Dear St. Patrick families,

Welcome back to everyone for the 2017 – 2018 school year. And what a way to start the new year is with a solar eclipse! Talk about an omen of all the good things to come this year.

If you have not had a chance to do so, please visit our new website for St. Patrick School. It is still at the old website – stpatskent.org. But is brand new and more things will be added in the coming weeks.

This weekend our Home and School Association will be sponsoring an ice cream social starting at 12 PM behind the Kent Board of Education. There will be games, food and ice cream. Be sure you are a part of this kickoff event.

It is time for the Milk program to begin. Milk will again be $40 for the year. The applications will be  available next month in the office for the free and reduced milk rates. Please send in note and Mrs. Atkinson will see that the application will get home to you. Students who normally get this may still receive milk daily.

There is now a new child protection program being offered by the Diocese known as Virtus. This only for those parents or guardians who were not certified under the old Child Protection program. If you plan on participating in any classroom activities or field trips, you must take this program first. A background check, by way of fingerprints, is also a requirement. There will be a class held at St. Patrick Church on Wednesday, August 30th, from 7 to 9:30 PM in the Captain’s Cabin. If you plan to attend, you must register first at the website www.virtus.org.

I would  again welcome our new teachers to the staff this year –  Chelsie Langston in kindergarten and David Novicky as our middle school science teacher.

Dr. Illa will be conducting her beginning band meeting next Thursday, Aug. 31st, at 6:30 PM in the gym. Dr. Illa will be sending home information regarding this.

Our opening school Mass is next Thursday at 8:30 AM. I invite everyone to join us for Mass that day.

There are a number of forms that the teachers have sent home already. Please return them soon so we are able to file them in the appropriate areas.

I hope everyone had a chance to listen to the presentation on Fatima and have an opportunity to see the beautiful statue of Mary that was part of the visit. We were very fortunate to have this visit.

So that you do not get into a bad habit this early in the school year, I would ask everyone to have their children here on time at the start of school. Students who come in late will miss part of the lesson that has already begun and it is also a distraction to the rest of the class. I know there are times when this cannot be avoided but let’s make that a concerted effort to get here on time.

Our candy sale will begin next Friday, Sept. 1st. Candy will be going home that day.

School will not be in session on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4th.

Our Robotics Club will begin Sept. 5th. It will take place after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Information will be coming home.

We have a had a very good first week of school. A special welcome to our new kindergarten students and also those students who are new to St. Patrick. We all look forward to a great and exciting school year.

Have a great weekend. Hope to see you at the Ice Cream Social on Sunday. And, as always ….. GO PANTHERS!