We hope you enjoy the Irish Insider. For consideration in future editions, please email info@stcathschool.com by 12pm Monday for the Wednesday edition.

Thoughts with Mr. Watts

January has always been a month of new beginnings and positive change. It is also one of my favorite months in terms of feast days for Saints. There are a few American saints and several who are patrons of education, teaching, and students. The saints, like the apostles were ordinary people who did extraordinary things for others. Let them intercede for us.

Next week will be another milestone for our school community. As we start the month of February on Monday, we also begin Catholic Schools Week, a celebration of our school and the people who make it such a special place. Although the weather can be gloomy, February offers a lot to be thankful for and Catholic Schools Weeks allows us to acknowledges those blessing that make us uniquely who we are.

As the calendar get fuller and the days get longer, let's all continue to see the good in each other, stay the course, and keep each other healthy and safe.

Yours in Christ,

Mark Watts

If anyone in your household would have a Positive COVID-19 test result, you must notify Mr. Watts by calling (614) 949-7713 as soon as possible, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

If anyone in your household has been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or is awaiting a COVID-19 test, the rest of the household must quarantine for 10 days or until the test results come back negative. Please call the school office as soon as possible in this situation. at (614) 235-1396.

We are required to post positive cases of students and staff on our website weekly. This data, along with other COVID-19 updates can be found at http://stcatharineschool.com/parents/covid-19/. Currently, we have 0 active cases and 5 cumulative cases with students and staff. (As of 1.25)

These dates have been set by the Diocese. We will be adding addition dates (Teacher Professional Development Days, Record Days, etc...) at a later time. Please check the school google calendar for the most up to date information

Catholic Schools Week will run from Sunday, January 31^st until Saturday, February 6^th.

SOUPer Bowl dress down day: Students bring in cans of soup for Saint Vincent DePaul Society may wear their favorite sports team jersey or apparel!

Free dress down day to honor students!

School-wide BINGO over loudspeakers or Zoom: Winners will get a dress down day coupons

Socks & Service: Students can wear silly socks and bring a sock donation for Shoes 4 the Shoeless. We will pray a decade of the Rosary for our nation together over the announcements.

Career Day: Dress like what you want to be when you grow up and bring a self-care donation item which will be donated to The Bishop Griffin Center. Students will write letters/cards to “Everyday Heroes” like Health-Care workers, First Responders, etc.

Students and staff will wear their CSW shirts: Thank you, Home & School for providing this unifying spirit wear.

Parent-Teacher conferences are scheduled for Tuesday, February 2nd and Tuesday, February 16th. The basic format will be the same as the Fall with an available sign-up genius and a corresponding Zoom link. However, 7th and 8th Grade will still have Student-Led Conferences and will not schedule in the same manner.

Parent-teacher conferences are a great opportunity for both teachers and parents to address any concerns and provide valuable feedback. They are, however, optional, especially during the Winter/Spring. Please do not feel obligated to sign-up for conferences if you do not feel the need. Teachers who feel there is a need for a conference concerning your child will reach out to parents individually.

Sign-Up Genius Links will be included in the Weekly Recap

Zoom Links will be sent to parents who have sign-up for P/T Conferences and/ or included in the Monday Message

Parent-Teacher Conferences on Zoom

Parent-Teacher Conferences on Zoom

Your Partnership means so much to our students and to the staff at St. Catharine School! Please consider becoming a Partner; contact kerri.omalley@yahoo.com for more information on how you can help to provide funds that go DIRECTLY to our students and the classrooms! 

Please fill out this quick survey to provide valuable feedback on our USDA Free School Lunch Program.

School lunches will be back in February. Thank you for your continued patience.

Due to continued COVID-19 concerns, we will not be exchanging Valentines in the classroom this year. Students are welcome to bring in pre-packaged treats for their Cohort with approval from the classroom teacher. Thank you for your understanding.

Still don’t know how to use scrip? Need to still get registered? New Families now is the time to get started!!

Please reach out to Alli Brinkmeyer at 614-214-5428 call or txt or email at stcatharinetrip@yahoo.com

Current inventory of physical cards available today (just reach out to purchase and money goes right into your OWN TUITION ACCOUNT)

Amazon 4 -$25

Amazon 2 - $100

Chipotle 3- $25

Dicks Sporting Goods 1- $25

Dicks Sporting Goods 2- $100

Giant Eagle 10- $100

Kohls 3- $100

Lowe’s 4- $25

Lowe’s 2- $100

Meijer 3- $25

Meijer 5- $100

Panera Bread 5- $5

Speedway 2- $25

Starbucks 10- $10

Starbucks 6- $5

Target 3- $10

TAT 6- $25

Tim Hortons 4- $10

TJ Max, Marshall’s and Homegoods 5- $25

E-gift cards and Reloads can be done at anytime through the website or app (RaiseRight).

Ray and Mandy DeWeese have given much time and talent to help lead our girls lacrosse program at St. Catharine. They have decided that it is time to pass on the torch. If you have an interest in being the commissioner of our girls lacrosse program , please contact Mandy at deweesefam6@gmail.com. Ray and Mandy would be an integral part of the transition this spring.

The Lindy Infante Scholarship Foundation helps families who need assistance paying for Diocesan athletic fees. Please fill out the application and send to:

Marty Raines

Diocesan Recreation Association

197 E. Gay St.

Columbus, Ohio 43215

Commissioners needed

Please contact PJ Keiffer with any questions at 614-668-0134 or email, pkeiffer@gmail.com