Be an Artist with Mrs. Haugen Over Christmas Break!

Make it, Take it, Give it

Family Craft Nights @the Kroc!

Monday, Dec. 19 - Friday, Dec.23

6:45 PM -7:45 PM

Members-$1 per child    Non-Members=$2 per child

All ages welcome-families encouraged to participate together

Monday, December 19

*Wrapping Paper*

Tuesday, December 20

*Christmas cards*

Wednesday, December 21

*ornament*

Thursday, December 22

*Photo Frame*

Friday, December 23

*2012 calendar*

Our Student Athletes

St. Patrick Athletics- Basketball

Basketball season is officially underway!  All three of out teams opened up their respective season's last Saturday with a win and a couple of losses. 

The 7th/8th Grade Girls team won a nail biter against SJV winning by two points.  Val Stoffer, head coach, thought the girls played with energy, passion and discipline.  She was very proud of the effort and looks forward to improving each week.

The 5th/6th Grade Girls lost a close one to Grand Rapids Christian 19-14.  Jill Blattner, head coach, mentioned the girls played outstanding.  They were taking good shots, hustling for rebounds and most importantly having fun!  Maura Fitzpatrick and Bethany Blattner led the way with 6 points and 4 points respectively.  Bethany and Annie Brooks led the team in rebounding.

The 5th/6th Grade Boys played with energy and enthusiasm but an older more experienced GRC team, comprised of mostly 6th graders, were just a bit too much.  Marty Lang, head coach, was very proud of the boys.  They played well, hustled and kept their focus.  He looks forward to seeing the kids improve each week!

A big congratulations to all our student-athletes for representing St. Patrick's!  Good luck to all next week.

Breakfast with Saint Nick

Breakfast with St. Nick was a hit again this year. Our 8th grade students served the breakfast and worked hard together for the duration of the event. In return for their service, our Knights of Columbus made a generous donation to their trip. Thank you to the Knights, the 8th grade servers and Saint Patrick PTO for leading the events to make St. Nick's day a success.


A special thanks to Andrea Gasper from our PTO committee for committing her time and talents for our children.

Students in Mrs. Leckenby's first and second grade classroom use their new interactive whiteboard to enhance their learning on a daily basis. Mrs. Leckenby uses the board everyday to supplement a variety of lessons that she delivers to her students. Above are pictures of her students using the board to solve mathematical equations and to identify services that people provide in the community.

Saint Pat's is fortunate to have an additional three interactive whiteboards donated. We are working on getting these gifts installed and running for the new year!

Ongoing Service for the Community

Brendan Lally and his fellow students took part in collecting yarn for the Santa Claus Girls to knit hats, mittens and scarves for needy children. Brendan is one of many proud and dedicated students to participate in various service projects for our surrounding community.

Way to go Brendan!

Grand Rapids Press Article

Mrs. Vezino and her students will be featured on the front page of the Grand Rapids Press. Students have been collecting yarn to supply warm clothing items to those in need.

The press has interviewed Mrs. Vezino and will be out in the afternoon today to take a picture to include in the article.

Great job students for participating in this charitable act!

Free Throw Championship

The Knights of Columbus are hosting their annual K of C Basketball  Free Throw Championship in St. Patrick's Gym in the Parish Center.

All boys and girls ages 9 to 14 are invited to participate on Sunday January 15th, at 1pm. Lunch will be served at noon with sign up at 12:30pm.

Come early and bring the family!

Contact person: Todd Gross 691-8163

Million Word Readers!

As a component of the Accelerated Reader Program at St. Patrick School in Parnell, the number of words read is monitored, and students who have read 1 million words are placed on the ‘Hall of Fame’.  Last year it was 4^th quarter before we had qualifying students, but already this year we have three Super-readers!  Elizabeth Pniewski, Michael Trupke, and Bridget Lally all qualified within the first quarter!  We’re looking forward to, what will prove to be, record breaking totals for the year.

Deb Russo

Saint Patrick School’s Media Specialist

November Update

Dear Parents,

            Saint Patrick School is already a few months into the school year and we have parent-teacher conferences fast approaching next week. Conferences provide a formal opportunity for dialogue between parents and teachers on the progress of each child. This is an excellent opportunity for all parents to ask questions and address any concerns they may have. Feedback helps our school improve and we encourage all parents to voice any suggestions on how we can better serve the needs of our students and their families.  If you are unable to make the available conference dates/times, please schedule another meeting time with the homeroom teacher(s).

All School Mass

With Father Mark away on his trip to the Holy Land, Monsignor Ed from St. Mary’s Parish in Lowell will lead us in worship this Thursday at 9a.m. Monsignor Ed is a strong supporter of Catholic Education and we feel blessed that he is so willing to serve our children when called upon.

NWEA Testing

The first round of our new NWEA testing is complete for our test takers in grades second through eighth. Members from our school staff, as well as partner schools throughout the Grand Rapids Diocese, are confident that this new form of testing will enable us to better meet the educational needs of each individual student. Saint Patrick’s school improvement team continues to meet regularly to analyze the testing results so that we can use the data to drive individual instruction in the classroom. Parent-teacher conferences will provide the opportunity for our teachers to review your child’s scores with you. This is a learning process for students, parents and teachers. We are committed to learning and implementing new instructional strategies that will enable all of our students to maximize their learning potential.

Saint Patrick School Board of Directors

The School Board of Directors, previously known as the Education Commission, continue to take on additional responsibilities as the Grand Rapids Diocese implements new governance models for our schools and parishes. We have added two new members, Terry Cliff and Linne Bunn, and hope to add more as we work together to improve all aspects of our school. If you are interested in getting involved with any of our boards ongoing projects, or have any questions or concerns, please contact the group at st-patrick-school-board@googlegroups.com or simply approach me at any time.

In Christ,

Scott Czarnopys

Principal

Football team tackles cancer by going pink

For one night, a Michigan high school football team becomes decked out in pink uniforms that feature cancer victims names on them to raise money for the disease.

NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/45133132#45133132

Saint Patrick and Our Lady of Consolation Schools Unite

Saint Patrick and Our Lady of Consolation Schools Unite
Students, teachers and parents from Our Lady of Consolation School gathered with us for worship and to participate in service projects together. Students from both schools participitated in our Mass and together wrote letters to seminarians, decorated cards for shut-ins and sent decorated bags to the childrens food basket. It was a wonderful day for both schools and we thank all of our teachers for making this day a success. We look forward to doing this more in the future.


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Alumni News: Courtney Schmidt

Courtney Schmidt (St. Patrick’s Class of 2007) was named Defensive Player of the Week, by the MIAA Women’s Soccer organization.  “Hope sweeper, Courtney Schmidt , a freshman from Lowell HS, anchored the Hope defense …Schmidt is being honored as Player of the Week for the first time in her career.”     See http://www.miaa.org/wso for details.  Congratulations Courtney and thanks Schmidt family for letting us know! 

If you have Alumni News, please send it to us.

Looks like the weather held off enough for our youngsters to enjoy the Klackle Orchard. I hope everyone found a way to stay warm and were able to enjoy the trip. I can't wait for that nice big apple that one of our parents picked up for me!

Thank you everyone for volunteering and helping out today. I wish I could have been there!

Testing

Our NWEA MAPS testing is underway for our 2nd-8th graders. Our 5th graders have just finished their reading test and it has went very smooth thus far.

These tests are designed to be very challenging. The more questions that are answered correctly, the more challenging the questions get for each student. We are looking forward to getting an accurate measure of where our students are academically.

Please make sure that your children get a good night sleep and a full breakfast. Testing will continue through Thursday. Please remember that we are limiting distractions and traffic through the building as much as possible.

Eagle Scout Projects

This is a photo of our middle school students gathered at our new outdoor classroom that was created this school year. This was an Eagle Scout project that supports our desire to enhance environmental learning for our students. Different classrooms have used this area as a place for meditation and worship. Our middle school students continue their phenology work on a weekly basis and use this classroom to rest and record their observations.  We
encourage all of our parents to come and take a closer look!

Eagle Scout, Bill Polias, built this shed to help store all of the sleds, balls and other items used by our students at recess. The shed has given us the ability to move items outside of the school hallway to create more room.

Alan Lally built picnic tables and safety gates for our recess area. We are now able to put up our gates to ensure the safety of our students from any vehicles that may have entered the lot during recess time. Great work Alan!

Aquinas College Event

Mission Rosary

This past Friday, our students prayed the Mission Rosary together. Before the Rosary, Sister Jo Marie spoke to the kids on the importance of service and fulfilling our mission as Catholics.

Part of our mission has been to participate in the P.A.I.L project. We are still collecting goods until this Thursday to send to the country of Haiti to help those still affected by the earthquake.

The Mission Rosary  and the P.A.I.L project are simple ways for us to get involved in service and to live out our virtue of FAITH that we are recognizing this month in our school. Thank you to everyone for participating.

October 13, 2011

Dear Saint Patrick School Families,

            At our all school Mass, Father Mark spoke in his homily about his focus on recognizing daily blessings that he receives from God.  We all receive daily blessings but sometimes many of us are so busy in our lives that the idea of reflection seems impossible. His homily has inspired me to continue to identify the positives from every day and share them with the people around me.

            This year we have welcomed many new families to our school community. Saint Mary’s Parish in Lowell has become a partner in supporting our ministry of Catholic Education. Father Ed is now the pastor at St. Mary’s and has already visited and talked about his support for St. Pat’s. We have a wonderful new pre-school teacher who has strong roots in the Lowell community and at our parish. The GOOD at St. Pat’s continues and it is all because of the strong family atmosphere that all of you bring to our community.

Our school is a family and it’s a true blessing to say that I am part of it. This family has made an enormous difference in my life, I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by such good people that support what we do.  I am also fortunate enough to share that Arley and I will soon be adding another member to the Saint Patrick family. We are expecting our first child this spring and have been eager to share the news.  I am very proud that I will have the opportunity to embark on the most important job I’ll ever have, being a father. 

We will continue to push our school to serve the needs of all of our children. Thank you all for investing in Catholic education here at Saint Patrick School.

In Christ,

Scott Czarnopys

Principal

October 13, 2011

Dear Parent:

During the week of October 17, your child will take tests called Measures of Academic Progress™ (MAP). We give students MAP tests to determine your child’s instructional level and to measure academic growth throughout the school year, and from year to year in the areas of reading, language arts and math. Your child will take the tests on a computer.

MAP tests are unique in that they adapt as appropriate for your child’s level of learning. As a result, each student has the same opportunity to succeed and maintain a positive attitude toward testing.  And with MAP tests, we can administer shorter tests and use less class time while still receiving detailed, accurate information about your child’s growth. Over the next few days, your child will spend a total of about three hours completing these tests.

Each school year, students in grades 2-8 take the tests in October, January and again in April. Following each testing period, you will receive a report showing your child’s growth.

We are truly excited to begin a new era that focuses on every child’s individual growth and achievement. Partnering to help all kids learn, parents and teachers can have a profound positive effect on the lives of our children.

For more information on resources for parents, download the Parent Toolkit at www.nwea.org >> Partner Support.

Parish Wide Service Project

P.A.I.L Project:
All of the ministries at Saint Patrick Parish are participating in the second annual P.A.I.L (Providing Aid, Impacting Lives) Project sponsored by Rays of Hope for Haiti to those still devastated by the earthquake in Haiti.

We are collecting FOOD ITEMS, PERSONAL ITEMS and BABY ITEMS in the church and the school. Please bring these items to either location and our school's student leadership council will sort the items and prepare them for shipping to Haiti.

The last day for collecting items will be October 20th. Please participate with us in this very important service project to help out our fellow brothers and sisters in need.

Volunteers for Athletic Events Needed

NEEDED:  Volunteers to assist with the St. Patrick School Athletics - volleyball and basketball games need to be staffed at the scorer's table, gate and concessions.  If you have an interest in supporting St. Patrick School Athletics and would like to volunteer to help with one of these roles please contact the Boosters president, Carol Blundy (at 897-8812 or at carol.blundy@yahoo.com) or Scott Spanbauer, the Athletic Director (at 328-5477 or at scott@bpsalesstaffing.com. 

Sub Sale Orders Due

Hi St. Patrick Families -
Just a reminder that sub & soup orders are due.
If you have order forms at home, please submit those to the school office tomorrow so we can add them to our tally.
THANK YOU!
You can contact Darcy Snarski  (987-6447 or snarskifive@gmail.com) with any questions.

ArtCation

On Friday September 22, our students from grades 5-8 will participate in ArtCation! Our outstanding art teacher, Mrs. Rosie Haugen, will serve as our art expert as she guides us through the various ArtPrize exhibits in downtown Grand Rapids. One of our major stops will be at Cathedral Square where we will view the art, hang out on the campus and worship together for a special Mass at 12:30pm.

 

We look forward to sharing the pictures from our experience. Stay tuned!

Speaker Invite at Assumption School

COMING to THE FAMILY LIFE CENTER

at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Belmont, MI

Best selling author/speaker and weekly columnist for the Washington Times, Marybeth Hicks will address issues about popular culture, media, values and the trends that influence the next generation and are shaping our nation's future.

She provides a strong voice for parents, grandparents and concerned citizens who want to protect our children and the country they will inherit by promoting the values and virtues that have made our nation exceptional. Marybeth speaks from the heart and from experience, sharing both the poignant and hilarious moments that punctuate family life as well as timely observations about the political and cultural landscape that all Americans should know.

Says Marybeth, “Today’s parents must be brave parents and stand up to the relentless pressure to be politically correct.”

Join us at the Family Life Center, 6390 Belmont Ave NE, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 20^th for her presentation:  Parenting 4^th through 8^th Graders – How to Raise Genuine, Enthusiastic, Empowered Kids in today’s grow-up-too-fast world

Following the presentation, there will be refreshments and books available for sale, including Marybeth’s latest, Don’t Let the Kids Drink the Kool-Aid Confronting the Left's Assault on Our Families, Faith, and Freedom.

For more information about the event, contact Kathleen Rahe at KathleenR@KRAHE-IS.com or Mr. Mike Micele at schoolprincipal@assumptionbvm.com

If you are in need of childcare during the event, please contact Kathleen Feeney at kathleen.feeney@kentcountymi.gov or Corie Ripple at corie.ripple@earthlink.net to pre-register.

Event Invite from our Catholic Secondary Schools

The West Catholic Parent Club along with Catholic Central We Care invite you to a night with Tim Cusack. Tim is a well-known motivational speaker that discusses life from a Fun~Honest~Real perspective. http://timcusack.com/

When:            Wednesday, September 28 at 7 p.m.

Where:          West Catholic High School Cafeteria

Tim will be speaking to students during the day and sharing his program with parents in the evening. This is a great way to connect with your student on a Fun~Honest~Real level.

Volleyball Game

Good luck to all of our student athletes who are competing in various sports this weekend. Our fifth and sixth grade girls volleyball team has their first match this weekend versus Corpus Christi at Immaculate Heart of Mary School (Noon). Good luck girls!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend! See you all Monday.

Scrip Online!

 As we kick off a new school year, we would like to help our SCRIP program become part of our Green School Initiative.

In order to help us do this, we are STRONGLY encouraging all SCRIP families to register for a Presto Pay account and place their SCRIP orders on-line.  This will cut down on the number of volunteers we need to process SCRIP, as well as help keep our program as paperless as possible.

To establish your online account, go to www.shopwithscrip.com and enter the user name and password you were given when you signed up.  (Please call or email Darcy or Penny if you need this information).

If you are new to SCRIP, all you need is our enrollment code to get started.

The enrollment code for St. Patrick School is D65LF3L2184

To enroll in a Presto Pay account, access your SCRIP account from www.shopwithscrip.com and click on the “Presto Pay” link on the left side.

Once you enroll in Presto Pay, you will receive a code.  That code needs to be emailed to Penny or Darcy to complete your Presto Pay enrollment.

Contact information:

Penny Spanbauer penny@impactbusinessgroup.com  616.635.0385

Darcy Snarski mdski3@juno.com  616.987.6447

Don’t hesitate to contact either of us if you have questions on how SCRIP can help you off-set your tuition costs!

Pink Arrow Pride Support

We are offering a non-uniform day for all students who choose to wear a Pink Arrow shirt or any form of pink this Friday. At St. Pat's we will continue to support community efforts aimed at helping others. Join the effort!

From the Lowell Pink Arrow Pride Committee:

"Pink Arrow Pride will continue to focus on accomplishing the main goal to continue awareness for the treatment and cure of many forms of cancer. We will also continue to support the efforts of the Lowell Area Community Wellness Organization and their work to help those struggling with cancer and provide education programs. And, of course, we will work to increase and maintain student scholarships in honor of Kathy Talus, a former Lowell teacher and coach who lost her battle with cancer, and Dr. Gerard who has dedicated more than 30 years to volunteering and giving care to our student athletes."

For more information please visit www.pinkarrowpride.org

First Day!!!

I am looking forward to seeing all of our new and returning families tomorrow! I hope that all of you have had a wonderful summer and I'm excited to learn about what all of our students have been doing over the past few months.


Please remember that tomorrow is an early dismissal (11:30) and there will be no Lowell busing in the afternoon.    Our first all school Mass will be held at 9am and all families are invited and welcome to join. Please note that there will be no all school Mass this Thursday. Following this week, all school Mass will be every Thursday and we will communicate whenever there are changes to the schedule.


See you all in the morning!


In Christ,


Scott Czarnopys

Pink Arrow Financial Assistance Form

Pink Arrow IV T-shirt

Financial Assistance Form

Through the generosity of several Lowell families who have made donations, Pink Arrow t-shirts are being made available to students that need financial assistance at a reduced cost.  Youth sizes x-small to adult x-large are $4.

Personal Information

Name of parent/guardian of student to receive assistance__________________________

Address __________________________________________________________________

Phone______________________

Number of adults in the home_________  Number of dependents____________

Are you currently employed?  Yes or No

Employer___________________________________

If you receive state, federal, or county aid, food stamps, medical aid, free or reduced lunch, etc., please circle.

Student Name	School	Grade/Teacher	Size	Cost
1.
2.
3.
4.

                                                                                                Total Amount Due  $____________

The undersigned acknowledge that the information contained in this application is considered confidential and will be made available to employees and officers, agents, or others where it is reasonably necessary to review financial assistance funds.  I certify that the information I have

Provided is accurate and correct to the best of my knowledge.

_______________________________________                  ________________

 Signature of applicant                                                           Date

Please return application and money or check made out to Lowell Area Schools no later than Thursday, September 8, to any Lowell School building principal.

Catholic Secondary Schools

Considering a Catholic high school for your child(ren)? The Admissions team of Catholic Central and West Catholic is holding an informational panel discussion on Tuesday, September 13, at the Donnelly Center on the campus of Aquinas College. We will begin promptly at 7 p.m.   Speakers will include Tom Maj, President of GRCSS; Heidi Smitley, Director of Guidance; and Jennifer Lahey, GRCSS Business Manager.  We will discuss admissions policies, the HSPT and the student transfer process, as well as financial aid.   This meeting is geared toward current middle school parents or anyone interested in hearing more about the area Catholic high schools.

Questions, please contact the Directors of Admission: Jackie Stetson, Catholic Central (616) 233-5802 or Tammy Dykema, West Catholic, at (616) 233-5920.

Tammy L. Dykema

Director of Admissions and Alumni Relations

West Catholic High School

(616) 233-5920

  West Catholic High School

Lunch Update to Begin the School Year

Dear Parents,

We have decided to search for a new provider for hot lunch for the upcoming school year.  We do intend to have this service available for all of our families beginning in late September or early October.

Please plan on providing cold lunch and drinks for your children for the upcoming month of September. As soon as we find a suitable provider we will communicate this with all of you.

I personally apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

Public Rosary Invite

Dear friends,

I would like to invite all of you to join us in a Public Rosary to take place on Saturday, October 15,

2011 at 12:00 Noon at the Kent County Fairgrounds in Lowell, Michigan 49331. This is nationally

coordinated by America Needs Fatima in honor of Our Lady of Fatima's request to pray and offer

sacrifices in reparation of the sins committed against Her Immaculate Heart and the Most Sacred

Heart of Jesus. It is my fervent hope that you join us in prayer that day.

Please bring your Rosary, and if you have trouble standing for an hour, you may want to bring a

chair as well. We hope to see you all there, and please invite your friends and family to join also. If 

you could just please RSVP with your name and phone number by October 1st, so it will give me

time to make enough copies of the prayers, I will really appreciate it. Looking forward to hearing

from you soon. May God bless you all and keep you safe in His loving protection.


Sincerely,

Ron & Marvie Blain

Swingin' the Sticks...

Thank you to everyone who is participating in our first annual golf outing for Saint Patrick School. We've been blessed with outstanding weather today! It should be a great day, see you all out on the course!

Uniform Swap

Parents,

We have a table set up with gently used uniforms in the school. Please visit the school next week and take what you need!

Volleyball Season is Underway!


Girls 5th/6th grade volleyball will begin their season with practice starting this Thursday (August 18) from 5:30-7:30 at our school gymnasium.

The team has room for any additional players who are interested in participating. Please see head coach Meagan Malone this Thursday at St. Pat's gym if you have any questions. You can also contact the school office at sps.secretary@gmail.com for any additional information.

Green Initiative

Last year our school was awarded the Green School Award from the Kent Intermediate School District for participating in a variety of activities that are environmentally friendly. We plan to continue with our “Green Initiative” by making a concerted effort of limiting the amount of resources we use for communication and teaching purposes. If you have an internet connection, you will be able to receive all of our communications in a timelier manner while reducing the amount or resources that our school uses.

Here is a list of effective ways to stay informed on school happenings without the need for receiving paper copies:

·         E-mail – We are currently working on updating our email database for school communications. Please send a message to sps.secretary@gmail.com with your current email address or if it has changed from last year.  We e-mail our school newsletter, The Shamrock, once a week and also send frequent messages that need to be received by families before the Shamrock is published.

·         School Website – Our school website can be visited at www.stpatrickparnellschool.org. A variety of different information can be found at our site including past and present Shamrocks, classroom newsletters and our current school calendar. Using the calendar on the website provides the most current scheduled events and will reflect any changes that happen over the course of the school year.

·         Principal Blog – My principal blog can be found at http://www.principalparnell.blogspot.com/. I use this blog for official announcements that come directly from me. I will also use the blog to post students work and pictures throughout the year. A link to the blog is available on our school website.

·         Facebook – Saint Patrick School has a Facebook Page! You can search for us on Facebook or find current postings on our website. All of my posts from the blog will directly be sent to Facebook. This provides instant access to our announcements and also allows you to post comments.

Please be a part of our efforts to “Go Green”. After this mailing, all communications will be sent electronically. If you do not have internet access and prefer paper copies of our communications, please inform the school office.

In Christ,

Scott Czarnopys

scottczarnopys@gmail.com

Arrangements

The arrangements for Lynn Cooper:


Funeral is 11:00am on Tuesday, St. Mary Miriam.


Visitation, Feuerstein Funeral Home
Mon - 2-4:00pm, 6-8:00pm, Rosary 7:30


Please keep Matt, their children and extended family in your prayers.

First Day of School

Saint Patrick School's first day for the 2011/2012 school year will be a half-day on Tuesday September 6. Enjoy August and your Labor Day weekend before returning!


Scott Czarnopys - Principal

Technology Opportunities

I was just made aware that Comcast is (in their service areas) making low cost internet access to those who qualify.

Available now, eligible families receive:

•Broadband Internet Economy Service at $9.95 per month

•Option to purchase a computer for under $150

•Access to online, print, and in person digital literacy training

Details are at: http://www.internetessentialspartner.com/ and http://www.internetessentials.com/?utm_source=july27webinar&utm_medium=eblast&utm_campaign=essentials

This looks like a great way to bridge that digital divide we often see in our districts.

Ron Houtman

Education Technology Consultant / REMC-8 Director

616.365.2320 (w) - 616.318.5225 (c)

@ronhoutman - Twitter

CSS changes administrative structure - 6/30/2011

Following is the text of a letter sent by Father R. Louis Stasker to diocesan parish priests and Catholic Secondary Schools faculty, staff and parents today regarding changes in CSS leadership structure:

"Grand Rapids Catholic Secondary Schools (GRCSS) soon will undergo modifications to its administrative structure as approved this week by Walter A. Hurley, bishop of the diocese of Grand Rapids and based on recommendations from the secondary school board, the superintendent of schools, the Connecticut-based consulting firm Catholic School Management, parents and myself.

"The new structure is consistent with findings in an ongoing study of diocesan school governance commissioned by the diocese with Catholic School Management as part of the “Our Faith, Our Future” initiative.

"The new structure calls for the organization to be led by a canonical administrator – a pastor – with a president heading up external affairs for the schools. A principal at each high school will be charged with oversight of internal affairs, including day-to-day operations within the buildings. 

"I will retain my role as pastor, and current Principal Thomas Maj will assume the duties of president. Associate Principal Greg Deja of Catholic Central will take on the responsibilities of principal at Catholic Central. Jack Young, who is currently associate principal at West Catholic, will serve as interim while a search is conducted for a permanent principal for the school. 

"In my role as pastor, I will ensure adherence to canon law and will have specific reserved powers. As president, Tom Maj will be responsible for GRCSS external affairs, including oversight of mission effectiveness, business affairs, fundraising, board relations and liaisons with external constituencies, including parishes and the community. The principals will be charged with overseeing faith community, academic and student affairs for their respective buildings.

"The new structure more closely aligns the two Catholic high schools under a common vision while still allowing them to serve their unique communities. This process of restructuring and further defining roles is the next in a series of steps necessary to achieve the strategic priorities stated in our vision, which was adopted in 2010 along with 12 strategic priorities that are critical to building and maintaining a sustainable organization.

"These changes further align the organization and support the vision of our high schools to continue to be renowned as high-quality Catholic schools preparing students to realize their full potential as active participants in their faith communities. I have put my full support behind Tom Maj as a leader who is tremendously capable of guiding our schools toward a sustainable, viable future. "

For more detail on the CSS administrative restructure, see the Q & A.

Weekly Update

Daily Mass Times

No Mass Here – Tuesday, July 26

No Mass Here – Wednesday, July 27

No Mass Here – Thursday, July 28

No Mass Here – Friday, July 29

Weddings

     This week, Kathryn O’Hara and Nicholas Wallis will celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage at St. Patrick. We congratulate Kathryn and Nick on this blessed occasion. You have our prayers and support!

www.stpatrickparnell.org

--

Saint Patrick School

Our school has hired a new preschool teacher for the upcoming 2011/2012 school year. Mrs. Courtney Krebill will join our school family and we feel lucky to add her to our team. Mrs. Krebill is a Lowell native and a parishioner here at St. Pat's.

Golf Outing

Time is running out to register for our first annual golf outing at Scott Lake on August 27 (1:30 Shotgun Start). Please visit our school website and click on the golf picture for registration forms and a link to our outing page. Hope to see many of you there.

www.stpatrickparnellschool.org

--

You’re Invited!

Who:    Children entering Preschool through 6^th Grade

What:    Vacation Bible School

When:   July 25^th-29^th, 9am-12pm

Where: St. Patrick Parish

 

Why:     To make new friends and celebrate our best friend JESUS!

Registration forms are available in the back of church. Or contact Maryalene LaPonsie at 616-897-5942 or maryalene_L@hotmail.com for registration information.

--

The 4G Network is here at St. Patrick!!!

The faster, better connection!

God 

Good Friends

Good Discussion

Good Fun

All Young Adults - ages 21 to 35 - are invited to an evening at the rectory with Fr. Mark and the parish staff to share ideas about how we can serve you faster and better!

Single Young Adults -  Saturday, August 6, immediately after the 5:00 Mass at the rectory.

Married Young Adults -  Saturday, August 13 immediately after the 5:00 Mass at the rectory.

Please RSVP to Wendy at 691-8541 or email her at secrepat@wmis.net

www.stpatrickparnell.org

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The Second Annual St. Patrick Church Family Fishing Tournament

When:  Sunday, August 28.2011

Where:  Big Wabasis Lake

Time:  12:00 p.m. (Noon)

Flyers with more information are available in the back of the church or in the parish office.

www.stpatrickparnell.org

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Altar Server Appreciation Day

When:  Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Time:  1:00 - 2:00 pm (arrive about 12:45)

Where:  Lowell Lanes

RSVP to Sandy Brooks @ 691-7609 by 7/26/11

www.stpatrickparnell.org