

St Patrick School Parent Newsletter
We Are One: Hope + Vision + Heart
- - Week of June 3, 2024 - -
Dear St. Patrick School Families,
Next week is our last full week of school. The faculty, staff and I cannot believe how quickly the 2023-2024 school year has progressed. We are already looking to the 2024-2025 school year and what all it has in store for us, and for our students and their families. Our Admissions & Communications team has been hard at work marketing the school through open houses, expanded tour days, and through traditional and online recruitment campaigns. We are pleased to announce that we will have two grade 3 classes next year as well as two grade 5 classes, in addition to two Pre-K3 and two Pre-K4 classes. And, we are still providing tours and enrolling students in all grades! Stay tuned for more updates in my summer letter in July.
As you have seen already, the 2024-2025 school year will begin after Labor Day and end in mid-June. As I mentioned at the Sneak Peek event, the academics at St. Patrick School continue to remain top-notch with our students scoring well above Diocesan and state averages in Reading and Math (see images below). I wanted to take this opportunity to share our testing scores with those who were not able to attend the event on May 20. You will see them in comparison to the other schools in our Diocese as well as the New Jersey state average. Unfortunately, we do not have comparison data for the local school district as they have not released this information.
In the middle school, our students excelled in Math with an overall score of 96, compared to the 80 that NJ state has set for a goal and a 81 that other Diocesan schools scored. Likewise, our elementary school had over 95 ranking of both math and readling compared to the state’s 80 and the Diocesan average of 78. In addition, the lower grades of K/1 scored a 98 compared to 80 and 75 for the state and the Diocesan average respectively. SEE IMAGES BELOW.
Likewise, our Reading assessment scores were equally impressive, with all grades - Kindergarten through grade 8 scoring in the very high 90's compared to the Diocesan average between 75-80 and the state average of 80. What a great accomplishment for our boys and girls!
St. Patrick School students continue to excel year-after-year compared to their peers. Likewise, we see our students’ excellence and academic prowess in their acceptances to the area’s top parochial and private high schools. For example, this year we have students who were accepted to Villa Walsh, Academy of St. Elizabeth, Seton Hall Prep, Oratory Prep, Mount St. Mary Academy, Morris Catholic High School, Delbarton School, Pingry, and Kent Place. And, that is just the schools that they are attending. Most were accepted to multiple schools and further, our 26 graduates garnered nearly $800,000 in scholarships!
In short, St. Patrick School students continue to be the best and brightest in Morris County, if not the State of New Jersey and the nation. We appreciate everyone's partnership with our faculty to ensure our students continue to receive the best education possible.
Our Grade 8 students will graduate next Friday, with a day full of activities. We begin with a Graduation Mass at 10AM then finish the day with the Graduation Ceremony at 7PM in the church. Everyone is welcome to join us, space permitting. The teachers and I are so very proud of our upcoming graduates and we are excited to see what all each will accomplish when they attend high school, college and beyond.
We look forward to an amazing night for our grade 8 students and their families at the annual 8th Grade Dinner Dance tonight in the gym. Watch our social media channels for highlights!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Blessings,
Dr. Christine Ross
Principal
TENTATIVE SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR 2024-2025
Below please find the 2024-2025 School Calendar DRAFT. This calendar is TENTATIVE and only a DRAFT. It is still in the approval process with the Diocese of Paterson Catholic Schools Office (CSO), which has final approval of every school calendar in the diocese, including St. Patrick School. We expect to receive final approval from the CSO in early June.
As stated on the DRAFT calendar, all dates are subject to change. Once the Parent Portal has been updated for the 2024-2025 school year, please check it consistently during the 2024-2025 school year for updated dates and times of school events. Should you have any questions, reach out to schooloffice@st-pats.org.
HSA 2024-2025 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Attached below is the Home & School Association (HSA) calendar of the events for the 2024-2025 school year at St. Patrick School! The HSA is looking forward to a great year filled with activities for everyone. Should you have any questions or would like to volunteer, email spshsa@st-pats.org.
BUILDERS CLUB REQUESTS EVERYONE'S HELP ON FIRST FRIDAY FOOD COLLECTION ON JUNE 7
VISIT ST. PATRICK SCHOOL @ FISHAWACK FESTIVAL ON JUNE 8
St. Patrick School is proud to once again participate in Chatham Borough's annual Fishawack Festival on Saturday, June 8 from 10AM - 4PM! We are looking forward to showing the greater Chatham community all that St. Patrick School has to offer and to meet prospective families. We would love to see our families and students visit us at our "booth". Please stop by and say hello to the admissions staff and faculty who will be handing out school information and water!
SHOP THE BSN SIDELINE STORE FOR YOUR FAVORITE SPIRIT WEAR ITEMS FOR 24-25
The St. Patrick School spirit store partner, BSN Sports, will continue to provide a comprehensive, always-open spirit shop, called Sideline Store for St. Patrick School families, alumni, alumni parents, and many more. Remember that you can customize your spirit wear pieces! Choose your favorite design, logo and even wording, including alumni, mom, dad, grandparent, Student Council, basketball, ski club and more!
Shop at the link: http://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/new_jersey/chatham/st-patrick-school-official-team-store
**BE SURE TO READ THE PARENT/STUDENT HANDBOOK FOR GUIDELINES ON SPIRIT WEAR AND UNIFORMS. SOME ITEMS AND BRANDS (sweatshirts, t-shirts, Carhartt) SOLD IN THE SIDELINE STORE MAY NOT BE WORN AS PART OF THE SCHOOL REGULAR AND/OR PE UNIFORM.
- - HSA NEWS - -
HSA STILL SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR
Calling All Volunteers!
Many hands make light work! The HSA (Home & School Association) is seeking "many hands" to help coordinate fundraising efforts, co-chair community building events, support our faculty and staff, and much more. Please help support the HSA by volunteering for the 2024-2025 school year!
Please click on the link below to complete the HSA Volunteer Form for the 2024-2025 school year. Check areas where you would like to be involved with the HSA. Please submit ONE FORM PER FAMILY.
ALL ST. PATRICK SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS AND COACHES MUST COMPLETE VIRTUS TRAINING AND BE DIOCESAN APPROVED.
Email Jenny Durick (jenny.durick@gmail.com) or Katie Lauber (katherinejlauber@gmail.com with any questions.
PURCHASE LABELS FOR YOUR CHILD'S CLOTHES, WATER BOTTLES, BACKPACK & MORE!
Please support the HSA's spring fundraiser with Mabel's Labels. Visit campaigns.mabelslabels.com and select Saint Patrick School HSA (Chatham). Thank you for your support!
SUPPORT THE HSA BY SCANNING YOUR BOX TOPS!
Hello St. Patrick Community!
Excitement is mounting as the students begin to anticipate the summer break. While this is a welcome transition, it does come with a bit of mixed emotion for many of our students. Anytime there is a schedule change, there will be some unrest until the new schedule (or lack of one) becomes familiar and comfortable. Students may also experience a mix of feelings when starting new summer activities such as camps and swimming clubs. Reminding our students that it is normal to experience a few emotions at once, for example both nervous and excited, and that remaining curious about our feelings will help us to move forward as we begin new activities. Encourage your student to have whatever feeling they have and to move forward into their new adventures. Remind them they have the tools needed to deal with their feelings. Feelings come and go, so curiosity about them and movement when feeling them will help to manage them sufficiently. Breathing, writing, drawing, talking, walking, tree hugging…all of these activities are effective tools for managing feelings.
In the younger classes we are reading, Henry’s Awful Mistake. This is one of Mrs. Horan’s favorite books. We are reading about how Henry the Duck created a really BIG problem out of a minor situation. This is a great reminder of how we can experience a number of feelings at once and how we can allow our feelings to get the best of us if we don’t consider our feelings before acting on them. In the end, Henry learned that sometimes looking the other way and letting go is the only solution he needs.
Our older students are exploring social situations and decisions as they play a number of different social emotional games designed to elicit discussion and collaboration. Playing games together is a great way to communicate and learn from each other.
Successful Summer Break (This article discusses Anxiety and Autism however, it contains pointers that are useful for all parents.)
Potty Training This wonderful resource was shared with us by one of our parents - passing it along!
Please consider emailing me with any suggestions, needs, comments, or questions. I love hearing from parents and am here to help!
Have an enjoyable weekend, welcome June!
Sincerely,
Kelly Horan, LAC
- - PARISH NEWS - -
WALKING WITH PURPOSE HOSTING SUMMER BOOK CLUB READ
SUPPORT THE PARISH BLOOD DRIVE ON JUNE 8
LOOKING AHEAD
JUNE 3 - SUMMER BIRTHDAY DRESS DOWN DAY
JUNE 7 - BUILDERS CLUB FOOD DRIVE
JUNE 7 - GRADUATION MASS @ 10AM
JUNE 7 - GRADUATION CEREMONY @ 7PM
JUNE 10 - END OF YEAR COFFEE
JUNE 11 - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR PK, TK, K
JUNE 12 - PK & TK CLOSING CEREMONIES @ 9AM
JUNE 12 - KINDERGARTEN CLOSING CEREMONY @ 10AM
JUNE 12 - NOON DISMISSAL. AFTER CARE AVAILABLE.
JUNE 13 - END OF SCHOOL YEAR LITURGY @ 11AM
JUNE 13 - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. NOON DISMISSAL.
CONTACT US
Email: schooloffice@st-pats.org
Website: https://spschatham.org
Location: 45 Chatham Street, Chatham, NJ, United States
Phone: 973-635-4623
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SPSChathamNJ
Twitter: @SPSChathamNJ