The Weekly Panther Nov. 11 2026

PRINCIPAL’S PONDERING The temperatures are rising in Davenport, and staying hydrated is especially important! Please encourage your children to bring a refillable water bottle to school each day and drink water regularly. We will continue reminding students to take water breaks and pay attention to how they are feeling. Together, we can help everyone stay safe, healthy, and ready to learn during these hot days! WHAT’S NEW Back-to-School Block Party! It’s time to kick off the school year with a night of fun! Join us for the St. Paul’s Home & School Association Back-to-School Block Party on Saturday, September 19 from 5:30–8:30 p.m. at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School! There will be something for everyone, including face painting, popcorn, Here’s the Scoop ice cream, a rock wall, inflatable obstacle course, bounce house, toddler area, cake walk, dunk tank, hot dogs, burgers, and more! Choose the ticket option that matches your family/group: 1–3 people: Purchase an Individual Ticket for each person — $15 each. 4–6 people: Purchase 1 Family Pass — $60 for up to 6 people. 7+ people: Purchase 1 Family Pass + an Additional Ticket for each person over 6 — $10 per additional person. We will send the wristbands home with the students the week of the event or you can pick them up from the Parish office if you choose that option. The Block Party is open to all St. Paul’s families and parish members, so invite your friends and neighbors and come enjoy a fun night together! Grab your tickets and join us for one of our favorite St. Paul’s events of the year! We can’t wait to see you there! Click to purchase tickets/wristbands! ************************ Block Party Volunteers - September 19th The Back-to-School Block Party is one of our favorite St. Paul’s traditions, and it’s a fun evening with something for the whole family! An event this big takes a lot of helping hands, and we are so thankful for our amazing St. Paul’s community that always comes together to make it a success. We’d love your help! Please sign up for a volunteer time slot and join us in making this a fun and memorable evening for our students and families. We have volunteer opportunities for set-up (light or physical work) help during the event and clean up. If you have any questions, please contact Sara Schwartz at saintpaulhomeandschool@gmail.com. Link to Volunteer: https://app.unison.io/schedules/6483EtsOdd16VkY87UsLoe ********************** Cake Walk Donations! One of our students’ favorite parts of the Block Party is the Cake Walk! We’d love for you to show off your baking skills (or buying skills) and help make this favorite tradition a success! If you can't volunteer at the event the cake walk donation is a great way to still help out! We welcome all kinds of treats—cakes, cookies, cupcakes, brownies, Bundt cakes, and more! Store-bought treats are absolutely welcome, too! A few quick reminders: Please use disposable packaging only. Stickers will be available at drop-off for you to add your name and a description of your treat. Treats can be dropped off in Denning Hall on Friday or early Saturday before the event. Thank you for helping make the Cake Walk so much fun for our students! Cake Donation Sign Up: https://app.unison.io/schedules/7vxr247R1ND7dJgm5xL5SQ ******************** Cub Scouts for K-5 On September 15th, Pack 3020 will have a recruitment night in Denning Hall for all interested students from 6 - 7:30. ********************* Job Opening The Diocese of Davenport is currently looking for a Director of Evangelization. This will be a full-time exempt position. JOB PRIMARY PURPOSE/FUNCTION Inspired by the mission of the Diocese of Davenport, “As a Eucharistic community, we live out Jesus’ call to go and make disciples of all nations and to love God and neighbor,” the Director of Evangelization serves as a strategic leader who advances a culture of missionary discipleship throughout the Diocese. The Director collaborates with Diocesan offices, parishes, schools,clergy, religious, and lay leaders to proclaim the Gospel in ways that are compelling, invitational, and relevant to today’s world. Through the integrated use of evangelization, storytelling, communication, marketing, and digital engagement, the Director assists parishes and Diocesan ministries to share the mission of the Church given by Jesus Christ. The Director develops and implements strategies that inspire engagement, strengthen parish vitality, foster belonging, and reach those who have become disconnected from the Church as well as those who have never encountered the Gospel. Send resume and cover letter to: Tiara Hatfield hatfield@davenportdiocese.org 780 W Central Park Ave Davenport, IA 52804 ************************ STILL CURRENT SPS Spirit Wear and Some Uniform Items The uniform and spirit wear store closes today! If you missed placing your order a few weeks ago, now is your chance. Orders will be delivered to SPS 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. https://stores.inksoft.com/saint_paul_davenport/shop/home ********************* ESA Tuition Reminder Parents need to verify the tuition amount SCCS entered in your student(s) ESA Odyssey account. This needs to be completed by September 30th so the school can be paid the tuition funds from the State of Iowa. If it is not verified, you will not be eligible for any funds for all of the 26/27 school year and will be responsible for the entire tuition amount. ******************** School Messenger Please use the link below to sign up for School Messenger so that you don’t miss important communication from the school office. Early dismissals due to heat, no school due to snow days, or sudden power outages are just a few occurrences that may result in us needing to get a message to you as soon as possible. Please make sure you are signed up so that you don’t miss this important communication. School Messenger Opt In Instructions ******************** Link for Gym Uniform (4th - 8th Grade students only) 4th - 8th grade students are required to wear P.E. uniforms on days that they have P.E. If you still need to purchase these, please go to https://www.empoweringabilities.org/stores/st-paul-the-apostle-school/ ******************* Volunteer Opportunities We are always looking for parent volunteers to help with recess. Recess is from 11:30 - 12:30 each day and all volunteers must complete Safe Environment Training and a Background check (required by the Diocese). If you are interested in volunteering, and already have completed/and are current on CMG training, click on the link below to sign up. If you need CMG training, please email jescie.pullinger@spscatholic.org. 26-27 Recess Volunteer Signup ****************** KKD 2026 Fall Kids Clinic What: 2026 Knight Kompany Dancers Fall Kids Clinic Who: For Girls and Boys Grades Kindergarten-8th (Fall 2026) Where: Assumption High School Gym When: Friday, September 25th - 4:00pm-6:00pm Performance: Friday, September 25th @ Halftime of the Varsity Football Game. Dancers arrive at the stadium at 7:30pm. Cost: $40 (includes T-Shirt & bow). Deadline: Thursday, September 17th (late sign ups will not receive a T-Shirt). Payment: Cash or checks made out to SCCS KKD (online payment not accepted) Contact: Head Coach Hailey Hlubek haileyhlubek@gmail.com Link to register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf1sY_6cyPiICPUUzV9_J-z2JDOqH3O2kstMf9GldmJm6OVZA/viewform?pli=1 *************** School Website Please check out our website at https://www.stpaulcatholicschool.org/ . You can find lots of important information there. The “Parents” tab can be helpful for PowerSchool access, The School Calendar, School Policies, and to submit your Home and School Volunteer hours. Scroll down on the home page to see the “Weekly Panther” if you can’t find it in your email. *************** Home and School News Hello St. Paul Parents! As we kick off the 2026–2027 school year , the St. Paul Home & School Association would like to reintroduce ourselves and welcome everyone to another great year! Home & School is made up of parents and teachers at St. Paul’s and exists to support our students, teachers, school, and parish community. Throughout the year, we raise money to provide our students with extra resources and opportunities outside of the school budget, including technology, library books, art supplies, PE equipment, classroom needs, and much more. We also support our teachers and staff throughout the year by providing classroom funding, hospitality, and special events to show our appreciation for the incredible work they do with our children. In addition, Home & School helps organize and support social events throughout the year that bring our school and parish families together and help build a strong sense of community. Home & School Meetings Home & School meetings are held on the second Monday of each month from 6:00–7:00 p.m. Meetings are typically held in the St. Paul’s Media Center . Everyone is welcome to attend! Whether you are able to volunteer regularly or simply want to learn more about what Home & School does, we would love to have you join us. Volunteer Opportunities & Family Commitment Each parent has the opportunity to support Home & School by completing 20 volunteer hours throughout the school year. Families can fulfill this commitment in one of several ways: 20 volunteer hours $200 buyout in lieu of volunteer hours $200 in Panther Perks profit (rebate credit) A combination of all three options Volunteer hours can be completed through a variety of school and Home & School activities throughout the year. More information about volunteer opportunities and Panther Perks will be shared as the school year gets underway. Get Involved & Join a Committee! We are always looking for volunteers, and this year we have several great committees you can join, including Trunk or Treat, Ladies Bingo Night, Fundraising, and the Block Party . As a little extra incentive, anyone who signs up to serve on one of these committees will be entered into a drawing for a $100 Kohl’s gift card! We'd love to have you join us and help make these events a success. Even if you can only give a little time, every volunteer makes a difference! We will send emails throughout the school year with volunteer opportunities and information about upcoming events. We will also share announcements through email and on the St. Paul the Apostle Home & School Association Facebook page so make sure you are following us on Facebook (Link to Facebook) . There are so many ways to get involved, whether you have an hour to volunteer at an event, want to join a committee, help with a fundraiser, or simply attend a meeting. Every bit of help makes a difference! We are looking forward to a wonderful 2026–2027 school year and are excited to work together to make it a great year for our students, teachers, and families. Thank you for your continued support of St. Paul Home & School! saintpaulhomeandschool@gmail.com *************** Panther Perks Update 2026–2027 Thank you for your continued support of the Panther Perks Gift Card Program! We are excited to announce that Panther Perks is going digital for the 2026–2027 school year , making it easier and more convenient than ever to participate. Panther Perks allows families to purchase physical and digital gift cards, with a percentage of each purchase going directly back to St. Paul the Apostle. Your participation helps Home & School provide funding for field trips, educational resources, library books, classroom supplies, and many other programs and opportunities for our students. You will no longer need to complete a paper order form or return an envelope each month. All orders can be placed online or through the RaiseRight app. St. Paul the Apostle Enrollment Code: FDBA8C8C35L9 Enroll or Shop Online: https://www.raiseright.com/enroll/FDBA8C8C35L9 RaiseRight offers a wide selection of physical and digital gift cards from many popular retailers. You can also purchase e-gift cards and reload eligible gift cards directly through the app. Panther Perks Day is the first Tuesday of each month. Monthly orders purchased on Raise Right will be processed by our parent volunteers at 8:00 a.m. on the first Tuesday of each month and sent home with students on the second Tuesday of the month. There is also a special benefit for participating families: Orders placed from the Wednesday prior through 8:00 a.m. on Panther Perks Tuesday will qualify your student for an out-of-uniform day for their students on the specified day each month. (See E Order Form Flyer for Dates) E Order Form Flyer: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SIx7wHspL6p9JSO4c4W4DBjGEYZmiFFku2bklXpcD_o/edit?usp=sharing All online RaiseRight purchases count toward an out-of-uniform day , including: E-gift cards Physical gift cards Eligible gift card reloads Remember that digital gift cards are delivered to you on the RaiseRight app immediately, no need to wait for a physical gift card! We are grateful for your continued support of Panther Perks and for helping Home & School provide additional resources and opportunities for our students. Every purchase makes a difference! If you have questions or would like to volunteer with the Panther Perks program, please contact saintpaulhomeandschool@gmail.com . ************************ Preschool Back to School Pizza Party Let’s kick off the school year with pizza and fun! We’re excited to invite all ELC (Early Learning Center/preschool/TK) families to our ELC Pizza Party on Friday, September 11th, from 5:30–7:00 p.m. in Denning Hall ! Come enjoy some pizza, meet other ELC families, and celebrate the start of a great school year together. It’s a fun and easy way to get to know the St. Paul ELC community! Please RSVP by September 8th using the link/QR code below. We hope to see you there! Info Flyer: ELC Pizza Party RSVP Here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0844A8AB2CA7F4CE9-65154073-stpauls#/ ************************ WEEK AT A GLANCE