney, PhD
Principal
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School
1007 E.Rusholme
Davenport, IA 52803
563-322-2923
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5-6
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
September 10, 2025 WHAT’S NEW Principal’s Ponderings We’ve had a wonderful start to the school year, and it’s all thanks to the energy your children bring each day (and the coffee we bring ourselves). As we dive into September, here’s your friendly reminder to celebrate the small wins: a backpack that actually made it home, a lunchbox that didn’t come back sticky, or a bedtime that (sort of) happened on time. You’re doing great, parents. Keep up the good work. We see you, we appreciate you, and we’re so glad you’re part of the SPS family! Mr. Connors; Principal
September 3, 2025 PRINCIPAL POST/WEDNESDAY EMAIL In an effort to simplify and strengthen our communication at SPS, we will be combining the Wednesday Email and the Principal’s Post into one weekly update called the Weekly Panther. The new format will include three sections: What’s New?, Still Current, and Week at a Glance. As we roll out this updated approach, the layout may continue to evolve. We appreciate your patience as we refine the process in the coming weeks. Mr. Connors; Principal
August 27, 2025 Principal Post/Wednesday Email In an effort to simplify and strengthen our communication at SPS, we will be combining the Wednesday Email and the Principal’s Post into one weekly update called the Weekly Panther. The new format will include three sections: What’s New?, Still Current, and Week at a Glance. As we roll out this updated approach, the layout may continue to evolve. We appreciate your patience as we refine the process in the coming weeks. Mr. Connors; Principal WHAT’S NEW Chaplet/Deacon Ryan I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Deacon Ryan, Mrs. Greufe, and all of the students who participated in Monday’s after-school Chaplet. It was a beautiful and moving experience that left me feeling renewed and recharged after our first day of school. Moments like these remind me of the incredible gift we share as a community of faith. At SPS, we do not take for granted the blessing of being able to gather in prayer and worship as part of our daily educational journey. It is important that we do so because, as Jesus reminds us, "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20) Lions, Tigers, and August Construction… Oh My! The start of the school year always comes with its own adventure. Checking to see if those old uniforms still fit, triple checking the school supply lists to ensure you haven't missed anything, and coordinating childcare and/or pick-up for your child(ren) can be exhausting as it is. Toss in a little August construction down the street from the school and it can make one want to give up! The good news? Our first days of drop-off and pick-up went smoothly (just a little slower than usual). Thank you for your patience and positivity as we all learn together! Remember: safety comes first. Every student’s well-being is our top priority. Helpful Tips for Success: Review our Drop-Off Procedures and Pick-Up Procedures before heading out. Follow the direction of the friendly staff on duty as they’re there to keep things safe and moving. Breathe, wave to your neighbor, and know that the construction will pass and all will return to normal (or as normal as it ever is!) If you plan to use the car lines, please take a few minutes to review the following diagrams before arriving: Drop-Off Procedures Pick-Up Procedures If you have questions, or aren’t sure what to do, simply follow the direction of the staff on duty; we’re here to help! School Uniform What a wonderful time to review our dress code policy! Make sure to try clothes on before the first day of school. Some of these kids seem to grow a foot over the summer! Any questions about dress code can be directed to the front office. See policy HERE ! Food Menu Since St. Paul's does not have a cafeteria, students eat in their classrooms. Lunch options are selected for each semester, and whatever they select they will get on that particular day the entire semester. 2nd semester selection will be made in November/December. This is the only time they can switch their options. Lunch Menu Here Before & After School Programs The St. Paul’s Before and After School Program is a quality, collaborative, school-age program that provides before and after school experiences that are fun, self-guided, creative, and safe. This program is licensed by the Department of Human Services and directed by a licensed teacher and staffed by qualified, trained personnel. To register for our Before and After School Program: https://schools.procareconnect.com/form/1bcce744-9059-4d8e-8f52-9fcd365257e6 Account Login: https://schools.procareconnect.com/login To learn more about our before and after care programs click here ! Open Positions We currently have the following openings: 1 FTE Library Aide/Small Beginnings Para .25 FTE K-1 Music Teacher Substitute Teachers Questions about the open positions can be sent to Mr. Connors ethan.connors@st-paul.pvt.k12.ia.us or Logan Ahnquist at logan.ahnquist@sccsiowa.org Recess Volunteers Please use the link below if you would like to volunteer at recess. This would count towards your volunteer hours. You must complete Diocesan required training and a background check prior to volunteering. Email Kelly.boche@st-paul.pvt.k12.ia.us or jescie.pullinger@st-paul.pvt.k12.ia.us for more information. September Recess Volunteer Carlo Acutis Week Carlos Acutis is scheduled to be Canonized as a saint on September 7. St. Pauls has many activities planned for the week of August 29 - Sept. 7, including: Eucharistic Miracles Exhibit created by Blessed Carlo Acutis in the Gathering Space from Aug. 29 - Sept. 5 Family movie night following Wednesday evening Mass featuring Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality (popcorn and lemonade provided, families can bring additional snacks) Celebration Mass 11:00AM Sept. 7 - school children will participate in many aspects of the Mass Coffee and Donuts after Mass with St. Carlo Acutis coloring sheets, word searches, rosary crafts, and more. Girls in Aviation Day Please see attached flyer for the Quad Cities International Airport, along with John Deere and Elliott Aviation, Girls in Aviation Day event on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Families may sign-up to attend by using the QR code within the flyer. Girls in Aviation Flyer AHS Sport Opportunities KBA Flyer Girls Cheer Clinic Flyer STILL CURRENT Home and School Home and School is made up of all parents and teachers at St. Paul’s and serves to support our children and school, and raise money to provide our students with extra resources outside the school budget such as technology, library books, art supplies, PE equipment, and so much more. We also work to support our teachers with funding for their classroom and hospitality during the year to show our appreciation for the incredible work they are doing with our children. Finally, we facilitate social events throughout the year to help foster community in both our school and parish. We are looking for parents to join the board in positions such as treasurer, secretary, vice president, panther perks helpers, and much more. There are many manageable jobs that you can work into your schedule to help earn volunteer hours. This is a great way to get involved in the school and to help support our teachers and children. If you are interested in getting more information or getting involved in Home and School, email saintpaulhomeandschool@gmail.com for more information. Home and School meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of the month from 6:00 – 7:00 PM in the School Media Center. Anyone is welcome to join in these meetings to get involved and get more information. A short agenda will be shared on our Facebook page prior to each meeting. Don’t forget that attending a Home and School meeting counts for a volunteer hour each month! Each K-8 family has the obligation to help Home and School by: completing 20 volunteer hours which can be logged on the school website: Record Volunteer Hours , a $200 buyout in lieu of volunteer hours, $200 in Panther Perks rebate profit (script), or a combination of all three. We will send emails with volunteer opportunities throughout the year and help volunteers get coordinated with committees. Look for announcements via email as well as on the St. Paul the Apostle Home and School Association Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/saintpaulhomeandschool We are excited for a great 2025/2026 school year! Spirit Wear and Uniform Items The uniform and spirit wear store is now open! Orders need to be placed by September 1st and will be delivered by September 24th. This is a great time to order your uniform approved quarter zip sweatshirts for those cold winter days ahead. Check out all the fun St. Paul spirit wear and show your school spirit. Remember that spirit wear tops can be worn with uniform bottoms on early out days so stock up. Order Here! https://stores.inksoft.com/saint_paul_davenport School Sweatshirts and PE Uniforms It may be hot now, but Fall is coming and our old building can get cold very quickly. In addition to the red and blue ¼ zip sweatshirts available at the link above, uniform approved sweatshirts for students in KGN – 8th grade and Gym uniforms (required for all students in 4th – 8th grade) can be purchased at this link: Sweatshirt and Gym Uniforms . 6th – 8th grade students may also wear the Assumption uniform sweatshirts (red, white, or black) available in the AHS school office. Block Party 9/20/25 The Back-To-School Block Party is one of our most loved events. This fun evening has something for the whole family! It takes many volunteers to make this event happen and we are so thankful for our St. Paul community who always shows up to help. Please sign up for a time slot to volunteer and contact Shannon Elliott with any questions at saintpaulhomeandschool@gmail.com. **ALL VOLUNTEERS, PLEASE CHECK IN WITH SHANNON ELLIOTT UPON ARRIVING AT YOUR SCHEDULED TIME SLOT** https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040A45ACAA2CAA8-57967293-block - / Cake Walk Donations Our students’ favorite event at the Block Party is the cake walk! Showcase your talent at our annual block party! We welcome all treats! Cakes, cookies, cupcakes, brownies, Bundt cakes etc! Store bought is ok too! We will have stickers available for your name and description at drop off. Disposable packaging only;) All items can be dropped off in Denning Hall Friday and early Saturday before the event! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040A45ACAA2CAA8-57967394-cake WEEK AT A GLANCE Wed., Aug. 27 Thurs., Aug. 28 4yo AM and 4yo PM Preschool starts Transitional Kindergarten starts Fri., Aug. 29 Sat., Aug. 30 Sun., Aug. 31 Mon., Sept. 1 Labor Day - No School Tues., Sept. 2 Panther Perk Day – turn in a Panther Perk order today and your child(ren) will earn an out of uniform this Friday, Sept. 5. Wed., Sept. 3 3yo MW Preschool starts
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