

Principal Update
January 20, 2025
Principal's Note
Dear STC Parents,
As we return to our routines tomorrow following the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I am reminded of the profound impact Dr. King’s life and legacy continue to have on our world—and on the way we educate our children in faith, compassion, and justice.
Dr. King’s commitment to nonviolence, equality, and human dignity echoes the teachings of Christ and serves as a powerful example for our students. His vision of a world united by love and mutual respect aligns with our mission as a Catholic school: to nurture the minds and hearts of young people, encouraging them to be people who bring light to the world.
Last week, our classrooms were filled with reflections on Dr. King’s dream and discussions about how we can each play a part in building a more just and peaceful world. Our middle school leadership team led staff and students in a meaningful reflection and remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr. and how his impact continues to shape the world around us.
Together, let us pray for the grace to continue this important work, inspired by Dr. King’s dream and the Gospel values that sustain it.
With gratitude,
Kathy Cox
Principal
Staffing Update
Fulcrum Safety Grant Received
I'm thrilled to announce that we received a School Partnership grant from the Fulcrum Foundation to increase our campus safety oversight through additional security cameras and hardware. The three new cameras will be installed in the coming weeks, bringing our campus security to ten cameras. The additional coverage will include much of the parking lot as well as more expansive oversight in the Tigers and Cobs play yard. In addition, the additional hardware will allow us to install future security cameras wirelessly. We are grateful for the opportunities and support that the Fulcrum Foundation provides to schools!
Find former talks, including "Navigating Neurodiversity: Strength-based Support for ADHD Kids". The password is: ed*talks*replay
Mark Your Calendar!
Upcoming Events for Parents (registrations coming soon)
Confident Conversations: Guiding Kids Through Puberty and Adolescence
With Julie Metzger, founder of Great Conversations, and Peter Metzger, pediatrician
Feb. 5, 2025, 7–8 p.m. PT
The Lost Art of Civility: Raising Respectful Kids
With Robert B. Brooks and Sam Goldstein, co-authors of “Tenacity in Children” and “The Power of Resilience”
Feb. 25, 2025, noon–1 p.m. PT
Justice and Belonging Staff Audit and Action Plan
This past spring, all staff members anonymously participated in a staff-wide justice and belonging audit seeking their feedback in eight key areas. The audit was a follow-up to the Archdiocesan initiative, "Open Wide Your Hearts," and was generously funded by the Fulcrum Foundation. The eight standards areas examined included:
Standard 1: School Policy
Standard 2: Assessing Community Needs
Standard 3: School Organization/Administration
Standard 4: School Climate/Environment
Standard 5: Staff
Standard 6: Assessment/Placement
Standard 7: Professional Learning
Standard 8: Educational Standards and Curriculum Development
All staff individually reviewed a range of criteria for each standard and rated whether they viewed the area as emergent, established, or integrated, or if there not evidence of that standard.
The staff Leadership Team spent the last couple of months reviewing all of the results and creating an action plan to implement over the course of the next year.
We are grateful for this process, as it revealed many strengths and specific areas for growth. We plan to administer the audit again at the culmination of the action plan to assess our growth and determine next steps to continue growing in these areas of justice and belonging.
Partners in the Gospel
Please take a moment to read the most recent Partners Update.
Mission/Philosophy
St. Catherine of Siena Parish School is a welcoming, Christ-centered community, rooted in the Catholic faith and inspired by Gospel values. As an extension of the parish and with Jesus as our model, we are dedicated to lifelong growth in faith, love, and learning.
We recognize that the care and education of the child begins with the family and that parents are the primary educators of their children. In partnership with parents, we work to promote our students’ achievement and spiritual growth. Together we are committed to developing responsible, ethical leaders who think critically, act justly, communicate effectively, and serve willingly.
Vision
We are committed to providing a faith-filled, inclusive, and welcoming learning environment for all our students. Through our rigorous academic programs, our students will gain the cognitive, technological, and social skills necessary to become ethical, innovative leaders who successfully navigate the complex challenges of today’s world.