PONY Newsletter | November 5, 2020
Welcome HOME!
"O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams." - St. Augustine

Please pray for our confirmandi! 8th graders will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation tonight or tomorrow night at St. Patrick Catholic Church. Archbishop Kurtz will be presiding.
You may view masses live on our church YouTube page.
School Updates
COVID-19 Updates & School Schedule Adjustments

The Office of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Louisville and the local health department have made a mutual recommendation to all Catholic schools to implement remote learning days around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. These days are November 23, 24, and 30, and January 4-8, 2021. The Preschool Program is under a different licensure and is not included in this plan.

This recommendation is based on the following:

  • Increasing number of positive COVID-19 cases and potential exponential increase in community spread
  • Potential for further increase due to family gatherings, travel, changing weather conditions, and cold/flu season
  • Challenge for schools to manage protocols and appropriate staffing levels
  • Identification by schools of reasonable and timely reporting practices over extended weekends and holidays
  • Challenge for health department to review and provide guidance to schools around the holidays

While St. Patrick would prefer to maintain our current schedule for more in-person learning days, we also understand and have experienced the stress that the total system is experiencing. We believe this mitigation strategy around the holidays will enable the local health department to support us better and allow us to stay open for as long as we can.

Please expect more communication from teachers about what the full remote days of instruction will look like, including scheduled live sessions as well as asynchronous work.

Important Dates

  • November 5,6 - 8th Grade Confirmation
  • November 13 - End of Trimester 1
  • November 23, 24 - JK-8 Remote Learning
  • November 25-27 - Thanksgiving Break
  • November 30 - JK-8 Remote Learning
Principal Update
Celtic Athletic Ministry
Stay up-to-date on the latest news from our Celtic Athletic Ministry.
Check it out below!

Cafeteria News

Taher and Chef Matt would like to make it easier for you to provide feedback. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the way we serve you and your children. We would like to see how we are doing so far, but more importantly, we would like to see how we can do better. Please fill out this survey and tell us what you think. Thank you in advance!


Don’t forget the cafeteria has an app to help you keep up with the menu found in your app store. With the constant schedule changes and uncertainties right now, we will periodically need to make changes to the menu. Use this app to keep up to date. Taher Food4Life App

Matthew Clements
Chef Manager, Taher, Inc.
St. Patrick Catholic School
(502) 719-0368
Prospective Families! St. Pats will be holding one Open House per month from November to February. Families will need to sign-up in advance for available slots. Thanks for spreading the word about our parish school!

November 21, 2020
December 5, 2020
January 9, 2021
February 6, 2021
2020 Catholic Services Appeal

The theme for this year is: We are called… to do justice, love goodness, to walk humbly with God. (Micah 6:8). These words are fitting, especially with the pandemic and social justice challenges our community and beyond continues to face. Our CSA collection weekend is October 10/11. The typical in-pew collection of envelopes in the chairs and passing down the rows will be adjusted to comply with Covid19 guidelines. Watch the video HERE.
 
Parish-School Target: $133,300 (Last year's goal $140,400 and we finished at $127,938, approx, 91% of goal)

Parish-School Participation Goal: 314 households (last year goal was 235 and we had 312 households donate, 132% of goal)

Archdiocesan Goal: $3,900,000 (same as last year)
 
We invite you to bring your family to Mass and share in the joy of giving. No gift is too big or too small. You will have an opportunity to make your gift at Mass so please bring your checkbook or phone. Yes, you can text to give and it is a safe and secure option. Over the past several years, we have created a friendly school competition between classrooms to generate greater participation from our school families. Stay tuned for details on what the plans are for this year. A prize will be awarded to the winning class with the most participation in the appeal.
 
Gifts can be made in the following ways:
Cash, Check, Credit Card, Electronic transfer from checking, stocks and employer matching gifts, if applicable.
1. Online at www.stpatlou.org,click on CSA Donate Here link
2. Online at www.archlou.org
3. Envelopes received in the mail or at the Welcome Desk in the church gathering space
 
Your participation is important. Together, we can do this!
The Day After Tomorrow - Positive Outlook
Jon Gordon, author, recently shared a post about the anxiety around the 2020 election.

Here's an excerpt:

Even if your candidate loses, you shouldn't lose hope. 

While you may feel powerless you have more power than you think. 

Individually, you can't control who wins the election but you can control what you do the day after tomorrow. 

You can be happy.
You can work hard. 
You can love others.
You can make a difference. 
You can pray for the President to lead well and make great decisions. 
You can invent something that changes the world. 
You can start and build a successful business. 
You can inspire your students and believe in them. 
You can help heal someone. 
You can feed the poor and help the needy. 
You can raise your children with great values and principles. 
You can love, serve and care. 

The President will be in control of running the country but you and only you are in control of running your life. 

Leadership is important. But one person doesn't make America. We make America.

You can read the full post here.